Germany’s Senior Mayors: Predominantly Male, CDU-Affiliated, and Earning a Minimum of €134,000
- Men clearly dominate Germany’s town halls: 90 percent of mayors are male, with an average age of 54, the youngest just over 30.
- CPolitically, traditional parties set the tone: CDU, SPD, and independents together account for more than three-quarters of all local leaders, while smaller parties play only a marginal role.
- Financially, the positions fall within a clearly defined framework: annual minimum salaries range from just under €92,000 to almost €196,000, with mayors earning an average of €133,600 per year.
Potsdam, 15 September 2025 – Im September stehen in Nordrhein-Westfalen Kommunalwahlen an, ein guter Anlass, den Blick auf die Realität in deutschen Rathäusern zu richten: Wer steht an der Spitze, welche Parteien dominieren und welche finanziellen Rahmenbedingungen gelten? Eine umfassende Untersuchung der Gisma University of Applied Sciences (www.gisma.com) liefert nun eine detaillierte Antwort: Die Oberbürgermeister*innen in Deutschland sind überwiegend männlich, gehören meist CDU, SPD oder keiner Partei an und erhalten im Durchschnitt ein festgelegtes Mindestgehalt von rund 134.000 Euro im Jahr.
Parteienlandschaft: CDU knapp vor SPD und Parteilosen
Im politischen Vergleich zeigt sich ein enges Rennen an der Spitze: Die CDU stellt aktuell 27,3 Prozent der Oberbürgermeister*innen, knapp dahinter folgen parteilos Gewählte (26,4 Prozent) und die SPD (26,1 Prozent). Zusammen decken diese drei Gruppen mehr als drei Viertel des Führungspersonals aller Rathäuser ab. Die CSU liegt bei 7,5 Prozent, die Grünen stellen 3,3 Prozent, FDP und verschiedene kommunale Wählervereinigungen bewegen sich im Bereich von ein bis zwei Prozent.
Dieses Bild verdeutlicht: Kommunalpolitik ist stark von traditionellen Parteien geprägt, gleichwohl haben unabhängige Kandidat*innen eine starke Stellung.
A Predominantly Male Office
The gender imbalance is even more striking than the political distribution. Of the 333 mayors surveyed, 300 are male (90.1 percent) and only 33 female (9.9 percent).
Age structure: Majority in their mid-50s
The average age of mayors is 53.7 years (median 54). The youngest in office is Jan Rothenbacher (Memmingen, 33), while the oldest is Hubert Schnurr (Bühl, 70).
Salaries: Regulated but Not Uniform
Salaries of senior mayors are determined by state salary scales, with population size serving as the main criterion for classification. As a result, minimum annual salaries range from €91,802 to €195,569. The national average stands at €133,606 (median: €133,114).
However, practices vary between states: depending on local regulations and city size, deviations may occur—for example, through differing classifications or additional allowances. While formally regulated, the position is implemented with notable differences in practice.
Terms of Office and Renewal
The average term of office is currently 8.2 years, with a median of 6 years. Since 2021, 104 mayors (31.2 percent) have been newly elected; since 2020, the number rises to 143 (42.9 percent).
Differences emerge across parties: CSU mayors serve the longest, averaging more than eight years. CDU, SPD, and independents fall between six and seven years. Terms are significantly shorter among the Greens (approx. 5 years) and especially among the Left Party (approx. 2 years).
Overall, the range spans from young officeholders in their early 30s to established leaders with up to three decades of experience.
Names at the Helm
Patterns also emerge in the first names of mayors: classic male names dominate, including Thomas (15), Michael (12), Frank (11), and Jürgen (8). Names such as Christian, Martin, and Uwe are also common.
Female mayors remain underrepresented, with only 33 in total. Their names include Claudia (2), Katja (2), and Katrin (2), each occurring only twice.
International names are rare overall, with examples such as Belit, Claudio, and Ignazio representing only a small fraction of the 333 mayors.
“Beyond the obvious call for greater gender and generational balance, the real opportunity lies in rethinking how leadership pipelines for these offices are created. For example, structured talent programs that prepare professionals from non-political backgrounds, such as technology, social entrepreneurship, or sustainability, to take on mayoral responsibilities could significantly enrich the diversity of ideas at the municipal level. Equally, experimenting with cross-national exchange schemes, where potential leaders learn from urban governance models abroad, would bring much-needed innovation into German local politics.
In short, the challenge is not only who is elected, but how we systematically broaden the pool of those who even aspire to stand for election. Only by reimagining these access routes can Germany ensure that its cities are led by figures who truly reflect the complexity, diversity, and dynamism of society,” says Prof. Dr. Sara Ravan Ramzani, Head of Business Department and Professor of Research and Quantitative Methods at Gisma University of Applied Sciences.
Methodology
For the analysis, Gisma University of Applied Sciences examined 333 Oberbürgermeister (senior mayors) across Germany’s larger cities. The data collected included gender, year of birth, start of term, party affiliation, and minimum salaries according to the 2025 state salary scales. Salaries were calculated on an annual basis; secondary income or additional allowances were not taken into account. All age figures refer to the year 2025.
About Gisma University of Applied Sciences
Gisma University of Applied Sciences is a state-recognised private university with campuses in Potsdam and Berlin. With students and faculty from more than 90 countries, the university brings global perspectives into programmes in management, leadership, data sciences, artificial intelligence, and software engineering. Teaching combines academic research with insights from business leaders and entrepreneurs. The university’s goal is to prepare students for management practice in a complex and changing world, while contributing ideas and impulses to business and society.
Gisma maintains active career partnerships with leading companies such as Zalando, eBay, Amazon and SAP, and is a member of the SAP University Alliances. Each year, it generates around €126.5 million in economic activity in Berlin-Brandenburg (BSIS). More than 74 per cent of graduates remain in the region, while over 15 start-ups founded by students and alumni have created more than 120 jobs.
In 2025, Gisma was one of only two universities in Germany awarded the BSIS Impact Label by EFMD, recognising its measurable social, economic, and academic impact. All study programmes are state-recognised and accredited by FIBAA as well as the German Accreditation Council. Gisma is part of GUS Germany GmbH (GGG), a network of higher education institutions with more than 18,000 students in Germany, Europe, and worldwide. www.gisma.com | www.gusgermany.com