🏭 16 federal statesUpdated June 2026

Industries by State

Germany is Europe's largest economy, and each of its 16 states has its own industrial strengths. Knowing where the jobs are helps you choose the right place to study — and to build a career.

16 federal states · major industries and top employers

Baden-Württemberg

Baden-Württemberg

Automotive & high-tech engineering

AutomotiveMechanical engineeringIT & software
Top employers: Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, Bosch…
Bavaria

Bavaria

Automotive, electronics & aerospace

AutomotiveElectronicsAerospace
Top employers: BMW, Audi, Siemens…
Berlin

Berlin

Startups, tech & creative media

StartupsFintechSoftware
Top employers: Zalando, Delivery Hero, N26…
Brandenburg

Brandenburg

Electric vehicles, logistics & energy

Electric vehiclesLogisticsAerospace
Top employers: Tesla, Rolls-Royce (aero engines), BASF Schwarzheide…
Bremen

Bremen

Aerospace, maritime & automotive

AerospaceMaritime & shipbuildingSpace
Top employers: Airbus, OHB (space), ArcelorMittal…
Hamburg

Hamburg

Port logistics, aerospace & media

Port & logisticsAerospaceMedia
Top employers: Airbus, Port of Hamburg, Beiersdorf (Nivea)…
Hesse

Hesse

Finance, chemicals & pharma

Finance & bankingChemicalsPharmaceuticals
Top employers: Deutsche Bank, ECB, Merck Group…
Lower Saxony

Lower Saxony

Automotive & agriculture

AutomotiveAgriculture & foodSteel
Top employers: Volkswagen, Continental, Salzgitter (steel)…
Mecklenburg-Vorpommern

Mecklenburg-Vorpommern

Maritime, tourism & renewable energy

Maritime & shipbuildingTourismOffshore wind
Top employers: Neptun Werft, Liebherr, AIDA Cruises…
North Rhine-Westphalia

North Rhine-Westphalia

Energy, chemicals, steel & media

EnergyChemicalsSteel
Top employers: Bayer, Henkel, ThyssenKrupp…
Rhineland-Palatinate

Rhineland-Palatinate

Chemicals, pharma & wine

ChemicalsBiotech & pharmaWine
Top employers: BASF, BioNTech, Boehringer Ingelheim…
Saarland

Saarland

Steel, automotive & new tech

SteelAutomotiveIT & AI research
Top employers: Ford, ZF, Saarstahl…
Saxony

Saxony

Semiconductors & automotive ('Silicon Saxony')

SemiconductorsMicroelectronicsAutomotive
Top employers: Infineon, GlobalFoundries, Bosch (chip fab)…
Saxony-Anhalt

Saxony-Anhalt

Chemicals & emerging semiconductors

ChemicalsSemiconductorsRenewable energy
Top employers: Dow, TotalEnergies (Leuna), Intel (planned Magdeburg fab)…
Schleswig-Holstein

Schleswig-Holstein

Renewable energy, maritime & food

Wind energyMaritimeFood industry
Top employers: wind-energy firms, shipyards, food producers…
Thuringia

Thuringia

Optics, precision & microelectronics

Optics & photonicsPrecision instrumentsMicroelectronics
Top employers: Carl Zeiss, Jenoptik, Schott…