Early years educator salary in France
Average monthly net salary in full-time equivalent in the French private sector, according to INSEE (occupation group “Éducateurs de jeunes enfants”).
- Average net per month
- €1,949
- full-time equivalent, 2024
- Estimated monthly gross
- €2,462
- estimate with 2026 non-executive contributions
- Gap to the average
- -29%
- compared with all private-sector employees (€2,733 net)
- Compared with the SMIC
- 1.3 × 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 | €1,944 |
|---|---|
| Men | €2,021 |
By age
| Under 30 | €1,717 |
|---|---|
| 30 to 39 | €1,966 |
| 40 to 49 | €2,095 |
Working as an early years educator in France
Search for éducateur or éducatrice de jeunes enfants, EJE, EJE directrice adjointe, or animatrice de relais petite enfance (RPE, formerly RAM). The role requires the Diplôme d'État d'éducateur de jeunes enfants (DEEJE), a three-year course at degree level prepared in a social work school, including long placements. In the public sector, EJEs are recruited on the territorial grade of the same name, by competitive exam or on contract. Foreign early childhood or teaching degrees do not give automatic access to the DEEJE; a recognition procedure exists for some EU qualifications, and partial exemptions may apply. Employers check criminal records, and fluent French is needed to work with families and write reports.
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 an early years educator?
According to INSEE, an early years educator employed in the private sector earns on average €1,949 net per month in full-time equivalent (2024), about €2,462 gross based on our estimate with 2026 contributions.
Do women and men earn the same as an early years educator?
According to INSEE (2024), the average full-time equivalent net salary is €1,944 for women and €2,021 for men in this occupation. The gap can come from the positions held, seniority or actual working time.
Does an early years educator earn more than the minimum wage?
The average net salary for the occupation (€1,949, INSEE 2024) is 1.3 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.