Compensation of employees (% of expense) in France
France: Compensation of employees (% of expense) was 17.6% in 2023. ▬ Flat
Compensation of employees in France, 1972–2023
Source: Government Finance Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF). Measured in % of expense.
Analysis
The most recent figure for compensation of employees in France is 17.6%, measured in 2023.
The figure is up 1.6% on the previous year and down 3.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, compensation of employees in France peaked at 21.7% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 16.5%, in 1994.
That places France 108th out of 155 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
Compensation of employees (% of expense) in France, year by year
| Year | % of expense | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1972 | 18.3% | — |
| 1973 | 18.5% | +1.2% |
| 1974 | 17.8% | -3.9% |
| 1975 | 17.6% | -0.8% |
| 1976 | 17.5% | -0.6% |
| 1977 | 17.7% | +0.9% |
| 1978 | 17.1% | -3.3% |
| 1979 | 16.5% | -3.5% |
| 1980 | 20.7% | +25.2% |
| 1981 | 19.8% | -4.1% |
| 1982 | 19.4% | -2.2% |
| 1983 | 19.0% | -1.8% |
| 1984 | 18.8% | -1.1% |
| 1985 | 18.4% | -2.1% |
| 1986 | 17.9% | -2.8% |
| 1987 | 17.6% | -2.0% |
| 1988 | 17.1% | -2.5% |
| 1989 | 17.2% | +0.5% |
| 1990 | 17.2% | -0.1% |
| 1991 | 16.8% | -1.8% |
| 1992 | 16.7% | -1.0% |
| 1993 | 16.6% | -0.8% |
| 1994 | 16.5% | -0.6% |
| 1995 | 21.3% | +29.2% |
| 1996 | 21.5% | +1.0% |
| 1997 | 21.2% | -1.1% |
| 1998 | 21.5% | +1.3% |
| 1999 | 21.5% | -0.2% |
| 2000 | 21.7% | +1.0% |
| 2001 | 21.3% | -1.8% |
| 2002 | 21.0% | -1.3% |
| 2003 | 20.9% | -0.4% |
| 2004 | 20.7% | -1.1% |
| 2005 | 20.6% | -0.7% |
| 2006 | 20.2% | -1.9% |
| 2007 | 19.7% | -2.4% |
| 2008 | 19.2% | -2.4% |
| 2009 | 19.0% | -1.3% |
| 2010 | 18.2% | -4.1% |
| 2011 | 18.6% | +2.2% |
| 2012 | 18.4% | -1.0% |
| 2013 | 18.2% | -1.3% |
| 2014 | 18.1% | -0.4% |
| 2015 | 18.0% | -0.4% |
| 2016 | 18.1% | +0.3% |
| 2017 | 18.0% | -0.7% |
| 2018 | 18.2% | +1.1% |
| 2019 | 18.2% | +0.3% |
| 2020 | 17.4% | -4.5% |
| 2021 | 17.2% | -1.0% |
| 2022 | 17.4% | +0.8% |
| 2023 | 17.6% | +1.6% |
France compared with similar countries
- France's 17.6% is below the median for high income countries, which is 18.9%, 93% of the median. (56 countries reporting)
- France's 17.6% is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 16.4%, 1.1× the median. (47 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Compensation of employees (% of expense) in France changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | +29.2% | 16.5% | 21.3% |
| 1980 | +25.2% | 16.5% | 20.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 17.6% | 16.5% | 18.5% | 8 |
| 1980s | 18.6% | 17.1% | 20.7% | 10 |
| 1990s | 19.1% | 16.5% | 21.5% | 10 |
| 2000s | 20.4% | 19.0% | 21.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 18.2% | 18.0% | 18.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 17.4% | 17.2% | 17.6% | 4 |
Countries ranked near France
More public sector data for France
- Democracy, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Chief executive of the government is elected, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Elected parliament, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Men's universal right to vote, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Universal right to vote, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Universal right to vote in practice, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Arms imports 236.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values (2025)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per capita 2.74 SIPRI trend indicator values per person (2024)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per unit of GDP 0.0001 SIPRI trend indicator values per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), annual growth rate 56.67 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is compensation of employees in France?
- Compensation of employees in France was 17.6% in 2023, according to Government Finance Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF).
- What is the highest compensation of employees recorded in France?
- The highest recorded value was 21.7% in 2000.
- What is the lowest compensation of employees recorded in France?
- The lowest recorded value was 16.5% in 1994.
- How does France rank for compensation of employees?
- France ranks 108th out of 155 countries with data for 2023.
- Is compensation of employees rising or falling in France?
- Over the last ten years it is down 3.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this France data come from?
- The figures come from Government Finance Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF), published as part of Compensation of employees (% of expense). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Compensation of employees is defined as the total remuneration, in cash or in kind, payable by an enterprise to an employee in return for work done by the latter during the accounting period. This indicator is expressed as percentage of total expenses which is any decrease in net worth resulting from a transaction.