Income: Average wages in nursing are rising

According to data from the nursing care insurance funds, the payment of urgently needed nursing staff in nursing homes has increased noticeably. The average hourly wages increased by 8.8 percent to 22.60 euros compared to the previous year, as announced by the umbrella association of statutory health insurance companies, which also represents the nursing care funds. This is a “significant increase” after average increases of two percent per year were recently recorded. The “Rheinische Post” first reported about it.

Association boss Doris Pfeiffer said: “The higher average wages in geriatric care show that nursing staff can rely on fair pay overall.” The reason for the increase is the connection of average wages to the development of collective wages. The other side of the coin, however, is that higher wages often have an impact on those in need of care. “Politicians must finally show ways to effectively limit the increasing burden on those in need of care.”

Since September 2022, care insurance contracts have only been allowed to exist with homes that pay according to the tariff or similar. As the association announced, numerous collective agreements between 2023 and 2024 contained wage increases that go beyond increases in previous years. For nursing assistants without training, the average wage in the future will be 19.26 euros per hour. The average wage for nursing staff rose by 9.2 percent to 25.93 euros. 11,000 reports from collectively agreed care facilities were evaluated.

The German Foundation for Patient Protection also called for relief from additional out-of-pocket payments for those in need of care. “It is important and right to pay the nursing staff appropriately,” said board member Eugen Brysch. Even now, more and more people in need of care are no longer able to pay the price. He called on the federal government to deliver an announced sustainable care law in a few weeks.