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Stepstone 2026 Ranking Finds Several Apprenticeships Start Above €50,000

Acute labor shortages in high‑need fields are lifting trainee pay across Germany.

Overview

  • A 2026 Stepstone analysis finds several apprenticeship jobs now start above €50,000 in median first‑year pay.
  • Chemists lead at €53,250 and digitalization‑management clerks follow at €53,000, with OP assistants and elder‑care nurses also near the top.
  • Seven of the eleven ranked roles top €50,000, up from zero in the 2025 list.
  • The figures use medians from Stepstone’s salary database for full‑time workers under 29 with up to three years’ experience, which means sample mix and outliers can affect results.
  • Many trainees still choose lower‑paid tracks, as BIBB counted 475,950 new contracts in 2025 and the top choices were auto mechatronics, office management and retail sales.