German Media: Which University Majors Offer Bright Prospects in Germany?

The economic situation in Europe is not optimistic, and new technologies such as artificial intelligence are rapidly transforming the job market. Under these circumstances, German youth also face challenges in choosing their majors. Which university programs will offer the highest starting salaries for German students by 2026? Which industries are currently less affected by AI?

Which Majors Offer the Highest Starting Salaries in Germany?

Compared to decades ago, the proportion of young Germans attending university has significantly increased. Statistics show that more than half of secondary school students now choose to pursue higher education. This is typically because individuals with a university degree generally earn higher wages than those holding only vocational training certificates. According to data from the Federal Statistical Office of Germany, in April 2025, the median gross monthly salary for full-time employees with a bachelor’s degree was €4,808—slightly higher than the overall average across all educational levels. For those holding a master’s degree, the median monthly salary reached €6,303.

However, statistics also reveal that over 30,000 university graduates across Germany remain unemployed, and this number continues to rise annually. As a result, determining which university majors are most suitable for high school leavers remains a highly debated topic among German society. Various media outlets and job portals frequently publish rankings of academic programs.

According to the latest 2026 data from the job portal Stepstone, 26 out of the 40 highest-paying professions are in law and administration—fields that typically require a law degree as a prerequisite.

Second place goes to IT: five of the top 40 highest-paying jobs fall within this category. Additionally, four professions related to finance, accounting, and taxation also made it into the top 40.

Based on this ranking, the highest-paying profession for German university graduates is tax consultant, with an annual gross salary of €73,500. Patent lawyers (€72,500), corporate legal officers (€72,300), and doctors (€72,000) rank second through fourth. Materials science engineers (€68,500) are the only engineering-related profession to enter the top ten.

Which Professions Are Currently Safe from AI?

The Frankfurter Rundschau recently analyzed the impact of artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies on the job market and listed several university majors with promising future prospects: all STEM fields, medical sciences, teacher training and social work, architecture, political science, law, and economics. However, the analysis also warns that while these seven categories have bright futures, they are not easy to enter. For example, about one in four students in STEM programs fail to graduate and either drop out or switch majors. Moreover, careers in these fields often come with significant pressure and may not suit everyone.

Anna Wittich, labor market expert at the job portal Stepstone, stated: "The most promising positions are those offering skills that are difficult to automate. These include technical and digital competencies, as well as roles requiring extensive direct human interaction—such as in technology, education, or healthcare."

Last November, the IAB (Institute for Employment Research in Nuremberg) released a report indicating that artificial intelligence will lead to nearly 100,000 job losses over the next five years, while the creation of new jobs will decrease by almost the same number. Nevertheless, AI is also generating new employment opportunities—estimated new jobs are expected to roughly balance out the lost positions.

Therefore, the Frankfurter Rundschau article recommends that business and management students actively study data analysis, computer science, algorithms, psychology, and sustainable economics during their studies to strengthen interdisciplinary application skills. Students in computer science and engineering must also learn how to apply and continue developing AI technologies to avoid being replaced by AI in traditional programming and engineering roles.

The IAB report notes that, at present, professions requiring frequent human interaction and strong empathy are nearly impossible to replace with AI. These include teachers, doctors, psychotherapists, and nurses. Furthermore, while AI can currently generate music and visuals based on existing materials, it cannot truly create original works. Thus, creative professions such as artists and musicians are relatively less impacted by AI.

Source: DW

Original: toutiao.com/article/1861089193576458/

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author.