Entry (gross)
€6,927
Step 5
€6,927
Step 5
€8,731
Step 11
€5,973
estimated, before PHI
11 / 17
by top step gross
Step 5: Gross €6,927, Net €4,927. Step 6: Gross €7,288, Net €5,136. Step 7: Gross €7,576, Net €5,304. Step 8: Gross €7,865, Net €5,471. Step 9: Gross €8,154, Net €5,639. Step 10: Gross €8,443, Net €5,806. Step 11: Gross €8,731, Net €5,973
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Saxony: Top step gross €9,260. Federal (Bund): Top step gross €9,230. Hesse: Top step gross €9,227. Baden-Wurttemberg: Top step gross €9,013. Thuringia: Top step gross €8,933. Brandenburg: Top step gross €8,906. Rhineland-Palatinate: Top step gross €8,862. Berlin: Top step gross €8,841. Bavaria: Top step gross €8,744. Saxony-Anhalt: Top step gross €8,736. Lower Saxony: Top step gross €8,731. North Rhine-Westphalia: Top step gross €8,727. Hamburg: Top step gross €8,632. Bremen: Top step gross €8,599. Saarland: Top step gross €8,543. Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania: Top step gross €8,489. Schleswig-Holstein: Top step gross €8,452
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Gross €8,731. Net (estimated) €5,973 (68.4%). Income tax €2,758 (31.6%).
Gross: €8,731
Drag the slider to see gross and estimated net for each experience step.
| Step | Base salary (gross) | Net (estimated) |
|---|---|---|
| Step 5 | €6,927 | €4,927 |
| Step 6 | €7,288 | €5,136 |
| Step 7 | €7,576 | €5,304 |
| Step 8 | €7,865 | €5,471 |
| Step 9 | €8,154 | €5,639 |
| Step 10 | €8,443 | €5,806 |
| Step 11 | €8,731 | €5,973 |
As of 2026 (01.04.2026 – 28.02.2027). Net is estimated (tax class I, no church tax, before private health insurance).
€8,731
no supplement
€8,893
+ €162
€9,192
+ €461
€9,334
+ €603
Civil servants pay no contributions to statutory pension, unemployment, health, or long-term care insurance. So essentially only income tax (and possibly the solidarity surcharge) is deducted from gross pay. For A 16 at the top step this gives an estimated €5,973 net at tax class I.
Instead of statutory health insurance, civil servants are privately insured (PKV). The employer covers part of the cost via Beihilfe — in Lower Saxony under the standard regime. The individual PKV premium is not deducted here; use the calculator for that.
The base salary ranges from €6,927 (step 5) to €8,731 (top step) gross per month (2026 (01.04.2026 – 28.02.2027)). Familienzuschlag and allowances are added on top.
At the top step roughly €5,973 net remains (tax class I, before private health insurance). Civil servants pay no social insurance, but they do pay income tax plus a private health insurance premium that is partly reimbursed via Beihilfe.
Saxony currently pays the most at €9,260 at the top step. Lower Saxony ranks 11 of 17 — €528 below the leader.
Experience steps rise automatically with years of service — first after 2 years, later after 3 and 4 years. In Lower Saxony, A 16 has 7 steps; from entry to the top step the base salary grows by €1,804.
Married civil servants receive €162 extra per month, rising to €603 with two children. At the top step this lifts gross pay to as much as €9,334.
Including PKV premium, Beihilfe, and your step for A 16 in Lower Saxony.
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