Share of R&D personnel and researchers in total active population and in Germany

Germany: Share of R&D personnel and researchers in total active population and was 2.8% in 2023. ▲ Rising

Latest (2023)
2.8%
Change on year
up 6.1%
World rank
11th
of 48 countries
All-time high
2.8%
in 2023
All-time low
1.7%
in 2005
Years of data
11
2003–2023

Share of R&D personnel and researchers in total active population and in Germany, 2003–2023

01232003201320232003: 1.7 Percentage of population in the labour force - numerator in head count (HC)2005: 1.7 Percentage of population in the labour force - numerator in head count (HC)2007: 1.8 Percentage of population in the labour force - numerator in head count (HC)2009: 1.9 Percentage of population in the labour force - numerator in head count (HC)2011: 2.1 Percentage of population in the labour force - numerator in head count (HC)2013: 2.1 Percentage of population in the labour force - numerator in head count (HC)2015: 2.3 Percentage of population in the labour force - numerator in head count (HC)2017: 2.4 Percentage of population in the labour force - numerator in head count (HC)2019: 2.5 Percentage of population in the labour force - numerator in head count (HC)2021: 2.6 Percentage of population in the labour force - numerator in head count (HC)2023: 2.8 Percentage of population in the labour force - numerator in head count (HC)

Source: Eurostat. Measured in Percentage of population in the labour force - numerator in head count (HC).

Analysis

The most recent figure for share of r&d personnel and researchers in total active population and in Germany is 2.8%, measured in 2023. That is the highest value across all 11 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 6.1% on the previous year and up 29.3% over ten years.

Over the whole period, share of r&d personnel and researchers in total active population and in Germany peaked at 2.8% in 2023 and was at its lowest, 1.7%, in 2005.

Germany ranks 11th of 48 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 11 years of available data.

Share of R&D personnel and researchers in total active population and in Germany, year by year

Annual values for Share of R&D personnel and researchers in total active population and employment by sector of performance and sex in Germany, 2003 to 2023.
Year Percentage of population in the labour force - numerator in head count (HC) Change
2003 1.7%
2005 1.7% -1.2%
2007 1.8% +5.4%
2009 1.9% +9.7%
2011 2.1% +8.8%
2013 2.1% +2.4%
2015 2.3% +5.6%
2017 2.4% +4.0%
2019 2.5% +6.4%
2021 2.6% +4.4%
2023 2.8% +6.1%

Germany compared with similar countries

  • Germany's 2.8% is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 2.2%, 1.3× the median. (34 countries reporting)
  • Germany's 2.8% is above the median for high income countries, which is 2.2%, 1.2× the median. (33 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 1.8% 1.7% 1.9% 4
2010s 2.3% 2.1% 2.5% 5
2020s 2.7% 2.6% 2.8% 2

Countries ranked near Germany

  1. 8 Switzerland 3.1% compare
  2. 9 Sweden 3.0% compare
  3. 10 Greece 2.9% compare
  4. 12 Netherlands 2.7% compare
  5. 12 Netherlands 2.7% compare
  6. 14 Slovenia 2.6% compare
  7. 14 Slovenia 2.6% compare

See the full ranking of 51 places →

More work & labour data for Germany

All data for Germany →

Frequently asked questions

What is share of r&d personnel and researchers in total active population and in Germany?
Share of r&d personnel and researchers in total active population and in Germany was 2.8% in 2023, according to Eurostat.
What is the highest share of r&d personnel and researchers in total active population and recorded in Germany?
The highest recorded value was 2.8% in 2023.
What is the lowest share of r&d personnel and researchers in total active population and recorded in Germany?
The lowest recorded value was 1.7% in 2005.
How does Germany rank for share of r&d personnel and researchers in total active population and?
Germany ranks 11th out of 48 countries with data for 2023.
Is share of r&d personnel and researchers in total active population and rising or falling in Germany?
Over the last ten years it is up 29.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Germany data come from?
The figures come from Eurostat, published as part of Share of R&D personnel and researchers in total active population and employment by sector of performance and sex. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Share of R&D personnel and researchers in total active population and in Germany. Statizoid, drawing on Eurostat. Retrieved 13 September 2026, from https://labour.statizoid.com/stat/share-of-r-and-d-personnel-and-researchers-in-total-active-population-and-employment-by/germany/

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About this data

Indicator
Share of R&D personnel and researchers in total active population and employment by sector of performance and sex
Unit
Percentage of population in the labour force - numerator in head count (HC)
Source
Eurostat
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Eurostat)
Coverage
51 places, 1,043 data points, 1992–2024
Last refreshed