Money
Pflegefachmann Ausbildung Salary: Gross, Net and What Is Left
Under the Caritas AVR 2026 scale, a Pflegefachmann trainee earns €1,599.81 gross per month in year one, €1,661.19 in year two and €1,762.50 in year three. After German tax and social contributions, expect roughly €1,150–€1,300 net in year one depending on your tax class and city. Tuition is free, so this is income, not a stipend against fees.
There is no single national training salary in Germany, and any article that gives you one number without naming the collective agreement behind it is guessing. What follows is one real, published, checkable scale — plus what actually happens to that money once you live on it.
The gross figures
These are the 2026 rates for nursing trainees under the Caritas AVR agreement, which covers a large share of Catholic hospitals and care homes across Germany:
| Training year | Gross per month | Gross per year (12 months) |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | €1,599.81 | ≈ €19,198 |
| Year 2 | €1,661.19 | ≈ €19,934 |
| Year 3 | €1,762.50 | ≈ €21,150 |
Source: Caritas Ausbildungsvergütung fact sheet, February 2026. The monthly totals include the training allowance, geriatric allowance and shift allowance, but exclude variable time-based supplements. Trainees are classified under Anlage 7, Teil II, Abschnitt A of the AVR.
Public-sector employers follow TVAöD, church employers follow AVR or similar, and private providers set their own terms. The numbers differ. Ask your specific employer which agreement applies and what the current rate is — it belongs in your first email, not a surprise at signing.
Gross versus net: where the money goes
German deductions are substantial and automatic. From your gross, the following come off before you see anything:
- Income tax (Lohnsteuer), which depends on your tax class. A single trainee with no children is usually tax class 1.
- Health insurance, which is mandatory and covers you properly — this is a real benefit, not just a deduction.
- Pension insurance (Rentenversicherung), which accrues to you.
- Unemployment insurance and long-term care insurance, the latter at a higher rate if you have no children.
- Church tax, only if you register as a member of a tax-collecting religious body. You can decline this on registration.
As a rule of thumb at this income level, expect to keep somewhere in the region of 72–80% of gross. On €1,599.81 that lands most first-year trainees between about €1,150 and €1,300 net, varying by tax class, state and church tax status.
Before you sign anything, put your actual gross, tax class and Bundesland into one of the German net salary calculators (search “Brutto Netto Rechner”). The difference between tax class 1 and tax class 3 is large enough to change your housing decision.
What that actually buys you
A trainee salary in Germany is liveable but not comfortable, and the single variable that decides which it feels like is rent. Here is the shape of a first-year budget, with the caveat that costs vary enormously between a small town and Munich:
| Item | Typical monthly range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Rent (shared flat or staff housing) | €300–€600 | The one number that decides everything. Staff accommodation, where offered, is usually the cheapest option and worth asking about in the interview. |
| Food | €200–€300 | Cooking rather than eating out makes the lower end achievable. |
| Transport | €30–€60 | Germany’s nationwide monthly public transport ticket covers local and regional travel; some employers subsidise it. |
| Phone and internet | €20–€40 | |
| Insurance beyond the mandatory | €10–€30 | Liability insurance (Haftpflicht) is cheap and near-universal in Germany. |
| Study materials, uniform extras | €10–€30 | Varies by school; some provide everything. |
Add those up against €1,150–€1,300 net and the picture is clear: with cheap or subsidised housing you have real breathing room and can send money home. With a €600 city flat, you are managing carefully. Choose your employer’s location with this arithmetic in front of you, not after.
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Does the salary satisfy the visa’s proof-of-funds requirement?
Often, yes. The 2026 thresholds are €1,048 gross or €822 net per month for company-based training, and €959 net for school-based training. A first-year AVR gross of €1,599.81 comfortably exceeds the gross threshold, and a typical net exceeds the net one.
That said, embassies apply this differently, and if your employer pays below the AVR scale the calculation changes. Ask the German mission in your country what they require in your specific case before assuming your salary covers it. More on the visa and proof of funds →
Can you work on the side?
Yes — up to 20 hours a week, provided the work is independent of your training programme. Whether that is wise is a different question. Nursing training is physically demanding shift work with written exams attached, and trainees who take on substantial side jobs in year one frequently regret it. If you need extra income, consider it from year two, once you know what the rotation actually does to you.
What happens to the money after you qualify
The jump at the end of year three is the real financial argument for this route. You move from a trainee scale to a qualified nursing scale, which in Germany is set by collective agreement and rises with experience, responsibility and specialisation. Night, weekend and public-holiday supplements are meaningful on top of base pay.
And if you do not go straight into a job with your training employer, care-profession graduates may stay up to 12 months to look for qualified work, extendable by a further six months — so the qualification is not tied to one employer.
Common questions
How much does a nursing trainee earn in Germany per month?
On the Caritas AVR 2026 scale, €1,599.81 gross in year one, €1,661.19 in year two and €1,762.50 in year three. Other collective agreements pay different amounts, so confirm the figure with your specific employer.
Is the nursing Ausbildung salary enough to live on in Germany?
Yes, if your rent is moderate. After deductions a first-year trainee typically nets €1,150–€1,300, against rent of €300–€600 in shared or staff housing plus roughly €300–€450 for everything else. It is liveable, and tight in an expensive city.
Do I have to pay tuition for nursing training in Germany?
No. School fees for nursing training were abolished nationwide, so your training salary is income rather than an offset against course costs. You still pay your own pre-arrival costs: language exams, document assessment, translations, visa fee and travel.
Do trainees get a 13th month or bonus?
Many collective agreements include an annual special payment, and shift, night and weekend supplements are common on top of base pay. What applies to you depends on your employer’s agreement — ask for the full terms in writing, not just the monthly figure.
Can I send money home during the training?
Many trainees do, particularly those in subsidised staff accommodation. It depends almost entirely on your rent. Work out your specific net figure and your actual housing cost before committing to send a fixed amount each month.
An agent charges thousands. I charge $10 a month.
Inside the community you get the employer shortlist, the German-style CV and motivation letter templates, the self-review guide you use to check your own documents, the interview question bank and the visa document checklists. You do the applying. I show you exactly how.
Sources
- Caritas — Ausbildungsvergütung fact sheet, February 2026 (training pay by year)
- Make it in Germany — visa for vocational training (proof of funds, 20-hour side work, post-training stay)
- Federal Ministry of Health — FAQ on the Nursing Professions Act (free tuition)