The invention relates to a method for monitoring the efficiency (Eta pol n) of a compressor (1), in which a mass flow, an entry pressure (Pe n), an exit pressure (Pa n), an entry temperature (Te n), an exit temperature (Ta n) of the process medium are determined and a performance factor is ascertained. In order to improve the accuracy it is suggested that - at the inlet of each stage (4, 5, 6, 7), a stage entry temperature (Ten) and a stage entry pressure (Pen) are directly or indirectly measured as measurement parameters, - at the outlet of each stage, a stage exit temperature (Tan) and a stage exit pressure (Pan) are directly or indirectly measured as measurement parameters, and each stage (4, 5, 6, 7) is assigned a module (C421 to C424) which calculates a stage efficiency (Eta pol n), for example as polytropic stage efficiency, as performance factor from the measurement parameters using the calculation means.