Apprenticeship Salary in 2026: What Are the Amounts?
24 September 2026 · 2 min reading time
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Wondering how much a work-study employee earns in France in 2026? Whether you are a prospective apprentice, an employee on a professionalisation contract or a recruiter, work-study pay is a key consideration. With salaries calculated as a percentage of the French minimum wage (SMIC), specific social contribution exemptions and recent changes introduced by the 2025 reform, the rules can be difficult to navigate.
In this article, we explain what work-study employees actually earn depending on their age, contract type (apprenticeship or professionalisation) and year of training. Pay scales, practical calculations, gross and net pay explanations, legislative changes… here is what you need to know.
What is an apprenticeship contract?
An apprenticeship contract is a work-study employment contract that allows a young person to pursue a recognised qualification while working for an employer. In practice, apprentices divide their time between an apprentice training centre (CFA), where they acquire theoretical knowledge, and their employer, where they put the skills needed for their future occupation into practice.
How is an apprentice’s salary calculated?
A work-study employee’s salary is calculated as a percentage of the gross SMIC or, in some cases, the minimum salary set by the employer’s collective bargaining agreement. This percentage depends on three main factors:
- The employee’s age
- Their year of the contract (first, second or third year)
- The contract type (apprenticeship or professionalisation)
The older the apprentice and the further they have progressed in their training, the higher their pay. For example, a 21-year-old apprentice in their second year receives a higher percentage than an 18-year-old in their first year. These rates are set by law, but employers can offer higher pay, particularly where an industry agreement provides for it.
What is the apprentice pay scale in 2026?
Since 1 June 2026, the gross monthly SMIC has been €1,867.02 for a 35-hour working week, compared with €1,823.03 from January to May. The amounts below apply from June 2026, excluding Mayotte.
Pay by age and year of contract
| Employee’s age | First year | Second year | Third year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 18 | 27% of the SMIC: €504.09 | 39% of the SMIC: €728.14 | 55% of the SMIC: €1,026.86 |
| 18–20 | 43% of the SMIC: €802.82 | 51% of the SMIC: €952.18 | 67% of the SMIC: €1,250.90 |
| 21–25 | 53% of the SMIC: €989.52 | 61% of the SMIC: €1,138.88 | 78% of the SMIC: €1,456.27 |
| 26 and over | 100% of the SMIC: €1,867.02 | 100% of the SMIC: €1,867.02 | 100% of the SMIC: €1,867.02 |
Gross monthly amounts. For apprentices aged 21–25, the percentage applies to the minimum salary set by the collective bargaining agreement for their role if it exceeds the SMIC. From age 26, the minimum is the higher of the SMIC and the minimum salary under the collective bargaining agreement. More favourable provisions may apply.
When does an apprentice qualify for a pay increase?
An apprentice’s salary may be maintained or increased in several specific situations covered by the French Labour Code. These rules help prevent a reduction in pay when an apprentice moves between successive contracts or changes employers during the same training programme.
1. Successive contracts at the same or a lower qualification level
When an apprentice signs a new contract after obtaining the diploma or qualification pursued under the previous contract, pay protection rules apply. With the same employer, their salary cannot fall below the amount received during the final year of the previous contract. With a different employer, protection covers the statutory minimum, or the minimum under the collective bargaining agreement if the same agreement applies. A higher salary negotiated individually is therefore not automatically maintained.
For example, an apprentice paid the statutory minimum of 61% of the SMIC during the second year of a BTS qualification retains at least that rate under a new contract after graduating. The age-based rate applies if it is more favourable.
2. Changing employers while continuing the same training programme
If an apprentice changes employers but continues the same training programme, their progress through the contract is recognised. They do not start again on the first-year rate simply because they have joined a new company: the pay scale continues to apply according to their actual year of training.
3. Changing career paths or moving to a lower-level qualification
When switching to a lower-level qualification, such as moving from a two-year higher education course to a CAP vocational certificate, previous pay is not automatically maintained. In particular, it is necessary to check whether the previous contract led to the award of the qualification and which rules apply to the employer.
4. Reminder: these protections are provided by law
These protections apply when the relevant conditions are met. They concern apprenticeship contracts and should not automatically be applied to professionalisation contracts.
Increases triggered by turning 18, 21 or 26 take effect on the first day of the month following the apprentice’s birthday.
Apprentice pay according to the qualification pursued
Alongside the standard pay scale based on age and year of contract, some apprentices may benefit from specific pay rules. However, studying for a BTS, bachelor’s degree or master’s degree does not automatically entitle an apprentice to a 10% or 20% increase.
An increase of 15 percentage points is provided for under Article D6222-30 of the French Labour Code where the contract lasts no more than one year, prepares the apprentice for a qualification at the same level as one already obtained, and leads to a qualification directly related to the previous one. In addition, apprentices studying for a professional bachelor’s degree (licence professionnelle) are paid according to the second-year scale under Article D6222-32.
📌 What to check when hiring:
- The collective bargaining agreement may provide for higher pay.
- Previous training and the duration of the training programme may affect which year’s pay rate applies.
Example: an apprentice aged 21–25 studying for a professional bachelor’s degree is entitled to at least the second-year rate, equivalent to 61% of the SMIC: €1,138.88 gross from June 2026, subject to any higher minimum under the collective bargaining agreement or other more favourable provisions.
Gross vs net pay for work-study employees
When discussing work-study pay, it is essential to distinguish between the gross amount, governed by statutory rules, and the net amount actually received each month. For work-study employees, this difference mainly depends on the contract type.
Employees on an apprenticeship contract benefit from exemptions from employee social contributions. The exemption threshold depends on when the contract was signed: 50% of the SMIC for contracts signed on or after 1 March 2025, compared with 79% for earlier contracts. This exemption is not tied to being under 26.
By contrast, employees on a professionalisation contract pay standard social contributions. Their net pay cannot reliably be estimated by systematically assuming it equals 90–95% of gross pay.
Professionalisation contracts: gross and net pay in 2026
What is the gross salary under a professionalisation contract?
| Employee profile | Minimum gross monthly salary |
|---|---|
| Under 21 — basic rate | 55% of the SMIC: €1,026.86 |
| Under 21 — qualification entitling the employee to the higher rate | 65% of the SMIC: approximately €1,213.56 |
| 21–25 — basic rate | 70% of the SMIC: €1,306.91 |
| 21–25 — qualification entitling the employee to the higher rate | 80% of the SMIC: €1,493.62 |
| 26 and over | At least €1,867.02, or 85% of the minimum salary under the collective bargaining agreement if higher |
The higher rate applies to holders of a qualification at least equivalent to a French vocational baccalaureate, or a vocational qualification or diploma at the same level. A general baccalaureate alone is not sufficient. More favourable provisions under collective bargaining agreements continue to apply.
What is the net salary under a professionalisation contract?
Net pay is gross pay minus employee social contributions and any other deductions. The amount depends in particular on supplementary health insurance contributions and the other items on the payslip. A calculator configured for a professionalisation contract can provide an appropriate estimate.
What is an apprentice’s net salary?
For contracts signed on or after 1 March 2025, the exemption threshold has been €933.51 gross per month since June 2026. Below this threshold, gross and net pay may be similar, although supplementary health insurance contributions or other deductions can create a difference.
Above the threshold, the relevant contributions apply to the portion exceeding it. For example, an apprentice aged 21–25 in their second year earning €1,138.88 gross has €205.37 above the threshold. The contract date and payroll details are therefore needed to estimate net pay: a single table cannot accurately represent every apprentice.
The 2025 reform: how does it affect pay in 2026?
Since 1 March 2025, the exemption threshold for apprentices’ employee social contributions has been reduced from 79% to 50% of the gross SMIC.
Who is affected?
- Apprenticeship contracts signed on or after 1 March 2025
- Employers regardless of company size
- Contracts signed before that date are not affected
The consequence: lower net pay
For the same gross salary, an apprentice covered by the new rules may receive lower net pay than one covered by the previous rules. The difference depends on the salary and applicable contributions: there is no fixed reduction that applies to everyone.
This reform forms part of the 2025 French Social Security Financing Act and aims to reduce the cost of contribution exemptions for the government.
The activity bonus for apprentices in 2026
Even with a work-study salary, making ends meet can be difficult, especially at the start of a career. This is where the activity bonus, known in France as the prime d’activité, can help. Apprentices and employees on professionalisation contracts may qualify, subject to age, residence and income conditions. For apprentices, monthly earned income must exceed €1,144.21 from June 2026, unless an exception applies, particularly for a single parent. This specific threshold does not apply in the same way to employees on professionalisation contracts. In practice, the calculation depends on your income and your household’s resources: when your earnings are modest, the bonus can supplement your pay and help maintain a more stable standard of living. It is not paid automatically; you must apply through the CAF or MSA, but it can provide valuable support for students and young people starting their careers.
Pay for apprentices with disabilities
The salary of an apprentice with recognised disabled worker status (RQTH) is calculated in the same way as for other apprentices. Pay therefore still depends on age and year of contract, according to the official scale expressed as a percentage of the SMIC, or the minimum salary under the collective bargaining agreement if more favourable from age 21. For example, an 18-year-old apprentice in their first year receives 43% of the SMIC, while an apprentice aged 26 or over receives at least the SMIC or the minimum salary under the collective bargaining agreement, whichever is higher.
The differences concern eligibility and how the contract is organised. An apprentice with a disability can sign a contract without an upper age limit, and the contract can be extended to four years if necessary, rather than the usual three. These arrangements allow the pace of training and work to be adapted without reducing the applicable pay scale.
In a fourth year, pay increases by 15 percentage points compared with the third-year rate: this brings it to 70% of the SMIC for apprentices under 18, 82% for those aged 18–20 and 93% for those aged 21–25. For apprentices aged 26 or over, the minimum for this fourth year is €2,147.07 gross, to be compared with the applicable minimum under the collective bargaining agreement.
What employee social contributions do apprentices pay in 2026?
Since the 2025 Social Security Financing Act, two sets of rules have applied depending on when the contract was signed.
Contracts signed on or after 1 March 2025
Apprentice pay is exempt from employee social contributions and the CSG and CRDS social levies up to 50% of the SMIC. This threshold has been €933.51 per month since June 2026. The portion above it is subject to employee social contributions and CSG-CRDS.
Contracts signed before 1 March 2025
The previous rules remain in place: the exemption from employee social contributions covers pay up to 79% of the SMIC, or approximately €1,475 per month from June 2026. The portion above this threshold remains subject to employee social contributions. However, the entire salary remains exempt from CSG-CRDS.
Summary
- Work-study pay depends on age, contract type, year of training and, in some cases, qualification level.
- The difference between gross and net pay depends on the contract, salary and applicable exemption rules.
- The 2025 reforms affect how net pay is calculated for some apprentices.
- Pay protection and increases apply under certain conditions, particularly when moving between successive contracts or pursuing a related additional qualification.
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