Military spending per military personnel in Germany

Germany: Military spending per military personnel was 344,103 constant 2022 US$ in 2020. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2020)
344,103 constant 2022 US$
Change on year
down 0.7%
World rank
16th
of 170 countries
All-time high
346,626 constant 2022 US$
in 2019
All-time low
1,929 constant 2022 US$
in 1871
Years of data
161
1816–2020

Military spending per military personnel in Germany, 1816–2020

0100.0k200.0k300.0k181619182020

Source: Barnum et al. – Global Military Spending Dataset (2025); Correlates of War – National Material Capabilities Version 7.0 (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in constant 2022 US$.

Analysis

In 2020, military spending per military personnel in Germany stood at 344,103 constant 2022 US$.

That represents a change of down 0.7% on the previous year and up 63.5% over ten years.

Over the whole period, military spending per military personnel in Germany peaked at 346,626 constant 2022 US$ in 2019 and was at its lowest, 1,929 constant 2022 US$, in 1871.

Germany ranks 16th of 170 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Military spending per military personnel in Germany, year by year

Annual values for Military spending per military personnel in Germany, 1816 to 2020.
Year constant 2022 US$ Change
1816 2,229 constant 2022 US$ —
1817 1,957 constant 2022 US$ -12.2%
1818 1,944 constant 2022 US$ -0.7%
1819 2,190 constant 2022 US$ +12.6%
1820 2,298 constant 2022 US$ +4.9%
1821 2,545 constant 2022 US$ +10.7%
1822 2,558 constant 2022 US$ +0.5%
1823 2,707 constant 2022 US$ +5.8%
1824 2,722 constant 2022 US$ +0.6%
1825 2,618 constant 2022 US$ -3.8%
1826 2,684 constant 2022 US$ +2.5%
1827 2,662 constant 2022 US$ -0.8%
1828 2,843 constant 2022 US$ +6.8%
1829 2,913 constant 2022 US$ +2.5%
1830 2,683 constant 2022 US$ -7.9%
1831 3,183 constant 2022 US$ +18.6%
1832 3,163 constant 2022 US$ -0.6%
1833 3,249 constant 2022 US$ +2.7%
1834 3,054 constant 2022 US$ -6.0%
1835 3,114 constant 2022 US$ +2.0%
1836 2,751 constant 2022 US$ -11.6%
1837 3,022 constant 2022 US$ +9.8%
1838 2,355 constant 2022 US$ -22.1%
1839 3,012 constant 2022 US$ +27.9%
1840 3,448 constant 2022 US$ +14.5%
1841 3,435 constant 2022 US$ -0.4%
1842 3,542 constant 2022 US$ +3.1%
1843 3,731 constant 2022 US$ +5.3%
1844 3,690 constant 2022 US$ -1.1%
1845 3,796 constant 2022 US$ +2.9%
1846 3,852 constant 2022 US$ +1.5%
1847 3,768 constant 2022 US$ -2.2%
1848 3,470 constant 2022 US$ -7.9%
1849 3,867 constant 2022 US$ +11.5%
1850 3,705 constant 2022 US$ -4.2%
1851 4,000 constant 2022 US$ +8.0%
1852 3,983 constant 2022 US$ -0.4%
1853 3,791 constant 2022 US$ -4.8%
1854 3,873 constant 2022 US$ +2.2%
1855 3,841 constant 2022 US$ -0.8%
1856 3,912 constant 2022 US$ +1.9%
1857 3,846 constant 2022 US$ -1.7%
1858 3,851 constant 2022 US$ +0.1%
1859 4,239 constant 2022 US$ +10.1%
1860 3,433 constant 2022 US$ -19.0%
1861 3,161 constant 2022 US$ -7.9%
1862 3,165 constant 2022 US$ +0.1%
1863 3,023 constant 2022 US$ -4.5%
1864 4,351 constant 2022 US$ +44.0%
1865 3,273 constant 2022 US$ -24.8%
1866 3,241 constant 2022 US$ -1.0%
1867 3,594 constant 2022 US$ +10.9%
1868 3,004 constant 2022 US$ -16.4%
1869 3,438 constant 2022 US$ +14.4%
1870 12,020 constant 2022 US$ +249.6%
1871 1,929 constant 2022 US$ -83.9%
1872 4,014 constant 2022 US$ +108.0%
1873 4,358 constant 2022 US$ +8.6%
1874 4,323 constant 2022 US$ -0.8%
1875 4,626 constant 2022 US$ +7.0%
1876 5,234 constant 2022 US$ +13.1%
1877 4,686 constant 2022 US$ -10.5%
1878 5,473 constant 2022 US$ +16.8%
1879 5,220 constant 2022 US$ -4.6%
1880 4,803 constant 2022 US$ -8.0%
1881 4,701 constant 2022 US$ -2.1%
1882 4,819 constant 2022 US$ +2.5%
1883 5,148 constant 2022 US$ +6.8%
1884 5,435 constant 2022 US$ +5.6%
1885 5,499 constant 2022 US$ +1.2%
1886 6,107 constant 2022 US$ +11.1%
1887 6,082 constant 2022 US$ -0.4%
1888 7,082 constant 2022 US$ +16.5%
1889 7,058 constant 2022 US$ -0.3%
1890 8,123 constant 2022 US$ +15.1%
1891 7,138 constant 2022 US$ -12.1%
1892 7,543 constant 2022 US$ +5.7%
1893 6,734 constant 2022 US$ -10.7%
1894 7,021 constant 2022 US$ +4.3%
1895 7,576 constant 2022 US$ +7.9%
1896 7,542 constant 2022 US$ -0.5%
1897 8,015 constant 2022 US$ +6.3%
1898 8,221 constant 2022 US$ +2.6%
1899 8,061 constant 2022 US$ -1.9%
1900 8,847 constant 2022 US$ +9.7%
1901 8,397 constant 2022 US$ -5.1%
1902 8,700 constant 2022 US$ +3.6%
1903 9,065 constant 2022 US$ +4.2%
1904 9,053 constant 2022 US$ -0.1%
1905 9,258 constant 2022 US$ +2.3%
1906 9,495 constant 2022 US$ +2.6%
1907 9,609 constant 2022 US$ +1.2%
1908 10,140 constant 2022 US$ +5.5%
1909 11,299 constant 2022 US$ +11.4%
1910 10,679 constant 2022 US$ -5.5%
1911 10,992 constant 2022 US$ +2.9%
1912 11,252 constant 2022 US$ +2.4%
1913 10,887 constant 2022 US$ -3.2%
1914 43,560 constant 2022 US$ +300.1%
1915 29,437 constant 2022 US$ -32.4%
1916 22,942 constant 2022 US$ -22.1%
1917 23,680 constant 2022 US$ +3.2%
1918 17,802 constant 2022 US$ -24.8%
1919 8,486 constant 2022 US$ -52.3%
1920 6,791 constant 2022 US$ -20.0%
1921 7,351 constant 2022 US$ +8.3%
1922 5,903 constant 2022 US$ -19.7%
1923 59,273 constant 2022 US$ +904.0%
1924 18,864 constant 2022 US$ -68.2%
1925 19,112 constant 2022 US$ +1.3%
1926 19,138 constant 2022 US$ +0.1%
1927 21,624 constant 2022 US$ +13.0%
1928 21,367 constant 2022 US$ -1.2%
1929 21,206 constant 2022 US$ -0.8%
1930 21,674 constant 2022 US$ +2.2%
1931 22,836 constant 2022 US$ +5.4%
1932 25,513 constant 2022 US$ +11.7%
1933 59,959 constant 2022 US$ +135.0%
1934 39,375 constant 2022 US$ -34.3%
1935 62,509 constant 2022 US$ +58.8%
1936 65,418 constant 2022 US$ +4.7%
1937 92,131 constant 2022 US$ +40.8%
1938 103,559 constant 2022 US$ +12.4%
1939 71,094 constant 2022 US$ -31.3%
1940 105,626 constant 2022 US$ +48.6%
1941 63,465 constant 2022 US$ -39.9%
1942 76,660 constant 2022 US$ +20.8%
1943 86,455 constant 2022 US$ +12.8%
1944 111,210 constant 2022 US$ +28.6%
1945 27,953 constant 2022 US$ -74.9%
1990 115,790 constant 2022 US$ +314.2%
1991 132,782 constant 2022 US$ +14.7%
1992 145,451 constant 2022 US$ +9.5%
1993 150,526 constant 2022 US$ +3.5%
1994 169,273 constant 2022 US$ +12.5%
1995 176,339 constant 2022 US$ +4.2%
1996 166,172 constant 2022 US$ -5.8%
1997 162,813 constant 2022 US$ -2.0%
1998 158,826 constant 2022 US$ -2.4%
1999 142,090 constant 2022 US$ -10.5%
2000 200,234 constant 2022 US$ +40.9%
2001 146,734 constant 2022 US$ -26.7%
2002 151,537 constant 2022 US$ +3.3%
2003 175,370 constant 2022 US$ +15.7%
2004 180,490 constant 2022 US$ +2.9%
2005 178,976 constant 2022 US$ -0.8%
2006 183,202 constant 2022 US$ +2.4%
2007 225,438 constant 2022 US$ +23.1%
2008 221,883 constant 2022 US$ -1.6%
2009 220,224 constant 2022 US$ -0.7%
2010 210,435 constant 2022 US$ -4.4%
2011 214,091 constant 2022 US$ +1.7%
2012 198,692 constant 2022 US$ -7.2%
2013 258,091 constant 2022 US$ +29.9%
2014 266,755 constant 2022 US$ +3.4%
2015 251,209 constant 2022 US$ -5.8%
2016 258,238 constant 2022 US$ +2.8%
2017 294,512 constant 2022 US$ +14.0%
2018 307,586 constant 2022 US$ +4.4%
2019 346,626 constant 2022 US$ +12.7%
2020 344,103 constant 2022 US$ -0.7%

Germany compared with similar countries

  • Germany's 344,103 constant 2022 US$ is above the median for high income countries, which is 182,526 constant 2022 US$, 1.9× the median. (54 countries reporting)
  • Germany's 344,103 constant 2022 US$ is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 90,225 constant 2022 US$, 3.8× the median. (47 countries reporting)

Biggest year-on-year movements

Years where Military spending per military personnel in Germany changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.

YearChange FromTo
1923 +904.0% 5,903 constant 2022 US$ 59,273 constant 2022 US$
1990 +314.2% 27,953 constant 2022 US$ 115,790 constant 2022 US$
1914 +300.1% 10,887 constant 2022 US$ 43,560 constant 2022 US$
1870 +249.6% 3,438 constant 2022 US$ 12,020 constant 2022 US$
1933 +135.0% 25,513 constant 2022 US$ 59,959 constant 2022 US$
1872 +108.0% 1,929 constant 2022 US$ 4,014 constant 2022 US$

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1810s 2,080 constant 2022 US$ 1,944 constant 2022 US$ 2,229 constant 2022 US$ 4
1820s 2,655 constant 2022 US$ 2,298 constant 2022 US$ 2,913 constant 2022 US$ 10
1830s 2,959 constant 2022 US$ 2,355 constant 2022 US$ 3,249 constant 2022 US$ 10
1840s 3,660 constant 2022 US$ 3,435 constant 2022 US$ 3,867 constant 2022 US$ 10
1850s 3,904 constant 2022 US$ 3,705 constant 2022 US$ 4,239 constant 2022 US$ 10
1860s 3,368 constant 2022 US$ 3,004 constant 2022 US$ 4,351 constant 2022 US$ 10
1870s 5,188 constant 2022 US$ 1,929 constant 2022 US$ 12,020 constant 2022 US$ 10
1880s 5,673 constant 2022 US$ 4,701 constant 2022 US$ 7,082 constant 2022 US$ 10
1890s 7,597 constant 2022 US$ 6,734 constant 2022 US$ 8,221 constant 2022 US$ 10
1900s 9,386 constant 2022 US$ 8,397 constant 2022 US$ 11,299 constant 2022 US$ 10
1910s 18,972 constant 2022 US$ 8,486 constant 2022 US$ 43,560 constant 2022 US$ 10
1920s 20,063 constant 2022 US$ 5,903 constant 2022 US$ 59,273 constant 2022 US$ 10
1930s 56,407 constant 2022 US$ 21,674 constant 2022 US$ 103,559 constant 2022 US$ 10
1940s 78,561 constant 2022 US$ 27,953 constant 2022 US$ 111,210 constant 2022 US$ 6
1990s 152,006 constant 2022 US$ 115,790 constant 2022 US$ 176,339 constant 2022 US$ 10
2000s 188,409 constant 2022 US$ 146,734 constant 2022 US$ 225,438 constant 2022 US$ 10
2010s 260,624 constant 2022 US$ 198,692 constant 2022 US$ 346,626 constant 2022 US$ 10
2020s 344,103 constant 2022 US$ 344,103 constant 2022 US$ 344,103 constant 2022 US$ 1

Countries ranked near Germany

  1. 13 United Arab Emirates 395,002 constant 2022 US$ compare
  2. 14 New Zealand 388,829 constant 2022 US$ compare
  3. 15 Switzerland 348,888 constant 2022 US$ compare
  4. 17 Belgium 340,566 constant 2022 US$ compare
  5. 18 Saudi Arabia 327,483 constant 2022 US$ compare
  6. 19 France 319,408 constant 2022 US$ compare

See the full ranking of 170 places →

More reference data data for Germany

All data for Germany →

Frequently asked questions

What is military spending per military personnel in Germany?
Military spending per military personnel in Germany was 344,103 constant 2022 US$ in 2020, according to Barnum et al. – Global Military Spending Dataset (2025); Correlates of War – National Material Capabilities Version 7.0 (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
What is the highest military spending per military personnel recorded in Germany?
The highest recorded value was 346,626 constant 2022 US$ in 2019.
What is the lowest military spending per military personnel recorded in Germany?
The lowest recorded value was 1,929 constant 2022 US$ in 1871.
How does Germany rank for military spending per military personnel?
Germany ranks 16th out of 170 countries with data for 2020.
Is military spending per military personnel rising or falling in Germany?
Over the last ten years it is up 63.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Germany data come from?
The figures come from Barnum et al. – Global Military Spending Dataset (2025); Correlates of War – National Material Capabilities Version 7.0 (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Military spending per military personnel. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Military spending per military personnel in Germany. Statizoid, drawing on Barnum et al. – Global Military Spending Dataset (2025); Correlates of War – National Material Capabilities Version 7.0 (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Retrieved 28 September 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/military-spending-per-military-personnel/germany/

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About this data

Indicator
Military spending per military personnel
Unit
constant 2022 US$
Source
Barnum et al. – Global Military Spending Dataset (2025); Correlates of War – National Material Capabilities Version 7.0 (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
170 places, 14,182 data points, 1816–2022
Last refreshed

This data is expressed in US dollars. It is adjusted for inflation but does not account for differences in the cost of living between countries.