Compensation of employees (current LCU) in Germany
Germany: Compensation of employees (current LCU) was 79.75 billion current LCU in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
79.75 billion current LCU
Change on year
up 6.7%
World rank
76th
of 156 countries
All-time high
79.75 billion current LCU
in 2024
All-time low
11.85 billion current LCU
in 1972
Years of data
53
1972–2024
Compensation of employees in Germany, 1972–2024
Source: Government Finance Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF). Measured in current LCU.
Analysis
The most recent figure for compensation of employees in Germany is 79.75 billion current LCU, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 53 years on record.
That represents a change of up 6.7% on the previous year and up 53.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, compensation of employees in Germany peaked at 79.75 billion current LCU in 2024 and was at its lowest, 11.85 billion current LCU, in 1972.
Germany ranks 76th of 156 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 53 years of available data.
Compensation of employees (current LCU) in Germany, year by year
| Year | current LCU | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1972 | 11.85 billion current LCU | — |
| 1973 | 13.43 billion current LCU | +13.4% |
| 1974 | 15.36 billion current LCU | +14.4% |
| 1975 | 16.39 billion current LCU | +6.7% |
| 1976 | 16.93 billion current LCU | +3.3% |
| 1977 | 17.75 billion current LCU | +4.9% |
| 1978 | 18.61 billion current LCU | +4.8% |
| 1979 | 19.56 billion current LCU | +5.1% |
| 1980 | 21.18 billion current LCU | +8.3% |
| 1981 | 22.45 billion current LCU | +6.0% |
| 1982 | 22.91 billion current LCU | +2.0% |
| 1983 | 23.51 billion current LCU | +2.7% |
| 1984 | 23.84 billion current LCU | +1.4% |
| 1985 | 24.67 billion current LCU | +3.5% |
| 1986 | 25.69 billion current LCU | +4.1% |
| 1987 | 26.68 billion current LCU | +3.8% |
| 1988 | 27.33 billion current LCU | +2.4% |
| 1989 | 28.21 billion current LCU | +3.2% |
| 1990 | 29.64 billion current LCU | +5.1% |
| 1991 | 31.68 billion current LCU | +6.9% |
| 1992 | 34.19 billion current LCU | +7.9% |
| 1993 | 35.13 billion current LCU | +2.7% |
| 1994 | 35.72 billion current LCU | +1.7% |
| 1995 | 35.91 billion current LCU | +0.5% |
| 1996 | 36.75 billion current LCU | +2.4% |
| 1997 | 36.71 billion current LCU | -0.1% |
| 1998 | 36.92 billion current LCU | +0.6% |
| 1999 | 41.81 billion current LCU | +13.2% |
| 2000 | 42.31 billion current LCU | +1.2% |
| 2001 | 41.43 billion current LCU | -2.1% |
| 2002 | 42.29 billion current LCU | +2.1% |
| 2003 | 42.62 billion current LCU | +0.8% |
| 2004 | 42.27 billion current LCU | -0.8% |
| 2005 | 42.35 billion current LCU | +0.2% |
| 2006 | 42.57 billion current LCU | +0.5% |
| 2007 | 42.74 billion current LCU | +0.4% |
| 2008 | 44.51 billion current LCU | +4.1% |
| 2009 | 46.59 billion current LCU | +4.7% |
| 2010 | 47.93 billion current LCU | +2.9% |
| 2011 | 48.41 billion current LCU | +1.0% |
| 2012 | 49.27 billion current LCU | +1.8% |
| 2013 | 50.49 billion current LCU | +2.5% |
| 2014 | 51.89 billion current LCU | +2.8% |
| 2015 | 53.39 billion current LCU | +2.9% |
| 2016 | 54.95 billion current LCU | +2.9% |
| 2017 | 57.49 billion current LCU | +4.6% |
| 2018 | 59.68 billion current LCU | +3.8% |
| 2019 | 62.98 billion current LCU | +5.5% |
| 2020 | 65.71 billion current LCU | +4.3% |
| 2021 | 68.34 billion current LCU | +4.0% |
| 2022 | 71.12 billion current LCU | +4.1% |
| 2023 | 74.74 billion current LCU | +5.1% |
| 2024 | 79.75 billion current LCU | +6.7% |
Germany compared with similar countries
- Germany's 79.75 billion current LCU is above the median for high income countries, which is 23.97 billion current LCU, 3.3× the median. (57 countries reporting)
- Germany's 79.75 billion current LCU is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 31.50 billion current LCU, 2.5× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 16.23 billion current LCU | 11.85 billion current LCU | 19.56 billion current LCU | 8 |
| 1980s | 24.65 billion current LCU | 21.18 billion current LCU | 28.21 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 1990s | 35.45 billion current LCU | 29.64 billion current LCU | 41.81 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 2000s | 42.97 billion current LCU | 41.43 billion current LCU | 46.59 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 2010s | 53.65 billion current LCU | 47.93 billion current LCU | 62.98 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 2020s | 71.93 billion current LCU | 65.71 billion current LCU | 79.75 billion current LCU | 5 |
Countries ranked near Germany
More public sector data for Germany
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- Elected parliament, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
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- Arms imports 1.63 billion SIPRI trend indicator values (2025)
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Frequently asked questions
- What is compensation of employees in Germany?
- Compensation of employees in Germany was 79.75 billion current LCU in 2024, according to Government Finance Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF).
- What is the highest compensation of employees recorded in Germany?
- The highest recorded value was 79.75 billion current LCU in 2024.
- What is the lowest compensation of employees recorded in Germany?
- The lowest recorded value was 11.85 billion current LCU in 1972.
- How does Germany rank for compensation of employees?
- Germany ranks 76th out of 156 countries with data for 2024.
- Is compensation of employees rising or falling in Germany?
- Over the last ten years it is up 53.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Germany data come from?
- The figures come from Government Finance Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF), published as part of Compensation of employees (current LCU). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Compensation of employees is defined as the total remuneration, in cash or in kind, payable by an enterprise to an employee in return for work done by the latter during the accounting period. This indicator is expressed in current prices, meaning no adjustment has been made to account for price changes over time. This series is expressed in local currency units.