Work life balance jobs with high pay in Germany ⭐ [2024 Update]

In Germany, there are some jobs with high salaries where you can also achieve a good work-life balance. You can achieve this by finding jobs where you work part-time with a good salary. What are the best work life balance jobs with good salary?

What is work-life balance?

Work-life balance is the attempt to balance work and personal life. This concept has been around for hundreds of years, but it wasn’t until the 1970s, when many women entered the workforce, that there was more interest in work-life balance. People felt that personal and professional lives were too separate.

Work-life balance is not just a women’s issue, however. Today, more and more men are becoming stay-at-home dads or choosing to put their families first when it comes to their jobs. Many men want to play an active role in their children’s lives and choose not to travel for work or spend long hours in an office.

Work-life balance is an issue that affects both men and women, but we still tend to associate it with women because they are still the primary caregivers in most families.

The biggest challenge in balancing work and family is finding time for everything you need to do every day. Most working people in Germany feel that they don’t have enough time in the day for everything they need or want to do. Many also say that they have a guilty conscience because they don’t have enough time.

Work-life balance is what you make of it. It’s the state where work and life are in harmony and you know how to get the most out of both. You don’t just work to live; you live to work.

Why are work life balance jobs important?

In Germany, many people earn a lot of money. However, it is often the case that people feel they are being eaten up by work:

• when you work full time (40 hours), there is really little time for your private life
• often you take work home with you (if not actually, then at least in your head)
• work structures your life a lot: Often you are scheduled from Monday to Friday between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. and have neither time for your family nor for yourself
• especially people with a higher education want their higher education to translate into a better quality of life and not just better pay.

Many people are therefore interested in earning a little less in exchange for a higher work-life balance. One way to achieve this is through a part-time job.

With a part-time job you can achieve that you:

• have more time for your children
• take better care of your health
• have more time for house and yard, renovation and remodeling
• devote yourself to your hobby
• build up your own business
• further your education.

If you reduce your working hours, for example, from 40 hours to 30 hours per week, you have several options, depending on your employer:

1. simply come into the office two hours later every day – or leave two hours earlier.
2. Work 40 hours for three weeks in a row and take the fourth week off completely.
3. work 3 months in a row and then take a month off.
4. take time off flexibly, depending on your feelings and sensibilities.

Of course, you can only afford such a part-time job if you earn enough. If you earn 1,800 euros a month, you can’t just reduce your working hours if you want to keep paying your bills. So you should look for work life balance jobs with a high salary.

What are the well-paying jobs that allow you to work part-time in Germany? The average salary for full-time workers in Germany is currently around 45,000 euros. Anything above that is considered a well-paying job. A figure of more than 60,000 euros gross per year is set. We use an analysis of the Stepstone job platform, which was prepared for Handelsblatt, as our data basis.

These are some suitable jobs, from which you can choose, by the way, even if you are a foreigner:

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Project Manager

A project manager is responsible for ensuring that a project is completed to the satisfaction of the end user and within the given budget. To do this, he or she must know how to weigh the importance of each task and then assign them accordingly.

It also involves keeping track of how much time is spent on each task and ensuring that deadlines are met. Planning, organizing, coordinating and controlling planning processes and implementation processes are his or her main tasks.

Project managers usually work in larger companies and are responsible for the implementation of major projects. Project managers work, for example, in the construction industry, software development or medical technology.

In the project management sector, you can currently earn around 66,000 euros gross per year in a 30-hour week. You can earn good money in the automotive, wholesale and retail sectors. However, you should know that this job can be very strenuous, even despite the 30-hour week.

As an international you have very good chances to start as a project manager in Germany, if you have the right qualifications. In some cases, English language skills are sufficient.

Controller

As a controller, you take care of a company’s finances. You are the brains behind the numbers and present to the management how the company is doing economically in the current fiscal year and where problems lie. A controller is therefore a kind of financial expert for the management.

By checking the figures in the company as a controller, you show the management how to optimize the company on this basis. Because of this position, a controller has a lot of responsibility in the company. If there are problems with inventory counting or errors in the financial reports, controllers recognize this. Controllers also have to make sure that everything the company buys is accounted for correctly and make adjustments as needed.

Controllers in Germany earn well in the energy and water supply industries: up to 72,000 euros part-time. Slightly less is paid in the chemical and petroleum industries.

If this job interests you as an international, you may have good chances, depending on your previous education and language skills.

HR Business Partner

In Germany, there are currently at least one million vacancies for which personnel is being sought. Many companies urgently need new employees. This is where HR Business Partners come in.

The HR Business Partner is a consultant and mediator role. Here you advise companies on HR issues, working with both management and HR, other departments and external service providers. You can either do this on a one-off basis to modernize HR processes in the company or you can be involved on a case-by-case basis by the company when a specific HR issue is at stake.

As an HR Business Partner, you deal with these aspects in addition to consulting and placement:

• Recruitment and hiring
• Onboarding
• Performance management
• Compensation and benefits
• Employee relations
• Training and development.

As an HR Business Partner, you can easily get paid over 66,000 even with a 30-hour work week. Pay is particularly good in the mechanical and plant engineering sectors, as well as in the IT industry. If you are self-employed, you are free to choose the number of clients. But even as an employee, you can work part-time to increase your work-life balance.

Since these industries often work internationally, there are also relatively many international employees. Especially in the IT sector, personnel is mainly sought abroad. English is the working language in many companies here. With the right qualifications, you have good opportunities here as a foreigner.

Product manager

A product manager is a person who works in the field of marketing and develops new products. A product manager takes care of sales, distribution and research for a specific product. The job is not easy because you have to make some decisions about what can and cannot be done with the product. You have to work with other people to get the best possible results.

In their jobs, product managers don’t just deal with the details of the products they work on. They think about how the product fits into the overall picture of the product portfolio. In doing so, they also make sure that their decisions support their company’s goals. Many of them are marketing experts – they think about how to get consumers to buy products and how to convince retailers to carry those products, too. But that’s only part of a product manager’s job.

Let’s take a computer hardware manufacturer as an example. Here, a product manager’s responsibilities include the following:

• Ensuring that the hardware and software work well
• Designing the packaging in the corporate design
• Ensuring legal requirements
• Clarifying marketing
• Price calculations
• Coordination with sales, production and other departments
• Determination of the life cycle of the product
• Preparation of press relations

So you can see that as a product manager you have a lot of cross-articleal tasks and have to keep a lot of details in mind. You also have to coordinate with a lot of people inside and outside the company. The salary also corresponds to this high level of responsibility.

As a product manager, you earn an average salary of around 63,000 euros, even with a 30-hour week. If you’re a product manager in the IT industry, you can even earn up to 80,000 euros. And yes: As a product manager, you can definitely work part-time. It is also often possible to work at least partially in a home office.

Tax consultant

A tax advisor is a person who can advise companies and individuals when it comes to the tax office. You can get advice from tax advisors regarding your tax return. Tax accountants deal with receipts, company reports and other documents. They also advise on the effects of loans, tax deductions or inheritance matters.

Tax accountants usually work independently or in shared offices, as well as as salaried employees. Part-time employment is often very easy here, as you can easily control the number of clients you see. If you need more time for your work-life balance, you can simply take on fewer clients. Likewise, tax consultants work directly as employees at large companies.

With a few years of experience, a tax advisor can earn around 65,500 euros part-time for a 30-hour week. In the financial sector, you earn particularly well.

If you are not from Germany, it can be difficult to become a tax consultant in Germany. You have to speak excellent German (at least C1), because you have to read and understand legal texts and documents very carefully. In addition, you must of course have a good understanding of the German tax system. However, it can be interesting if you are very familiar with the tax legislation in your home country. Then you could work in international tax consulting.

In-house lawyer

An in-house lawyer is a legal professional who works for a company. Almost all larger companies have a legal department staffed with lawyers. In these departments, they are responsible for advising companies, especially in the areas of corporate law and banking law.

This becomes relevant for companies especially if the company is highly branched and has, for example, many subsidiaries. In this case, an in-house lawyer assists in the establishment of (subsidiary) companies, stands between the company and its employees in case of conflict and is the legal representative of the company. Advising banks on how to deposit funds when setting up a company is also part of the in-house lawyer’s duties.

As an in-house lawyer, you can earn an average of 70,000 euros gross per year with a 30-hour week. In-house lawyers earn particularly well in the banking, insurance and real estate sectors. Since in-house lawyers with experience are in high demand, you have a good negotiating position and can negotiate part-time and home office with your employer to improve your work-life balance.

Management Accountant

An accountant is a person who advises a business (or even individuals) on how to control their financial activities and keep balance sheets. As a Bilanzbuchhalter or Bilanzbuchhalter, you must have special knowledge and skills to perform these tasks.

In Germany, the economy is almost universally dependent on balance sheet accountants. Even with a 30-hour part-time job, you will earn an average of over 60,000 euros gross per year in this position. As with all other jobs, the same applies here: Those with more than 5 or 10 years of professional experience in this field will earn another few thousand per year more.

Work life balance jobs: Conclusion

The jobs mentioned are some examples where part-time work is often possible and you still earn very well. This can be an important foundation for your work-life balance. But also regardless of what education and current job you have: For many, it is worthwhile to think specifically about the topic of work-life balance. This can not only be good for your family. Above all, you yourself can gain in quality of life and be more satisfied.

Questions and answers

Career Growth in Part-Time Roles: Building Success Long-Term in Germany

Thinking you can’t build a career in part-time work? In Germany, that’s changing fast! Gone are the days when part-time employees were left out of the career ladder. With flexible job policies and a focus on work-life balance, part-time professionals now have solid paths for advancement. Here’s a look at some top industries and tips for making the most of a part-time career.

Industries Where Part-Time Work Thrives

Certain sectors in Germany are opening up serious opportunities for part-time career growth:

• IT & Tech: From web development to data analysis and IT security, tech jobs in part-time offer great pay and solid career growth potential.
• Healthcare: Roles in nursing, therapy, and health consulting need part-time staff urgently, and they often support long-term careers with training and specialization paths.
• Education: Teachers, lecturers, and trainers are in high demand and can climb the career ladder by taking on course leadership or curriculum development projects, even in part-time roles.
• Creative Fields: Freelancers and part-time pros in graphic design, content creation, and marketing grow through project work and portfolio-building.

Tips to Maximize Part-Time Career Growth

Here are a few ways part-time employees can supercharge their career:

• Network Actively: Whether online or at events, building contacts is invaluable—even in part-time.
• Stay Up-to-Date: Courses and certifications make a huge impact, like Agile or Scrum certifications in IT fields.
• Take on Projects: Many companies now let part-time employees lead projects—a great way to gain experience and stand out.

With more flexibility and support for career growth, Germany has become a hot spot for part-time professionals. In many roles, “part-time” no longer means “stuck”—it means freedom and a solid career trajectory!

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