France has a long academic tradition, and its universities are public and state-run, meaning that permanent academic staff are civil servants. Salaries are set by the government, and all figures in this article are pre-tax.
PhD Salary
PhD candidates in France are employed as researchers. A French PhD typically takes three to six years. The government sets minimum salaries for doctoral students, which in 2024 range from €1,684.93 per month for those solely engaged in research, to €2,024.70 per month for those with teaching responsibilities (Campus France) (Campus France). At some institutions, the salary can go higher, with institutions like UPEC offering a minimum of €2,074.78 per month for some doctoral contracts (UPEC).
Postdoc Salary
Postdoctoral positions in France allow researchers to further specialize in their field, usually lasting one to five years. While there is no national regulation for postdoc salaries, those employed by public institutions such as CNRS or INRIA can expect to earn between €2,000 and €3,700 per month (GitHub) (Campus France). More experienced postdocs in some regions may see salaries closer to €4,000 to €4,700 per month, depending on their experience and location (GitHub).
Maître de conférences (MCF) Salary
A maître de conférences (MCF) is equivalent to an associate professor and is a permanent position. MCF salaries are set by national legislation and do not vary by institution. The salary scale for MCFs in 2024 ranges from €2,169.63 to €3,865.97 per month for the classe normale and from €3,123.58 to €4,976.56 per month for the hors classe (Wikipedia).
Professeur des universités (PU) Salary
Professors in France, known as professeurs des universités, are also civil servants. The salary range for this role depends on seniority and is divided into three ranks: 2e classe, 1re classe, and classe exceptionnelle. In 2024, salaries range from €3,102.15 to €4,531.39 per month for 2e classe, €3,865.97 to €5,473.28 for 1re classe, and €5,473.29 to €6,220.96 per month for the highest rank, classe exceptionnelle (Wikipedia) (Campus France).