Pay grades & steps in the metal industry explained
In the ERA agreement two things determine your base pay: the Entgeltgruppe (pay grade, EG) and the Stufe (step). The EG rates what you do; the step reflects how experienced you are or how long you have been with the company.
The pay grade (EG)
Every job is placed into a pay grade based on criteria such as training, skill, responsibility and autonomy. The higher the requirement, the higher the EG and thus the base salary. How many pay grades exist depends on the region:
| Regions | Pay grades | Step columns |
|---|---|---|
| Baden-Württemberg | 17 | 1 |
| NRW | 14 | 8 |
| Berlin | 13 | 4 |
| Bayern | 12 | 3 |
| Niedersachsen | 12 | 3 |
| Osnabrück | 12 | 5 |
| Sachsen | 12 | 2 |
| Thüringen | 12 | 2 |
| Hessen | 11 | 2 |
| Pfalz | 11 | 2 |
| Rheinland | 11 | 2 |
| Saarland | 11 | 2 |
| Sachsen-Anhalt | 11 | 2 |
| Hamburg | 10 | 5 |
| Schleswig-Holstein | 10 | 5 |
Baden-Württemberg goes up to EG 17, Bayern only to EG 12 – so the same job can carry a different EG number depending on the region. The full values are in the pay scales.
The steps
Within a pay grade, many regions add steps. Several systems exist:
- Base salary only: in some regions each EG has a single value, with no further steps.
- Steps A–C or entry / main / additional step: the step reflects different experience or requirement levels within the same EG.
- Tenure (NRW): in North Rhine-Westphalia pay rises with months of service – the steps there are named e.g. “after month 12”.
Not every pay grade runs through all steps; blank cells in the table mean the step does not exist for that EG.
Which EG and step applies to me?
Your employer assigns the grading based on your actual role – it is usually stated in your employment contract or on your payslip. Once you know your EG and step, calculate your annual salary directly in the salary calculator. The FAQ page answers further questions.