R

Public Sector Salary Calculator 2026

What do you earn in the German public sector? Choose the collective agreement, pay group and step — the calculator shows gross, net, the annual bonus and when you reach the next step.

100% freeNo data stored2026 pay tables

Current pay tables

TVöD VKA and TVöD Federal: valid from 1 May 2026 (+2.8%). TV-L: valid from 1 April 2026 (+2.8%, at least €100). The next TV-L increase is agreed for 1 March 2027; the TVöD agreement runs until 31 March 2027.

Agreement & Pay Grade

%

Tax & Social Insurance

%
Your net salary · TVöD VKA (municipalities) · E 9b/3

€2,735.37

per month · €34,739.33 Annual net incl. bonus

Gross per month

€4,203.56

Annual gross incl. bonus

€54,015.75

Annual bonus (Jahressonderzahlung)

Rate

85 %

gross

€3,573.03

of which net approx.

€1,914.90

paid with the November salary

What does the next step bring?

Next step

Step 4 · after 3 years

+€486.99 gross

+€259.82 net

Promotion to next group

E 9c · same step, step 3

+€391.20 gross

+€209.20 net

Step progression of your pay group (E 9b)

Monthly gross per step (at your working time) and years until reached

Step progression — timeline

  1. 1Entry
  2. 2after 1 yrs
  3. 3after 3 yrscurrent
  4. 4after 6 yrs
  5. 5after 10 yrs
  6. 6after 15 yrs

Monthly breakdown

Gross (table pay)€4,203.56
− Income tax, solidarity surcharge, church tax€553.92
− Social contributions (employee)€914.27
Net€2,735.37

Assumptions & notes

  • The calculation uses the plain table pay of the general pay table. Allowances, surcharges, overtime, performance pay, vested rights and special tables (e.g. nursing, social and education services, doctors, 2 Ü/15 Ü) are not included.
  • Annual bonus from 2026: TVöD VKA a uniform 85%, TVöD Federal 95% (E 1–8), 90% (E 9a–12), 75% (E 13–15); TV-L 87.43% (E 1–4), 88.14% (E 5–8), 74.35% (E 9a–11), 46.47% (E 12–13), 32.53% (E 14–15). For simplicity the base is the current monthly pay instead of the July–September average.
  • Net pay according to the 2026 income tax tariff with statutory health, care, pension and unemployment insurance. The supplementary public-sector pension scheme (VBL/ZVK) and any employee contribution to it are not included.
  • Step durations under § 16 TVöD/TV-L: 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 years (E 1: 4 years each). Very good or poor performance can shorten or extend them. Non-binding calculation, not legal or tax advice.

Email results

Was the salary calculator helpful?

Kaffee ausgeben ☕

Now calculate your net pay with all allowances

Gross-to-Net Salary Calculator →

Guide: Pay in the German Public Sector

Pay groups, steps, annual bonus and net pay explained

TVöD and TV-L Salary 2026: Pay Groups, Steps and Net Pay ExplainedFeatured

TVöD and TV-L Salary 2026: Pay Groups, Steps and Net Pay Explained

How pay in the German public sector works: classification, step progression, the 2026 pay rises, part-time and what is left net — with examples from the current tables.

2026-09-2410 min read
Annual Bonus 2026: How Much Christmas Pay the TVöD and TV-L Provide

Annual Bonus 2026: How Much Christmas Pay the TVöD and TV-L Provide

New rates in the TVöD, unchanged rates in the TV-L: who gets how much, how the payment is calculated and what is left net.

2026-09-246 min read
Step Progression in the TVöD and TV-L: When You Reach the Next Step

Step Progression in the TVöD and TV-L: When You Reach the Next Step

Step durations, pay jumps per step, performance, parental leave and part-time: how automatic progression to final step 6 works.

2026-09-246 min read
TV-L or TVöD: Where Do You Earn More? The 2026 Comparison

TV-L or TVöD: Where Do You Earn More? The 2026 Comparison

Table values, annual bonus and terms compared side by side: how big the pay gap between federal states and municipalities really is.

2026-09-246 min read
Pay Group Classification in the Public Sector: How Your Group Is Determined

Pay Group Classification in the Public Sector: How Your Group Is Determined

Automatic classification, work processes and the half rule: how the pay group is set, what applies when your tasks change and how to have a promotion checked.

2026-09-246 min read

You might also find useful

Gross-to-Net Salary Calculator

From gross to net in seconds

Calculate now →

Tax Class Calculator

Find the best tax class combination for couples: III/V, IV/IV or factor method

Calculate now →

Hourly Wage Calculator

Convert monthly salary to hourly wage and back, including a minimum wage check

Calculate now →

Frequently Asked Questions

It depends on pay group and step. Since 1 May 2026 the general TVöD VKA table ranges from €2,534.55 (E 1, step 2) to €8,204.11 (E 15, step 6) gross per month for full-time work. A typical value: E 9b, step 3 pays €4,203.56 gross under the TVöD VKA. On top comes the annual bonus in November. Our calculator shows gross and net for every combination.

The TVöD covers employees of the federal government (TVöD Federal) and municipalities (TVöD VKA); the TV-L covers the federal states except Hesse. The federal and VKA tables are identical in most pay groups but differ in E 1 and E 9a to 9c. The TV-L has its own, somewhat lower table values, a different term and different annual bonus rates.

Under § 16 TVöD and TV-L you reach step 2 after one year in step 1, step 3 after two years in step 2, step 4 after three, step 5 after four and step 6 after five more years. You therefore reach the final step after 15 years in total. In E 1 you start at step 2 and move up every four years. Considerably above- or below-average performance can shorten or extend the duration.

From 2026 new TVöD rates apply: municipalities (VKA) a uniform 85% of a monthly salary, the federal government 95% in E 1–8, 90% in E 9a–12 and 75% in E 13–15. In the TV-L the rates remain unchanged: 87.43% (E 1–4), 88.14% (E 5–8), 74.35% (E 9a–11), 46.47% (E 12–13) and 32.53% (E 14–15). The basis is the average monthly pay from July to September; it is paid with the November salary.

Part-time employees receive table pay pro rata to their agreed hours relative to a full-time employee's regular hours (§ 24(2) TVöD/TV-L). Working 75% means 75% of the table value — and the annual bonus pro rata as well. Because of tax progression, the drop in net pay is usually somewhat smaller. Just set your working time in the calculator.

With tax class I and no children, roughly 63 to 66% of gross is left in the middle pay groups. Example: E 9b, step 3 under the TVöD VKA with €4,203.56 gross results in about €2,735 net per month by our calculation (statutory insurance, 2.9% add-on rate, no church tax). Tax class III, children and church tax change the result considerably — which is why an individual calculation is worthwhile.

This is governed by § 17(4) — and the agreements differ here. Under the TVöD (federal and municipal) promotion is step-equal: you keep your step in the higher pay group. Under the TV-L you are placed in the step where you receive at least your previous table pay (at least step 2); if the increase is less than €100 (E 2–8) or €180 (E 9a–15), a guaranteed amount is paid instead. In both cases the step duration starts again. Our calculator's comparison shows what the next higher pay group would bring, gross and net.

Under the TV-L agreement of 14 February 2026, table pay rises by a further 2.0% on 1 March 2027 and 1.0% on 1 January 2028. The TVöD for federal and municipal employees runs until 31 March 2027; the next pay round is expected to start in early 2027. We update the tables as soon as new values are fixed.