In the East, women receive a pension premium of 357 euros more compared to the West. - East offers women a €357 pension advantage over the West
In a striking revelation of the impact of historical employment patterns and social policies, a new analysis of pension data in Germany has shed light on the significant differences in women's pensions between eastern and western federal states.
The analysis shows that men's pensions in North Rhine-Westphalia are the highest on a national level, while the district of Waldshut in the southern Black Forest has the nationwide lowest level of men's pensions at 1,201 euros. In contrast, women in the Rhineland-Palatinate Eifel district of Bitburg-Prüm have the lowest average monthly pension for women at 668 euros. However, the picture changes when comparing east and west. Nationwide, male pensioners in the Ruhr area have the highest average monthly pension at 1,686 euros, led by the district of Bottrop, while women in Potsdam have the highest average monthly pension at 1,314 euros.
The significant difference in women’s pensions between eastern and western German federal states originates from deeply rooted differences in employment patterns, social policy, and historical context, especially during the era of divided Germany (1949–1990). In the German Democratic Republic (East Germany), women’s labor force participation was actively encouraged, supported by state-provided childcare and full-time employment being the norm. This resulted in longer, uninterrupted employment histories for most women. In contrast, West Germany’s social model emphasized the male breadwinner, with many women either not working or working part-time, often taking career breaks for child-rearing and family care.
After reunification, eastern states inherited a workforce with more complete employment records for women, while western states continued patterns of interrupted careers and part-time work due to persisting family care norms and less accessible childcare. Consequently, average pensions in western Germany remain higher overall (€1,663 vs. €1,471 in the east), but the gender pension gap is smaller in the east because women there generally have longer contribution histories.
The German pension system is largely pay-as-you-go and contribution-based, so the duration and amount of contributions directly determine pension levels. Career breaks—especially for child-rearing, elder care, or part-time work—reduce both the length of contribution periods and the average salary used to calculate pension benefits. As a result, in the west, traditional gender roles have led to more women with shorter, interrupted, or part-time employment histories. This results in lower average pensions for women compared to men, and also compared to women in the east, where full-time employment was historically the norm. Pension gaps between men and women are therefore more pronounced in western states.
Since 2018, Germany has implemented a process of gradual pension equalization between east and west, with eastern pensions now reaching about 90–92% of western levels as of 2025. However, historical employment patterns mean that women in the east still tend to have more complete contribution records, partially mitigating the overall pension gap between regions.
While the gap is narrowing, differences in employment history and career breaks continue to affect pension outcomes. The legacy of divergent social policies and employment norms means that women’s pensions in eastern and western states reflect not just current policies, but decades of accumulated employment and family care patterns.
In 2023, there was no federal state in the east where the average pension for a woman was less than 1,100 euros. The district of Waldshut has a lower average monthly pension for men than the average women's pensions in several eastern federal states. Men in the old states receive an average pension that is two-thirds higher than women. Women's pensions in the eastern German federal states are, on average, 357 euros higher than in the western federal states.
The ongoing trend towards pension equalization and the persisting differences in employment history and career breaks highlight the need for continued policy efforts to address the root causes of the gender pension gap in Germany. Ensuring equal access to childcare, promoting flexible work arrangements, and encouraging full-time employment for women are key steps towards achieving pension parity and ensuring a secure retirement for all.
- The uneven distribution of women's pensions in Germany can be attributed to long-standing employment patterns, social policies, and historical context, as seen in the higher pensions for women in the Eastern states like Potsdam compared to Western states.
- In contrast to men's pensions, which vary significantly across federal states, women's pensions in the eastern states, such as Waldshut, have an average that surpasses the lowest men's pension figures in states like North Rhine-Westphalia and the district of Waldshut.
- Policies focusing on equal access to childcare, promoting flexible work arrangements, and encouraging full-time employment for women are essential for narrowing the gender pension gap and ensuring that pension systems in Germany are fair and equitable for all.
