The Eckentgelt – the anchor value of the ERA scale
The Eckentgelt – often just called “the corner” – is the most important reference value in the ERA agreement. It denotes the base salary of a full-time employee after one year of service in the relevant pay grade.
Why the Eckentgelt matters so much
The other pay grades are not negotiated individually; they are set as percentage additions or deductions relative to the Eckentgelt. When a bargaining round raises the Eckentgelt by a given percentage, every pay grade rises proportionally. The Eckentgelt is also the basis for special payments such as T-Zug B, which is calculated as a percentage of the Eckentgelt.
Different in every region
Because ERA is negotiated regionally, the “corner” does not sit in the same pay grade everywhere – and the euro amount differs too. The overview below shows, for each region, which EG and step the Eckentgelt sits in and how high it currently is:
| Regions | Reference (EG · step) | Eckentgelt (reference salary) |
|---|---|---|
| Baden-Württemberg | EG 7 · Grundentgelt | €3,703.50 |
| Bayern | EG 5 · Stufe B | €3,583.00 |
| Hamburg | EG 5 · Hauptstufe | €3,572.00 |
| Schleswig-Holstein | EG 5 · Hauptstufe | €3,572.00 |
| Niedersachsen | EG 5 · B | €3,569.00 |
| Osnabrück | EG 4 · Hauptstufe | €3,569.00 |
| Berlin | EG 5 · Hauptstufe | €3,513.00 |
| Sachsen-Anhalt | EG 5 · Grundstufe | €3,382.00 |
| NRW | EG 8 · Entgeltgruppe | €3,295.00 |
| Hessen | EG 5 · Grundentgelt | €3,288.00 |
| Pfalz | EG 5 · Grundentgelt | €3,288.00 |
| Rheinland | EG 5 · Grundentgelt | €3,288.00 |
| Saarland | EG 5 · Grundentgelt | €3,288.00 |
| Sachsen | EG 5 · Grundentgelt | €3,288.00 |
| Thüringen | EG 5 · Grundentgelt | €3,288.00 |
From Eckentgelt to annual salary
Your individual salary can be above or below the Eckentgelt – depending on your pay grade, step and Leistungszulage. The full tables are under pay scales; your personal annual salary including all special payments is worked out in the salary calculator.