Overview
- The study released on May 27, 2026 finds that in 2025 men with high education worked 40.6 years on average versus 31.3 years for low‑educated men, while high‑educated women worked 31.9 years compared with 17.9 years for low‑educated women.
- Researchers say the main reason is that higher‑educated people maintain consistently higher employment rates and longer weekly hours, which more than offset their later start in paid work due to longer training.
- The analysis uses Germany’s representative Microcensus and weights weekly hours to a 40‑hour workweek so part‑time work is counted proportionally in lifetime estimates.
- Lower‑educated workers face more interrupted careers because their jobs are more sensitive to economic cycles, making them more vulnerable to layoffs and periods out of employment.
- Authors highlight policy levers to raise participation among women, older people and low‑educated groups and warn that tapping this potential matters for household incomes and the sustainability of social security systems while family‑work reconciliation remains a key barrier.