Working Student Calculator Germany 2026
What is left of a Werkstudent salary? The calculator takes off only the pension contribution and wage tax, as 2026 payroll does, and shows the difference to a regular job.
| Gross | €1,200.00 |
|---|---|
| Pension insurance | €79.49 |
| Wage tax, Soli, church tax | €0.00 |
| Net | €1,120.51 |
| Net as a regular employee | €1,012.73 |
- Between €603.01 and €2,000 the pension contribution is reduced too (transition zone), while pension points count on your full pay.
- You still need health insurance: usually student health insurance (up to age 30), which you pay yourself. Family insurance ends once your total income passes €565 a month.
Net pay as a working student and as a regular employee (tax class I)
| Monthly gross | Working student | Regular job |
|---|---|---|
| €800.00 | €773.77 | €736.59 |
| €1,000.00 | €947.14 | €874.67 |
| €1,200.00 | €1,120.51 | €1,012.73 |
| €1,500.00 | €1,343.40 | €1,210.58 |
| €1,800.00 | €1,543.88 | €1,374.51 |
| €2,000.00 | €1,672.75 | €1,476.83 |
| €2,500.00 | €2,009.00 | €1,768.92 |
As a working student you pay your own student health insurance; in a regular job health insurance comes out of your pay. The rules, the 20-hour limit and the 26-week rule are in the working student guide.
How it works
Health, care and unemployment insurance do not apply. The pension contribution is 9.3%, and less between €603.01 and €2,000 under the transition zone formula. Wage tax comes from the official 2026 BMF program with the inputs the Finance Ministry prescribes for students; our figures match the BMF tax calculator interface to within a few cents.
Frequently asked questions
Up to what pay is a working student free of wage tax?
In tax class I up to about €1,250 a month. Above that wage tax is withheld, and many students get it back through a tax return.
Which tax class does a working student have?
Usually class I for your only or main job, and class VI for a second job.
Sources: Section 6 SGB V, Section 27 SGB III, Section 20 SGB IV, BMF letter on the payroll pension allowance of 14 August 2025, BMF Programmablaufplan 2026.