Doctor salary France 2026 — The doctor salary in France varies enormously by career stage and practice type. A hospital intern (interne) earns approximately €1,800–€3,200/month, a praticien hospitalier (PH) earns €5,000–€8,000+/month, and a specialist in private practice (secteur 2 or 3) can earn €10,000–€25,000+/month. This complete doctor salary France guide covers every career stage from externat to chef de service, public vs private practice pay, specialty salary differences, net take-home after French cotisations sociales, and how doctor salary France compares to Germany and the UK in 2026. Data sourced from Ministère de la Santé 2026 and INSEE.
Doctor Salary France 2026 — Complete Pay Guide by Career Stage, Specialty and Net Take-Home
A friend of mine did part of his medical training in France — he'd completed his first two years in Belgium and transferred to Paris for his internat. He was stunned by how low the interne pay was compared to what he'd expected from such a prestigious system. Around €2,200/month as an interne in one of Paris's greatest teaching hospitals, working 50+ hours a week, felt like a contradiction.
The reality of doctor salary France is that the French medical career has two very distinct phases financially: a long, poorly-paid training period followed by a sharp income increase once you reach praticien hospitalier or establish a private practice. Understanding where you are in that journey — and which pathway leads to the best financial outcome — is what this guide is about.
France has one of the world's most respected healthcare systems — consistently ranked among the best in Europe by WHO — but doctor pay in France is genuinely lower than in Germany, the UK, or the Netherlands at most career stages, particularly in the public hospital system. Here are the real 2026 figures.
Doctor Salary France 2026 — At a Glance
Monthly gross salary for doctors in France by career stage in 2026
Doctor Salary France — The French Medical Career Structure
The French medical career follows a specific structure that is important to understand before looking at salary figures. Unlike the UK or Germany, French medicine has a very clear public/private divide that fundamentally shapes earnings:
- Externat (years 1–6): Medical school. Students receive a small monthly allocation of approximately €250–€400 in their hospital rotation years. Not a salary.
- Internat (years 7–10+): Residency/specialisation training. Internes receive a salary — low but real. Duration varies from 3 years (médecine générale) to 6+ years (surgery, neurology).
- Assistant/Chef de clinique (years 10–13): Post-residency hospital positions. Significant pay increase — typically €4,000–€6,000/month.
- Praticien Hospitalier (PH): Permanent hospital consultant position. Stable, well-paid, public sector role with civil servant-equivalent benefits.
- Médecin libéral (private practice): Self-employed doctor in private practice. Earnings depend entirely on activity, specialty, and sector (1, 2, or 3).
Doctor Salary France — By Career Stage (2026)
| Career stage | Monthly gross | Annual gross | Monthly net (est.) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Interne — année 1 (DES) | €1,809 | €21,708 | ~€1,520 | 1st year resident — all specialties |
| Interne — année 2 | €2,009 | €24,108 | ~€1,680 | Slight annual increase |
| Interne — année 3–4 | €2,209–€2,409 | €26,508–€28,908 | ~€1,840–€2,000 | Medical general / most specialties |
| Interne — année 5–6+ (surgery) | €2,609–€3,209 | €31,308–€38,508 | ~€2,150–€2,600 | Surgical specialties, longer internat |
| Chef de clinique / Assistant | €4,000–€5,500 | €48,000–€66,000 | ~€2,900–€3,800 | Post-residency hospital positions |
| Praticien Hospitalier (PH) — début | €5,103 | €61,236 | ~€3,500 | Entry PH — échelon 1 |
| Praticien Hospitalier — mid | €6,500–€7,200 | €78,000–€86,400 | ~€4,300–€4,700 | Échelon 4–6 with ancienneté |
| Praticien Hospitalier — senior | €7,500–€8,500+ | €90,000–€102,000+ | ~€4,900–€5,500 | Top échelon + night/weekend pay |
| Chef de service / PU-PH | €7,000–€12,000 | €84,000–€144,000 | ~€4,600–€7,500 | PU-PH combines teaching + hospital |
| Médecin généraliste libéral (sect. 1) | €6,000–€9,000 | €72,000–€108,000 | ~€3,800–€5,500 | After cotisations and charges |
| Specialist libéral (sect. 2) | €8,000–€25,000+ | €96,000–€300,000+ | ~€4,800–€14,000+ | Cardio, derma, ophthalmology etc. |
Source: Ministère de la Santé — grilles indiciaires PH 2026, Assurance Maladie 2026, INSEE revenus des médecins libéraux 2025. Net estimates based on standard cotisations sociales and impôt sur le revenu rates 2026.
Doctor Salary France — Net Pay Calculator 2026
🇫🇷 Doctor Salary France — Net Pay Calculator 2026
Based on 2026 URSSAF and impots.gouv.fr rates. Libéral estimate includes URSSAF cotisations (~40% of revenue). Results are estimates only.
Doctor Salary France — By Specialty (2026)
🫀 Cardiology (Cardiologie)
Cardiology is one of the highest-earning specialties in France — particularly in secteur 2 private practice in Paris and major cities. Hospital cardiologists (PH) earn €6,000–€8,500/month; private cardiologists earn €8,000–€20,000+ depending on volume and dépassements. Interventional cardiologists with catheterisation lab skills are among France's highest-paid doctors.
👁️ Ophthalmology (Ophtalmologie)
French ophthalmologists are the highest-earning doctors in France on average — particularly in private secteur 2 practice. Cataract surgery volumes are high, refractive surgery adds significant revenue, and the specialty faces a shortage that keeps fees high. Private ophthalmologists in Paris earn €15,000–€25,000+/month.
🦷 Stomatology / Maxillofacial
Maxillofacial surgery and dental specialties command high fees in France, particularly for implantology and orthognathic surgery. Hospital maxillofacial surgeons earn €6,000–€8,000 as PH; private specialists earn significantly more with secteur 2 dépassements.
🧠 Psychiatry (Psychiatrie)
Psychiatry in France is mostly practised in the public sector (GHT networks, CMP) with relatively limited private practice. Hospital psychiatrists earn €5,000–€8,000 as PH. Private psychiatrists working secteur 1 (most do) earn €4,500–€7,000 after cotisations. France faces a severe psychiatrist shortage — particularly in rural areas — creating strong demand but not dramatically higher salaries.
🏥 General Medicine (Médecine Générale)
French GPs (médecins généralistes) work almost exclusively in secteur 1 private practice — bound to national tariffs of €26.50 per consultation in 2026. Income depends entirely on number of consultations per day. A GP seeing 30 patients/day earns approximately €9,000–€10,000/month gross — but after URSSAF cotisations (approximately 40%), charges professionnelles, and PADHUE contributions, net income is typically €5,000–€6,500/month. Rural GPs receive additional incentives (CAIM, COSCOM) worth €5,000–€20,000/year.
🔬 Radiology (Radiologie)
Radiology is one of the most lucrative specialties in France — particularly interventional radiology and imaging-heavy practices. Private radiologists working in SCM or SEL structures earn €8,000–€22,000/month net. Hospital radiologists (PH) earn €6,000–€8,500. Teleradiology is an increasing supplementary income source — several French platforms pay €80–€150 per remote reading study.
Doctor Salary France — Gardes and Astreintes (On-Call Pay)
Gardes (on-call shifts) and astreintes (standby duty) are a significant part of the doctor salary France for hospital doctors. Under the current PH convention:
| Type of duty | Rate (2026) | Typical monthly total |
|---|---|---|
| Garde en présentiel (night on-call, weekday) | ~€255–€350/garde | €500–€1,400/month (2–4 gardes) |
| Garde en présentiel (weekend/holiday) | ~€350–€500/garde | €700–€2,000/month (2–4 gardes) |
| Astreinte opérationnelle (on-call, at home) | ~€65–€150/astreinte | €260–€600/month |
| Active PH with full garde schedule | — | €1,000–€2,500/month extra |
A PH earning €6,500/month base who takes 4 weekend gardes per month can realistically earn €8,000–€9,000/month gross — pushing annual gross into the €96,000–€108,000 range. Many younger PHs actively take gardes to supplement their échelon salary while building seniority.
Doctor Salary France — Public Hospital vs Private Practice
| Pathway | Annual gross (experienced) | Monthly net (est.) | Job security | Work-life balance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Praticien Hospitalier (public) | €72,000–€102,000 | ~€4,200–€6,000 | Excellent (civil servant equiv.) | Structured — defined schedule |
| Médecin libéral — Secteur 1 | €80,000–€130,000 | ~€4,500–€7,200 | Self-employed risk | Flexible — you set your hours |
| Médecin libéral — Secteur 2 | €100,000–€400,000+ | ~€5,500–€20,000+ | Self-employed risk | Variable by specialty |
| Salarié clinique privée | €80,000–€200,000 | ~€4,800–€10,000 | Moderate | Good — employed not self-employed |
| PU-PH (academic + hospital) | €90,000–€160,000 | ~€5,200–€8,500 | Excellent | Demanding — research + clinical |
Doctor Salary France vs Germany and UK (2026)
| Career stage | France gross/month | France net/month | Germany gross/month | Germany net/month | UK gross/month | UK net/month |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Resident / Interne | €1,800–€2,400 | ~€1,500–€2,000 | €4,000–€5,500 | ~€2,600–€3,300 | £3,300–£4,500 | ~£2,300–£3,000 |
| Mid-career hospital doctor | €6,000–€7,500 | ~€3,800–€4,700 | €6,500–€9,000 | ~€4,100–€5,500 | £5,500–£7,500 | ~£3,500–£4,700 |
| Senior consultant (public) | €7,500–€9,000 | ~€4,700–€5,600 | €9,000–€14,000 | ~€5,400–€7,800 | £8,766–£11,657 | ~£5,400–£6,800 |
| Specialist (private) | €10,000–€25,000+ | ~€5,500–€13,000+ | €10,000–€20,000+ | ~€5,800–€10,500+ | £8,000–£20,000+ | ~£4,800–£10,000+ |
The comparison reveals a striking gap at resident level — French internes are significantly underpaid compared to German Assistenzärzte and UK Foundation/Core trainees. At senior hospital level, the gap narrows considerably — a French PH at top échelon earns comparably to a UK NHS consultant. In private practice, the French secteur 2 system allows earnings comparable to Germany's Belegarzt model or UK private practice, particularly in high-procedure specialties like ophthalmology, cardiology, and radiology.
International Doctors Working in France (PADHUE)
France actively recruits international doctors — particularly from North Africa (Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia), Romania, and increasingly from outside the EU. The PADHUE (Praticiens à Diplôme Hors Union Européenne) pathway allows non-EU doctors to work in French hospitals while undergoing a qualification recognition process:
- PADHUE stage 1: Working as FFI (Faisant Fonction d'Interne) or attaché — salary approximately €1,800–€3,500/month. Limited practice rights.
- PADHUE stage 2: After passing the épreuves de vérification des connaissances (EVC) — can work as Praticien Attaché Associé. Salary approximately €3,500–€5,000/month.
- Full authorisation: After full PADHUE process — work as Praticien Contractuel or Praticien Hospitalier. Full PH salary scale.
- EU doctors: Mutual recognition — work immediately as interne in the equivalent PGY level or seek PH positions directly after training recognition.