German universities and university hospitals employed approximately 805,700 individuals at the close of 2024, according to data released by the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis). This represents a 1.7 percent increase, equating to roughly 13,400 more employees compared to the end of 2023.
The rise in employment was largely concentrated within non-academic roles, encompassing administration, libraries, technical services and nursing. This area saw employment reach approximately 379,500 individuals, a 3.5 percent increase year-over-year. Within the academic sphere, the number of employees remained almost static, climbing only 0.1 percent.
The academic staff across German universities totaled around 426,200 at the close of 2024, a slight increase from 425,800 in 2023. Considering the 2,864,100 students enrolled in the winter semester of 2024/25, the student-to-faculty ratio remains at approximately 6.7 students per academic staff member, unchanged from the previous year.
A significant portion – roughly one-third (33 percent) – of the academic personnel, representing 141,800 employees, held positions as guest lecturers, lecturers, or research assistants on an ancillary basis. The remaining 67 percent, comprising 284,400 individuals, held permanent positions within the academic sector.
This composition included approximately 52,100 professors and roughly 217,500 scientific and artistic staff. The number of professors increased by 0.4 percent compared to the previous year, while the headcount of scientific and artistic staff rose by 1.2 percent.
Overall, at the end of 2024, approximately 186,500 employees, or 66 percent of the permanently employed personnel in the academic sphere, held fixed-term contracts, while 97,900 (34 percent) held permanent positions. Approximately 172,200 individuals (61 percent) of the permanently employed within the academic sphere worked full-time, while 112,200 (39 percent) held part-time positions, according to Destatis.