Composite structures made of structural steel and concrete maximize the advantages of the two components, especially, when using high strength materials. The interaction of the two materials is guaranteed by shear connectors. Experimental and numerical investigations at the Institute of Structural Concrete, RWTH Aachen University indicate that headed studs in high strength concrete (HSC) show a different behavior compared to those in normal strength concrete (NSC). Headed studs in HSC feature a high load carrying capacity coming along with a high initial stiffness but a reduced ductility. In order to improve the ductility various modifications have been applied to the studs (for example headed studs embedded in ultra-high performance concrete). Three-dimensional finite element simulations have been conducted to obtain an insight into the complex load carrying behavior. Based on a parametric study the influence of the concrete strength on the load carrying behavior has been investigated. This paper presents the experimental and numerical results. The different modifications applied to the shear connectors are judged from both design and economical points of view.