Chief financial officer salary in France
Average monthly net salary in full-time equivalent in the French private sector, according to INSEE (occupation group “Cadres des services financiers ou comptables des grandes entreprises”).
- Average net per month
- €5,450
- full-time equivalent, 2024
- Estimated monthly gross
- €6,856
- estimate with 2026 executive contributions
- Gap to the average
- +99%
- compared with all private-sector employees (€2,733 net)
- Compared with the SMIC
- 3.7 × the net SMIC
- 2026 net monthly minimum wage: €1,478
Source: INSEE, all-employees database 2024 (average net private-sector pay, full-time equivalent) · Data downloaded on 18 October 2026
Source: French minimum wage (SMIC) as of 1 June 2026 · Data downloaded on 18 October 2026
By sex
| Women | €4,839 |
|---|---|
| Men | €6,112 |
By age
| Under 30 | €3,300 |
|---|---|
| 30 to 39 | €4,629 |
| 40 to 49 | €5,737 |
| 50 to 59 | €6,242 |
| 60 and over | €6,980 |
Working as a chief financial officer in France
The DAF role is not regulated in France, but recruiters expect a master's level in finance, accounting or management: business school, university master in finance and control, or the DSCG and expert-comptable route. Former auditors from large firms are common. Speaking French is close to essential in SMEs, since you will deal with banks, URSSAF, tax authorities and staff representatives (CSE). Search for "directeur administratif et financier", "DAF", "directeur financier", "responsable administratif et financier" (RAF) in smaller companies, and "CFO" in startups and international groups.
How to read these figures
The salary shown is an average, not a median: a few high salaries pull the average up. It is net pay before income tax, converted to full time.
The gross figure is an estimate: it applies 2026 employee contributions for a private-sector worker to the net salary. It leaves out bonuses, overtime and health insurance.
Salaries are from 2024 while the minimum wage is the 2026 one, so the comparison gives an order of magnitude.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the average salary of a chief financial officer?
According to INSEE, a chief financial officer employed in the private sector earns on average €5,450 net per month in full-time equivalent (2024), about €6,856 gross based on our estimate with 2026 contributions.
Do women and men earn the same as a chief financial officer?
According to INSEE (2024), the average full-time equivalent net salary is €4,839 for women and €6,112 for men in this occupation. The gap can come from the positions held, seniority or actual working time.
Does a chief financial officer earn more than the minimum wage?
The average net salary for the occupation (€5,450, INSEE 2024) is 3.7 times the 2026 net monthly minimum wage (€1,478). Early in a career, pay is often closer to the minimum wage than to this average.