French teacher salaries spark debate amid union criticism

Teacher compensation in France has become a central point of debate following a report from the Ministry of National Education's statistical service (Depp). The study indicates that teachers earned an average net income of 3,090 euros in 2024, representing a 4.3% increase when adjusted for inflation.

However, labor unions have criticized these figures, arguing they are misleading. Representatives from SE-Unsa noted that the average is skewed upward by different professional profiles, such as 'professeurs agrégés', and the fact that the average teacher age is 45. They suggest the median salary would be significantly lower.

Furthermore, unions point out that much of the reported income includes extra hours and additional missions. Nicolas Wallet of FSU-SNUipp highlighted that there has been no revaluation of the 'point d’indice' since July 2023, despite cumulative inflation reaching 5.9% according to the Banque de France. Sophie Vénétitay of Snes-FSU has also denounced what she describes as a 'salary downgrading' for educators.