Grounds maintenance operative salary in France
Average monthly net salary in full-time equivalent in the French private sector, according to INSEE (occupation group “Jardiniers”).
- Average net per month
- €1,667
- full-time equivalent, 2024
- Estimated monthly gross
- €2,106
- estimate with 2026 non-executive contributions
- Gap to the average
- -39%
- compared with all private-sector employees (€2,733 net)
- Compared with the SMIC
- 1.1 × 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 | €1,632 |
|---|---|
| Men | €1,669 |
By age
| Under 30 | €1,447 |
|---|---|
| 30 to 39 | €1,835 |
| 40 to 49 | €1,843 |
| 50 to 59 | €1,821 |
| 60 and over | €1,843 |
Working as a grounds maintenance operative in France
Grounds maintenance is not a regulated job in France and is open without diploma, but most employers look for the CAPa Jardinier paysagiste, the Bac pro Aménagements paysagers or the BP Aménagements paysagers. The Certiphyto certificate is needed to use plant protection products professionally, and their use is heavily restricted in public spaces. Some machinery requires a CACES or an internal driving authorisation. Search for « agent d'entretien des espaces verts », « agent espaces verts », « jardinier », « ouvrier paysagiste » or « jardinier paysagiste ».
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 grounds maintenance operative?
According to INSEE, a grounds maintenance operative employed in the private sector earns on average €1,667 net per month in full-time equivalent (2024), about €2,106 gross based on our estimate with 2026 contributions.
Do women and men earn the same as a grounds maintenance operative?
According to INSEE (2024), the average full-time equivalent net salary is €1,632 for women and €1,669 for men in this occupation. The gap can come from the positions held, seniority or actual working time.
Does a grounds maintenance operative earn more than the minimum wage?
The average net salary for the occupation (€1,667, INSEE 2024) is 1.1 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.