France sources
The official sources and calculation rules behind the France country page. Values remain in euros and are removed from display when published evidence cannot be read or is no longer verified.
Salary distribution
INSEE
- Method
- The dashboard annualises the official monthly net full-time-equivalent first and ninth deciles: EUR 1,492 and EUR 4,334. The displayed range is EUR 17,904–52,008 and the comparison value is the annualised median of EUR 26,280.
- Coverage and limits
- Net salary in full-time equivalent jobs in the private sector, not gross pay, graduate starting salary or the distribution of every worker. The 2024 publication expanded coverage to Mayotte and paid apprentices and trainees.
National annual salary benchmark
INSEE
- Method
- The official average net salary of EUR 2,733 per month in full-time equivalent terms is multiplied by twelve, producing EUR 32,796 per year.
- Coverage and limits
- A private-sector net mean. It is not gross compensation, disposable income after income tax, public-sector pay or a forecast of graduate earnings.
Student living-cost range
France-Visas and Campus France
- Method
- The lower bound is the EUR 877.50 monthly resource requirement applying to long-stay study-visa applications submitted from 1 August 2026. The EUR 1,000 upper planning value reflects Campus France guidance for Paris, where living costs are generally higher.
- Coverage and limits
- One student, excluding tuition. The visa threshold is a financial-evidence floor rather than a spending forecast, while actual housing costs vary substantially by city and accommodation type.
International public-university tuition
Campus France
- Method
- The calculation layer stores the 2026–2027 differentiated public-institution fees for non-EU students: EUR 2,902 for Licence and EUR 3,950 for Master study.
- Coverage and limits
- Public institutions under the relevant ministry. Exemptions are common, doctoral fees differ, and private schools or specialised programmes can charge more than EUR 10,000 per year.
Minimum hourly wage
French Ministry of Labour
- Method
- The calculation layer stores the metropolitan gross SMIC of EUR 12.02 per hour from 1 January 2026.
- Coverage and limits
- Gross statutory floor before employee deductions. Mayotte has a separate rate, and collective agreements or employers may set higher pay.
Academic year
Campus France
- Method
- The country page summarises the common September or October start and May or June end of second-semester teaching and examinations.
- Coverage and limits
- National overview only. Exact term, examination, internship and delayed-intake dates are controlled by each institution and programme.
Strong fields and work opportunities
France Travail
- Method
- Study fields are selected where related occupations show high planned hiring volumes or a large number of difficult non-seasonal recruitment projects, especially health, IT and telecom, construction and industrial maintenance.
- Coverage and limits
- Employer recruitment intentions, not guaranteed vacancies, visa eligibility, salaries or long-term employment outcomes. Hospitality has high volume but also substantial seasonality.
Student visa fee and work permission
France-Visas
- Method
- The calculation layer stores the standard EUR 99 long-stay student visa fee and the annual work allowance of 964 hours. A reduced EUR 50 visa fee applies to countries and territories using the Études en France procedure.
- Coverage and limits
- Fees are indicative and service-provider charges can be additional. Algerian nationals have a separate 50% work-time rule, and work remains supplementary income rather than a complete funding plan.
Universities and specialist institutions
France Universités and Campus France
- Method
- The country page provides a representative geographic and institutional mix of public universities and specialist engineering institutions.
- Coverage and limits
- Representative exploration list, not a ranking or complete directory.
Last reviewed 6 August 2026. A national range describes its source population or stated planning scenario; it does not predict an individual's salary, expenses or visa outcome.