Cross-country comparison
E15 (Germany) vs GS-12 (United States)
Germany · BBesG (Beamte) + TVöD Bund (Tarif) + W/R
E15
TVöD Bund Entgeltgruppe 15 — höchste TVöD-Gruppe (Abteilungsleitung, Referat).
69.934 € – 98.449 €
FY 2026 · annual base · EUR
View full E15 detail →United States · General Schedule (GS)
GS-12
GS-12 — senior specialist or first-line supervisor in most occupations.
$76,463 – $99,404
FY 2026 · annual base · USD
View full GS-12 detail →How they compare
A E15 in the Germany federal civil service earns between 69.934 € and 98.449 € per year at base rates, while a GS-12 in the United States federal civil service earns between $76,463 and $99,404. Both figures are annual base in each country’s currency, before locality adjustments, allowances, or bonuses.
Responsibilities at these grades are not directly comparable — each country’s civil service uses its own classification framework. See the linked authoritative sources for role scoping.