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Ophthalmologist Salary in Germanyguide

Ophthalmologist Salary in Germany

Employed ophthalmologists are remunerated according to the Marburger Bund collective agreements, which are structured by pay grades Ä1 through Ä4. This guide presents documented gross monthly figures for resident physicians, specialists, and senior physicians, as well as a contextual overview of earnings in private practice.

How Salary Is Determined

The salary of employed hospital physicians is governed by collective agreements negotiated by the Marburger Bund. These agreements are not specialty-specific. An ophthalmologist in pay grade Ä2 earns the same as an internist in the same grade and step under the collective agreement. Classification is based on qualification and function, not medical specialty. The following figures therefore apply to employed ophthalmologists in the same way as to other hospital physicians.

The key pay grades are Ä1 (physician in specialty training), Ä2 (specialist), Ä3 (senior physician) and Ä4 (leading senior physician). Within each grade, salary increases with years of professional experience across several steps.

Municipal Hospitals (TV-Ärzte/VKA)

Municipal hospitals are governed by the TV-Ärzte/VKA collective agreement. The following gross monthly figures are based on the pay table valid from 01 August 2025 to 31 May 2026 (source: oeffentlicher-dienst.info, compiled from the Marburger Bund collective agreement):

  • Ä1 (physician in specialty training): from approximately €6,732 at step 1 to approximately €8,653 at step 6
  • Ä2 (specialist): from approximately €8,885 to approximately €11,410
  • Ä3 (senior physician): from approximately €11,129 to approximately €12,719
  • Ä4 (leading senior physician): from approximately €13,091 to approximately €14,027

Steps are linked to years of professional experience. In Ä1, progression occurs annually, so step 1 corresponds to the first year and step 6 to the sixth year of specialty training. In Ä2, step 1 begins after three years of practice as a specialist, with further progression through the steps occurring at a slower pace.

University Hospitals (TV-Ärzte/TdL)

University hospitals are governed by the TV-Ärzte/TdL collective agreement. The figures are practically equivalent to VKA levels, slightly higher in the lower steps. The pay table referenced is dated 01 February 2025 (following increases of 4 percent on 01 April 2024 and 6 percent on 01 February 2025):

  • Ä1: from approximately €6,752 to approximately €8,668
  • Ä2: from approximately €8,912 to approximately €11,163
  • Ä3 (senior physician): approximately €11,163 to €12,757 across occupied steps
  • Ä4 (leading senior physician): approximately €13,131 to €14,817 across occupied steps

From 1 January 2026, the standard working hours at university hospitals will be reduced from 42 to 40 hours per week with full wage compensation, which increases the effective hourly rate. It should be noted that all figures cited represent base salaries excluding on-call duties, allowances, and supplements. These can noticeably increase actual gross income.

No reliable published pay tables are available for private hospital groups such as Helios or Asklepios. These organisations operate under their own in-house agreements or corporate collective agreements, and therefore no specific euro figures are provided here.

How Gross Salary Grows Across Steps

For personal career planning, it is worth examining the step progression structure. In grade Ä1, advancement occurs annually, so the base salary increases with each year of specialty training. Starting at approximately €6,732 in the first year under the VKA table, a physician reaches approximately €8,653 by the sixth year of training. Upon obtaining specialist certification, the physician moves to Ä2, where step 1 begins after three years of practice as a specialist, with subsequent progression through steps 2 to 5 occurring considerably more slowly. In Ä3 (senior physician) and Ä4 (leading senior physician), there are only a few steps; at these levels, allowances and individual arrangements carry more weight than the step mechanism alone.

In addition to base salary, significant income components arise from on-call duties, standby duty, as well as night, Sunday, and public holiday supplements, and any applicable functional allowances. Since these vary considerably depending on the duty roster and the institution, no standardised euro amounts can be reliably stated. When comparing job offers, candidates should therefore consider not only the base salary but also the expected volume of on-call duties and the applicable supplement regulations.

Chief of Department

Chief physician salaries are negotiated individually outside the collective agreements; the TV-Ärzte does not apply. As a rough reference, secondary sources citing the Kienbaum Compensation Report indicate an average of approximately €300,000 gross per year, with a very wide range. This figure should be understood as an estimate and cannot be substantiated specifically for ophthalmology.

Employed vs. Private Practice

Ophthalmologists in private practice rank among the highest-earning specialist groups. According to analyses of the cost structure statistics published by the Federal Statistical Office, ophthalmologists generated an above-average net practice income of approximately €346,000 per practice owner in 2019, one of the highest values across all specialty groups.

It is important to place this figure in the correct context. Net practice income represents the overall practice result before taxes and before the owner's provisions for retirement, health, and disability insurance. In group practices, it is distributed among several owners. Across all physician practices, the Federal Statistical Office reports an average net practice income of €310,000 per practice for 2023, with a median of €219,000. Net practice income is therefore not directly comparable to an employed physician's net salary, as it encompasses entrepreneurial risk, practice operating costs, financing, and the owner's personal provisions. In terms of earnings, practitioners in private practice are generally above the level of employed senior physicians, but they also bear considerable costs and risks.

Sources

Frequently asked questions

What does a resident physician in ophthalmology earn?

Under the TV-Ärzte/VKA (as of 08/2025), pay grade Ä1 ranges from approximately €6,732 gross in the first year to approximately €8,653 gross in the sixth year of specialty training, excluding on-call duties and allowances.

How high is the senior physician salary?

Senior physicians are classified in grade Ä3. Under the TV-Ärzte/VKA (as of 08/2025), the gross base salary ranges from approximately €11,129 to €12,719 per month, depending on the step.

Do ophthalmologists in private practice earn more than employed ophthalmologists?

In terms of earnings, private practice generally exceeds the level of employed senior physicians. Ophthalmologists achieved a net practice income of approximately €346,000 per practice owner in 2019. However, net practice income is not equivalent to a net salary, as it does not account for operating costs, personal provisions, and entrepreneurial risk.

Are there differences between university hospitals and municipal hospitals?

The collective agreement figures under TV-Ärzte/TdL (university hospitals) are practically equivalent to those under TV-Ärzte/VKA (municipal hospitals), slightly higher in the lower steps. From 1 January 2026, university hospitals will also reduce the standard working week to 40 hours with full wage compensation.

What does a chief of department in ophthalmology earn?

Chief physician salaries are negotiated individually outside the collective agreements. Secondary sources cite a rough average of approximately €300,000 gross per year, with a very wide range. A specialty-specific figure for ophthalmology cannot be reliably substantiated.