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College graduates earn more than university graduates in Germany

Xinhua, September 30, 2016 Adjust font size:

The gross annual income of college graduates is higher than that of university graduates after five years of full time employment, German minister for education and research told local media on Thursday.

In Germany, a college, also known as Fachhochschule, is an education institution designed with a focus on teaching professional skills. It differs from a university mainly through its more practical orientation, but awards legally equivalent academic bachelor's and master's degrees.

The average salary per year of college graduates is 47,700 euros (53,636 U.S. dollars), higher than that of university graduates with 41,550 euros, education minister Johanna Wanka told regional newspaper Rheinische Post, when quoting figures from an as yet unpublished study.

"The (income) difference can be explained because college is more technology and natural science-oriented. People in such majors get better paid," said Wanka.

A total of 4,600 graduates from the class of 2009 took part in the study. The results confirm that higher education protects against unemployment, helps produce better income and is usually a key to career success, according to Wanka. Endit