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Salaries for fresh graduates: INSEE spills the beans on average earnings based on diploma level and career track
(Illustration courtesy of our site / Freepik)When it comes to selecting a career or entering the job market, one crucial factor on many minds is salary expectations. After years of hard work and study, the opening paycheck is often scrutinized closely. However, not all degrees promise the same financial rewards for young graduates.
Wondering where your diploma lands you on the salary spectrum? INSEE has the answers, as they recently delved into this matter for their 2025 edition of the Formation et emploi dossier, published on Wednesday, February 12. The National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies analyzed the remuneration of young workers based on their education level and the number of years since the end of their studies. As expected, the higher the education level, the higher the starting salary.
€1,940 net on average
Those with a long degree (Bac +5 and above) have the best passport to a comfortable starting salary. In equivalent full-time, a young graduate with a master's degree or higher, who has been out of school for less than four years, typically earns a median salary of €2,000 net per month. At least half of these young professionals earn more than €2,000, with the other half earning less. On the opposite end of the spectrum, those who enter the job market with a bac +2 or bac +3 degree (licence, BUT, BTS, etc.) must settle for €1,550 net per month.
This gap widens for young people entering the job market with only a secondary school diploma. INSEE explains this discrepancy frankly: "Graduates of higher education often access managerial or intermediate professions, whereas young people with a secondary school diploma mainly occupy less qualified positions." Thus, the latter earn €1,410 net per month in equivalent full-time, well below the remuneration offered to higher education graduates.
Apprentice salaries to decrease in 2025: here's by how much It's also noteworthy that the least educated workers are more likely to have part-time jobs. Even when their salary is adjusted to full-time, these workers remain the least well-paid. Their median remuneration is €1,300 net per month, €700 less than their counterparts with a bac +5 degree.
The gender wage gap widens over time
Women are more likely to face involuntary part-time work than men and must also settle for lower salaries. However, as INSEE points out, "the difference in salary between women and men is very small at the start of their careers". Indeed, among young people who have just completed their studies, the net median salary for women is €1,570, compared to €1,600 for men, a difference of only 2%.
Wage Increase: Women to Outpace Men by 2025, Here's Why This relative equality doesn't last, though. The longer a person stays in the labor market, the wider the wage gap becomes. And dramatically so: among generations that finished their studies 11 years ago or more, the wage gap widens to 24%. Men then have a median net salary of €2,100, while women make do with €1,700. We'll need to wait a bit longer to observe the effects of the European directive on wage transparency, expected in 2026... and hope it will finally make a difference.
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Additional Insights:In general, the average salary in the private sector for full-time work in France in 2025 is approximately €2,735 net per month, according to INSEE data[4]. For developers, a junior developer typically earns between €35,000 and €45,000 gross per year[5]. Salaries may vary significantly depending on the level of education and professional experience.
Here's a snapshot of salaries for some types of diplomas in France in 2025, although it's not directly based on INSEE data:
- Junior Developer (Bac +2 to Bac +5): Approximately €35,000 to €45,000 gross per year, or approximately €3,000 gross per month.
- Nurses: Salaries vary based on level, but for example, a nurse in grade 2 at level 1 can earn around €2,102 gross per month in 2025[1].
- Well-paying professions: Professions such as specialists can earn between €100,000 and €300,000 per year[4].
To obtain detailed information on the salaries of young graduates based on their education levels, it would be helpful to consult the INSEE dossier directly or contact the institute.
- The higher education level of a graduate directly impacts their change of position in the job market and their starting salary, with those holding a long degree (Bac +5 and above) earning a median monthly net salary of €2,000.
- Although the gender wage gap is insignificant at the commencement of careers, it widens over time, with women in generations that finished their studies 11 years ago or more earning 24% less than their male counterparts.
- Salaries for apprentices are expected to decrease in 2025, affecting those with lower education levels who often occupy less qualified positions and are more likely to have part-time jobs.
- The average salary in the private sector for full-time work in France in 2025 is approximately €2,735 net per month, with salaries in certain well-paying professions like specialists reaching between €100,000 and €300,000 per year.
- Personal-finance management and career-development guidance can provide students with insights into finance and help them navigate the job market more effectively, ensuring they make informed decisions regarding their change of position and strive for career advancement.
