Average Salary in France: Salaries by City and Experience

France is known for its lucrative industries and strong economy. With some of the world’s major brands driving its economic trends, the job market in France remains diverse and ideal for working professionals worldwide. 

If you are exploring your career options in France, you will naturally have questions about income in France. This guide offers comprehensive details regarding the salary data in France across popular industries and job roles. 

Quick Overview

• The average salary in France per month for a full-time worker is €3,666 and €44,000 per year in 2023. 
• The average wage in France for a part-time worker is around €658 per month and €7,900 per year.
• The minimum per-hour salary in France was revised to €11.65 with effect from 01 January 2024.
• Top Job Sectors in France 
  • Legal and Accounting (average monthly salary: €3,300)
  • Information Technology (average monthly salary: €4,335)
  • Commerce (average monthly salary: €2,421) 
• Top Companies in France: LVMH, Hermès, L’Oréal, TotalEnergies, Schneider Electric and Dior.

Do you know?

• France’s GDP per capita in 2023 was an impressive USD 44,460.8.[1]
• The unemployment rate of the total labour force in France was 7.32% in 2023.[2]
• The Central government debt in France was only 98.7% in the year 2022, which is a remarkable 18.2% drop from the 116.9% in 2021.[3]

France salary trends: Factors affecting salary in France

Several economic and sociopolitical factors shape salary trends in France, contributing to a dynamic and ever-evolving labour market. Understanding the influence of these factors on France’s average income is crucial for foreign professionals, as it can help them navigate their work compensation more effectively. 

Here are the key factors that influence the pay scale in France.

Economic Conditions and Inflation – The overall stability and inflation rates significantly influence the salary trends in France. The French economy’s performance, which includes the overall GDP growth and sector-specific economic booms or drops, can impact salary adjustments.

Inflation is another key economic factor affecting salaries in France. It pressures wage increases after cost-of-living surges to maintain workers’ purchasing power and prevent economic spirals.

The government of France regularly adjusts the SMIC to reflect changes in inflation rates, which ensures that the minimum wages are on par with the increasing living costs. 

Government Policies and Regulations – French government policies shape salary trends. Legislation such as the SMIC sets a baseline, ensuring fair compensation and preventing exploitation of the workers. 

Additionally, government incentives for certain industries or regions, tax policies, and labour laws all contribute to how provincial salary variations are structured and adjusted across the job market. 

Periodic revisions and updates of these policies aim to address economic changes and social needs, which influence overall salary trends and pay scales in France. 

Industry-Specific Factors – Different industries in France have varied salary trends based on demand, profitability and shortage of skilled labour. Fields with high demand, such as IT and finance, offer higher salary ranges due to the specialised skills required and higher profitability margins.  

On the other hand, industries like retail or hospitality may offer lower average salaries due to higher employee turnover and lower profit margins. 

Average Income in France for Full-Time Workers : (€3,666/month & €44,000/year)

France offers numerous lucrative job opportunities for skilled workers across various industries, with attractive pay scales. Here’s an overview of the average pay scales in France in major industries to give you an idea of potential compensation.

Source: SalaryExplorer (Please refer to industry wise pages)

For a more detailed clarification, here is a breakdown of average base pay across various job titles in the major industries that are active in France: 

Healthcare: Avg Salary – €73,900 per year

Source: SalaryExplorer

Legal: Avg Salary – €64,400 per year

Source: SalaryExplorer

Banking & Finance: Avg salary – €54,200 per year

Source: SalaryExplorer

Information Technology: Avg salary – €51,100 per year

Source: SalaryExplorer

Human resources: Avg salary – €47,700 per year

Source: SalaryExplorer

Software Engineering: Avg Salary – €46,800 per year

Source: SalaryExplorer

Average Salary for Part-time Workers in France : (€658/month & €7,900/year)

Part-time jobs are an excellent choice for international students in France who wish to balance their academic commitments while gaining industry experience and earning extra income. This approach allows students to enhance their resumes and develop soft skills on the job, which can be particularly valuable when in a foreign country. 

Here is a detailed overview of the most common part-time jobs in France:

Source: Yocket

The Average Salary in France: Citywide

As mentioned earlier, the cost of living in France can greatly influence regional pay scales. Provincial salary variations in France result from differences in living standards, population, and economic factors, leading to differing average salary rates across regions.

Here is an overview of the average monthly salaries in various French cities:

Source: Livingcost.org (Refer to citiwise pages)

Highest paying job in France

Managerial and administrative roles are some of the most lucrative job options in France. Moreover, high-demand fields like Information Technology, Finance, Legal and Healthcare offer attractive pay scales due to the industry knowledge and experience required to work in the field.

Here is an overview of some of the highest-paying jobs in France:

Source: SalaryExplorer

Lowest/minimum paying job in France

With the revised minimum wages in effect from the 1st of January 2024, France has declared the minimum wage to be €1,766.92 per month. However, the pay can vary depending on location, number of hours, etc. 

Here is an overview of some of the lowest-paying jobs in France: 

Source: Paylab

Salary based on experience

In France, salary by education level and experience is significant, with more experienced and educated professionals earning higher wages. High-demand industries like IT, Legal, Healthcare, and Administration especially value the skills and knowledge these employees bring.

Here is a quick overview of the 2024 France salary comparison depending on the work experience across major industries:

Source: Robert Half Salary Guide 2024

Difference between median & average (mean) salary

An essential aspect of salary research that is often misunderstood is the difference between the concepts of mean and median income rates. Here is a simplified explanation of the two concepts, along with their examples:

Mean Salary

The mean salary, also known as the average salary, is calculated by dividing the number of sample sets by the total values in a sample set.

Let’s calculate the average salary of 5 employees in a company. Here are the employees and their respective salaries:

To find the average salary from this data set, we need to add all the salary values and divide that total by the number of employees. 

(€15,400 + €12,800 + €18,000 + €22,000 + €10,000)/5 = €15,640

Hence, the mean or average income for this dataset is €15,640.

Median Salary

Let us consider the same data set for the median salary. 

We will first need to arrange the salaries in ascending order.

The median salary is the middle value of a salary data set. Hence, the median salary here is €15,400. 

But why is the median salary important? 

The median salary indicates the midpoint of a salary range and isn’t affected by extreme values, making it a great indicator of typical earnings and wage gaps in a diverse economy.

While the mean or average salary is €40,000, France’s median income is €42,800. 

Before you go…

France’s dynamic job market offers competitive wages and diverse industry opportunities for skilled professionals. Planning ahead is crucial to understand economic fluctuations and salary trends.

An important aspect that needs to be considered during this financial planning is a reliable and efficient service for international fund transfers. One of the popular and trusted money transfer platforms by international students for transferring funds for overseas education and professional individuals for regular money transfer needs is Instarem.

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FAQs

Q. What is the current average salary in France?

The current average salary in France per month for a full-time worker is €29,667.

Q. What is a good salary in France?

A good salary in France can be subjective and factors like lifestyle choices, spending habits, rental location and health insurance can impact an individual’s disposable income. The salary range of about € 34,000 to € 49,000 should suffice to live in France comfortably. 

Q. Which job has the highest salary in France?

Administrative and managerial roles like the CEO who earns €271,000 on average have the highest salary in France.  

Q. Which job has the lowest salary in France?

Jobs on assistant levels like Nursery School Teacher Assistant earn a monthly average of €1,530, are some of the lowest paid job roles in France.  

Q. What is the average salary in France for IT?

The average salary in France for IT is €51,100 per year. 

Q. What is the average salary in France per month for an Indian?

The average salary of an Indian national can vary depending on various factors such as the industry of choice, job title, experience, educational background etc. 

Q. How do you find a job in France?

You can easily find a job in France by applying for job roles on global job websites like Indeed and LinkedIn. 

Other related blogs:

Germany – Average Salary in Germany

Australia – Average Salary in Australia

USA – Average Salary in USA

Canada – Average Salary in Canada

UK – Average Salary in UK

Singapore – Average salary in Singapore

Ireland – Average Salary in Ireland

Malaysia – Average salary in Malaysia

Japan – Average Salary in Japan 

Disclaimers:

This article is intended for informational purposes only. All details are accurate at the time of publishing. Instarem has no affiliation or relationship with products or vendors mentioned.

* Fast meaning 75% of our transactions are completed in 15 minutes. Depending on the funding method.

#When it comes to affordable exchange rates and fees, it’s worth noting that the cost will vary depending on how you choose to fund your transactions. Credit card funding and bank transfer fees can differ significantly. 

The values were taken on 2nd and 3rd July from different websites and may be subject to change.

Citations

• https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/NY.GDP.PCAP.CD?locations=FR&skipRedirection=true&view=map . [1]
• https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SL.UEM.TOTL.ZS?end=2023&locations=FR&skipRedirection=true&start=1991&view=chart  . [2]
• https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/GC.DOD.TOTL.GD.ZS?locations=FR  [3]