Employee compensation as share of government spending in Germany
Germany: Employee compensation as share of government spending was 5.7% in 2022. ▼ Falling
Employee compensation as share of government spending in Germany, 1972–2022
Source: International Monetary Fund (IMF) Government Finance Statistics, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in % of expense.
Analysis
Germany recorded 5.7% for employee compensation as share of government spending in 2022.
That represents a change of up 0.7% on the previous year and down 9.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, employee compensation as share of government spending in Germany peaked at 12.0% in 1972 and was at its lowest, 4.9%, in 1995.
That places Germany 154th out of 155 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 51 years of available data.
Employee compensation as share of government spending in Germany, year by year
| Year | % of expense | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1972 | 12.0% | — |
| 1973 | 12.0% | -0.3% |
| 1974 | 11.7% | -2.0% |
| 1975 | 10.8% | -7.7% |
| 1976 | 10.3% | -5.3% |
| 1977 | 10.1% | -1.9% |
| 1978 | 9.9% | -1.7% |
| 1979 | 9.8% | -1.4% |
| 1980 | 9.4% | -3.3% |
| 1981 | 9.3% | -1.8% |
| 1982 | 9.0% | -3.0% |
| 1983 | 9.0% | -0.1% |
| 1984 | 8.6% | -4.1% |
| 1985 | 8.7% | +0.7% |
| 1986 | 8.7% | +0.5% |
| 1987 | 8.7% | -0.5% |
| 1988 | 8.5% | -2.1% |
| 1989 | 8.5% | +0.5% |
| 1990 | 8.2% | -3.9% |
| 1991 | 6.4% | -21.7% |
| 1992 | 6.4% | -0.1% |
| 1993 | 6.3% | -1.7% |
| 1994 | 6.1% | -3.0% |
| 1995 | 4.9% | -19.2% |
| 1996 | 5.9% | +19.2% |
| 1997 | 5.9% | -0.4% |
| 1998 | 5.8% | -1.5% |
| 1999 | 6.4% | +11.0% |
| 2000 | 6.4% | -0.2% |
| 2001 | 6.2% | -3.2% |
| 2002 | 6.2% | -0.5% |
| 2003 | 6.1% | -1.1% |
| 2004 | 6.1% | +0.7% |
| 2005 | 6.1% | -1.3% |
| 2006 | 6.1% | +0.8% |
| 2007 | 6.1% | -0.1% |
| 2008 | 6.2% | +1.2% |
| 2009 | 6.1% | -0.7% |
| 2010 | 6.0% | -2.9% |
| 2011 | 6.2% | +4.5% |
| 2012 | 6.3% | +1.2% |
| 2013 | 6.3% | -0.1% |
| 2014 | 6.3% | +0.4% |
| 2015 | 6.3% | -0.2% |
| 2016 | 6.3% | -0.3% |
| 2017 | 6.3% | -0.2% |
| 2018 | 6.4% | +1.3% |
| 2019 | 6.4% | +0.6% |
| 2020 | 5.9% | -7.3% |
| 2021 | 5.7% | -4.1% |
| 2022 | 5.7% | +0.7% |
Germany compared with similar countries
- Germany's 5.7% is below the median for high income countries, which is 18.9%, 30% of the median. (56 countries reporting)
- Germany's 5.7% is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 16.4%, 35% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 10.8% | 9.8% | 12.0% | 8 |
| 1980s | 8.8% | 8.5% | 9.4% | 10 |
| 1990s | 6.2% | 4.9% | 8.2% | 10 |
| 2000s | 6.2% | 6.1% | 6.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 6.3% | 6.0% | 6.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 5.8% | 5.7% | 5.9% | 3 |
Countries ranked near Germany
More work & labour data for Germany
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual -0.0436 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth -0.0549 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth -0.0322 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -1.95 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 0.0388 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 66,826 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 12,413 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 35,391 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 35,508 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 70,900 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is employee compensation as share of government spending in Germany?
- Employee compensation as share of government spending in Germany was 5.7% in 2022, according to International Monetary Fund (IMF) Government Finance Statistics, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest employee compensation as share of government spending recorded in Germany?
- The highest recorded value was 12.0% in 1972.
- What is the lowest employee compensation as share of government spending recorded in Germany?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.9% in 1995.
- How does Germany rank for employee compensation as share of government spending?
- Germany ranks 154th out of 155 countries with data for 2022.
- Is employee compensation as share of government spending rising or falling in Germany?
- Over the last ten years it is down 9.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Germany data come from?
- The figures come from International Monetary Fund (IMF) Government Finance Statistics, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Employee compensation as share of government spending. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Employee compensation includes wages, in-kind payments, and government contributions to social insurance schemes such as social security and pensions.