Electrician (Journeyman) — Job Description & Salary in Germany

Salary band

Base salary, gross annual

25th percentile

€31,100

Median

€35,600

75th percentile

€41,100

For reference: the statutory minimum wage in Germany has stood at €13.90 gross per hour since January 1, 2026 — roughly €2,410 gross a month for a full-time role at 40 hours/week. (BMAS: Mindestlohn steigt zum 1. Januar 2026 auf 13,90 Euro)

Gross fixed salary per year for an Elektroniker/in Energie- und Gebäudetechnik (electrician specialising in energy and building technology) with a journeyman's certificate (Gesellenbrief) — by far the most common training profile behind the everyday job title 'electrician' — without a master craftsman's certificate (Meisterbrief). In practice, the electrical trade pays predominantly by hourly wage and wage group rather than annual salary: the legally generally binding sector wage agreement (Tariflohn) between the ZVEH and IG Metall has stood at €14.93 per hour since 1 January 2026, rising in stages to €15.49 (2027) and €16.10 (2028). The annual range shown here converts the sector's typical market pay to a full-time position (40 hours per week, around 2,080 hours per year): the median of €35,600 works out to roughly €17.10 per hour, noticeably above the collectively agreed floor, which reflects the real shortage of skilled workers. Bavaria, Baden-Württemberg, and metropolitan areas with high demand for heat-pump and photovoltaic installation sit at the top of the range; traditional building-services electrical businesses in rural areas tend to sit at the bottom. Experienced journeymen with an additional qualification (photovoltaics, EV charging infrastructure, building automation) approach the upper end; a master craftsman's certificate sits outside this range.

Sources: Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs: sector minimum wage, electrical trade (Branchenmindestlohn Elektrohandwerk); StepStone salary report: Elektroniker/in Energie- und Gebäudetechnik; Federal Government: minimum wage rises to €13.90 on 1 January 2026; Destatis earnings survey (April 2025), electrical occupations group

Updated August 2026