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Entry level salaries for electronics design in Germany
ecstaticelephant:
Hi, I recently graduated with a Master's degree in electronics engineering here in Germany.
I've been on the job hunt for a while now and finally had two successful interviews with some smaller companies in Berlin (where I'd like to work), one for embedded software engineering and one for RF hardware design.
Unfortunately I've found that the annual salaries they are willing to offer were quite low between 46,000 for embedded software and 48,000 EUR for RF hardware. For a beginner in the industry I was aiming for at least 52,000 EUR which is reasonable according to the IG Metall union salaries list in the Berlin area.
I realize that the Berlin area and eastern Germany pay less well than in south-west Germany but tbh IG Metall aren't really considered top notch salaries either and these companies weren't even willing offering this much.
I also realize that the big players like Audi, Mercedes Benz etc. pay better as well (they're also all located in the south).
At this point I am considering getting a PhD as a fast-track into a management trainee program, because engineering salaries seem to be shockingly low. I'd love to work as an electronics design engineer but rents in many places in Germany are going through the roof, let alone property prices. At this point it could also be better to shift careers into the pharmaceutical industry ($$$).
I know there are many people from Germany active on this forum. Does this jive with your general experience with the state of the industry in Germany or am I being taken for a ride by these companies?
m98:
IG Metall tariff is pretty much what you'll get at most big companies, if you happen to get an entry-level job without having done an internship and/or thesis at the company. Which is short of impossible, at least in my industry (not automotive).
48k doesn't seem low as a starting salary, I know some immigrant PhD computer scientists who work for under 30k.
SiliconWizard:
--- Quote from: m98 on July 03, 2021, 05:29:11 pm ---IG Metall tariff is pretty much what you'll get at most big companies, if you happen to get an entry-level job without having done an internship and/or thesis at the company. Which is short of impossible, at least in my industry (not automotive).
48k doesn't seem low as a starting salary, I know some immigrant PhD computer scientists who work for under 30k.
--- End quote ---
Definitely. Entry-level engineering EE jobs, the typical wage is around 35k I think. And yes, some will work for less than this.
Of course, depending on the company and your profile, it may be a bit more than this, but 48k? That's daydreaming for a starting salary IMO. You typically need at least 5-year experience to get to that point. I haven't seen very recent figures for Germany, so I may be underestimating this a little by now, but 52k as the OP wants for a beginner? I doubt it.
tom66:
48,000 EUR starting salary? I would have loved that kind of starting salary, I started on 28,000 GBP (about 32k EUR). I'm aware the UK isn't Germany but salaries across Europe are similar - it sounds pretty good to me...
ecstaticelephant:
--- Quote from: m98 on July 03, 2021, 05:29:11 pm ---IG Metall tariff is pretty much what you'll get at most big companies, if you happen to get an entry-level job without having done an internship and/or thesis at the company. Which is short of impossible, at least in my industry (not automotive).
48k doesn't seem low as a starting salary, I know some immigrant PhD computer scientists who work for under 30k.
--- End quote ---
Yeah I've had that same experience. Applying at the big companies for entry-level jobs (if they are even available) usually doesn't get me any callbacks. I'm kicking myself for doing an internship at a smaller local company instead of going to a big company.
It's a shame that the immigrant PhDs get exploited like that. How do you expect to feed a family and afford living on such a measly salary? Even in the small, out-in-the-sticks university town that I'm from housing prices and rents are going nuts because of the low interest rates.
Thanks for the replies so far, I'm surprised that 48 kEUR is considered high already.
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