Apprenticeship pay: how age and contract year change the salary

A salary, because the apprentice is an employee

In France, an apprenticeship contract is an employment contract. The apprentice therefore receives a salary, with a payslip, paid leave and the same rights as the company's other employees, including those under the collective agreement. This sets the route clearly apart from an internship, where the payment is called a gratification (a stipend), and from a course followed with school status.

Time spent at the apprentice training centre (CFA) counts as actual working time and is paid. Alternating between school and company therefore does not lower the pay for the weeks spent in class.

The basic grid as a percentage of the minimum wage

In France, the legal minimum is calculated as a percentage of the SMIC (the national minimum wage), depending on the age at the time of the period and the year in which the contract is being performed. The rates generally applied are:

• 16-17 years: 27% in the first year, 39% in the second, 55% in the third;
• 18-20 years: 43%, then 51%, then 67%;
• 21-25 years: 53%, 61% then 78%, or the collective-agreement minimum for the job if that is more favourable;
• 26 and over: 100% of the SMIC, or the collective-agreement minimum if it is higher, whatever the year.

Apprentices under 16 are paid at the same rate as those aged 16-17. These percentages are the ones that apply in 2026 under the public rules; the SMIC itself changes over time and should be checked at the date of each pay run.

When the apprentice moves to a new age band

The rise linked to age does not happen on the birthday itself. It takes effect on the first day of the month following that birthday. A first-year apprentice who turns 21 in March moves from 43% to 53% of the SMIC on 1 April.

This avoids an unpleasant surprise: if your April payslip still shows the old rate, you are right to raise it. The payroll department must apply the higher rate from the following month. For contracts lasting several years, always cross two calendars: the one of your birthdays and the one of the start dates of each contract year.

The collective agreement may pay more

The percentages of the SMIC set a floor. If the collective agreement that applies in the company provides a higher minimum for the job being done, that minimum prevails, notably for those aged 21 and over. In some sectors, agreements also provide specific pay scales for apprentices.

Before comparing two offers, ask for the collective agreement named in the contract and the matching pay scale. Two employers can offer the same duration and the same qualification yet very different salaries. A grid found online is only worth relying on once you have checked its date and its sector.

A worked example, with a fictional minimum wage

Illustration with round numbers, not representative of the real SMIC. Suppose a gross monthly SMIC of 1,800 euros. Léa signs a two-year contract at 19:

• first year, 18-20 band: 43%, or 774 euros gross a month;
• she turns 21 in October of the first year: from November, 53%, or 954 euros;
• second year: 61%, or 1,098 euros.

Without changing employer or qualification, her gross pay rises by more than 40% between the first month and the end of the contract, purely through the effect of age and seniority. The net amount moves less, because part of the pay is exempt from contributions, and not only because of the change of band.

Special cases that change the calculation

Several situations are worth checking:

• an apprentice preparing a one-year professional licence (licence professionnelle) is paid at the second-year rate;
• a contract that follows an earlier apprenticeship contract may carry a different level under the rules on successive contracts;
• a contract signed for a shorter duration, because the apprentice already holds a similar level of qualification, may in some cases lead to a specific increase;
• an extension or an amendment that changes the duration should be reviewed with the CFA, because it can change the reference year.

These cases depend on the signing date and the text in force: the CFA, which prepares the file, or the company's payroll department should be able to explain which band was used and why.

What shows on the payslip

An apprentice's payslip shows a gross salary, any deductions, then a net figure. For contracts signed since March 2025, employee contributions are waived up to a fraction of the SMIC set at 50%, above which contributions apply. The pay remains exempt from income tax up to an annual ceiling tied to the SMIC.

The employer may deduct an amount for accommodation or meals provided, as long as this is written into the contract and stays within the legal limit. Overtime follows the same rules as for other employees, with restrictions for apprentices who are minors. Keep every payslip: they are needed for housing, loan or benefit applications.

Comparing with other training statuses

A student on an internship receives a gratification calculated by the hour, without employee status. A school pupil on a workplace training period receives a modest daily allowance. A young person on a professionalisation contract earns a salary based on other percentages, which depend on age and on the qualification already held.

Apprenticeship stands out through automatic progression over the years, a contract length often aligned with that of the qualification, and no tuition fees for the apprentice. In return, it requires finding an employer, which is sometimes the main difficulty.

Checking your pay before signing and during the contract

Before signing, find on the draft contract the date of birth, start date, duration, job, collective agreement and the salary shown as a percentage and in euros. Note the date on which you will change band. During the contract, compare each payslip with that table.

If there is a gap, first ask the payroll department for an explanation, then your apprenticeship master and your CFA. Avoid basing a complaint on a simulator alone: it gives a guideline, not proof. A dated, signed and itemised document remains the reference.