SPECOPSLAB

EKO Cobra vs GSG 9

Fitness test and pay side by side. The published minimum fitness standards of EKO Cobra and GSG 9, event by event, with pay where we have it. Higher levels are in the paid report.

AUSTRIAEKO Cobra / DSE (Bundesministerium für Inneres) — EinsatzbeamterPolice Fitness-Check (Polizeigrundausbildung) — entry route; Cobra limits not publicAPPROXIMATElast verified 2026-10-18Open the calculator →GERMANYGSG 9 der Bundespolizei — EinsatzbeamterEignungsauswahlverfahren (EAV) — sports test minimumsAPPROXIMATElast verified 2026-10-18Open the calculator →

Minimum standards, event by event

EventEKO CobraGSG 9
Push-ups (Liegestütze)15only this unit—
3,000 m run (Laufen)15:15only this unit—
Bench press at 75% of body weight (reps)—10only this unit
Strict pull-ups (overhand, shoulder-width, from dead hang)—10only this unit
Cooper test (12-minute run)—3,000 monly this unit
100 m sprint—13.4 sonly this unit
Standing long jump—2.4 monly this unit
Indoor obstacle course (Hallenhindernisbahn, 14 obstacles)—3:30only this unit

Higher levels (e.g. competitive or elevated standards) and your gap to each are in the paid report.

Where the bar is higher

The two tests have no directly comparable events, so the minimums cannot be ranked against each other.

EKO Cobra tests 2 events, GSG 9 tests 6 events.

Pay

EKO COBRA
€3,271 / monthWhat an EKO Cobra officer earns · Inspektor / Revierinspektor (E 2b) · GS 3 · default scenario, grosspartly provisional
GSG 9
€4,301 / monthWhat a GSG 9 operator earns · Polizeiobermeister (A 8) · Stufe 3 · default scenario, grosspartly provisional

Amounts are in each country’s own currency and are not converted.

Questions

Is EKO Cobra or GSG 9 harder to get into?

The two tests have no directly comparable events, so the minimums cannot be ranked against each other. These are only the published fitness minimums; selection itself, medical and other requirements differ, and passing the minimum does not guarantee selection.

How do the EKO Cobra and GSG 9 fitness tests differ?

EKO Cobra: 2 events (push-ups, run 3k). GSG 9: 6 events (bench 75%, pull-ups, cooper, sprint 100, long jump, obstacle).

Does EKO Cobra or GSG 9 pay more?

EKO Cobra: €3,271/month (Inspektor / Revierinspektor (E 2b) · GS 3); GSG 9: €4,301/month (Polizeiobermeister (A 8) · Stufe 3) (default scenarios, gross). The default scenarios use different ranks and seniority, so this is not a like-for-like comparison — set the same rank in the pay calculator on each unit page.

Sources:
EKO Cobra
GSG 9