Security / Penetration Tester salary in France
The median gross salary for a mid-level Security / Penetration Tester in France is €81k ($88k), with most offers between €66k and €99k. That is 51% below the US median for the same role. France ranks 18 of 36 countries on our pay index. Juniors start near €63k, leads reach €130k.
Security / Penetration Tester pay by level in France
Gross annual pay in EUR. Junior pay is €63k, lead pay is €130k: leads earn 100% more. The bar spans p10 to p90 with the median marked.
| Level | p10 | Median | p90 | Range | Median (USD) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Junior | €51k | €63k | €76k | $68k | |
| Mid-level | €66k | €81k | €99k | $88k | |
| Senior | €85k | €100k | €130k | $110k | |
| Lead | €100k | €130k | €150k | $140k |
Estimates from posted pay ranges, base pay only. p10 and p90 are 0.82× and 1.22× the median. Methodology.
Security / Penetration Tester pay by city in France
Paris pays most at 1.08× the national median. Pay factor 1.00 equals the country median of €81k.
| City | Tier | Pay factor | Mid-level median | p10–p90 | USD | QA jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paris | A | 1.08× (+8%) | €87k | €72k–€110k | $95k | 10 |
| Lyon | B | 0.95× (-5%) | €77k | €63k–€94k | $84k | 1 |
| Toulouse | B | 0.95× (-5%) | €77k | €63k–€94k | $84k | 1 |
| Marseille | C | 0.90× (-10%) | €73k | €60k–€89k | $79k | 0 |
| Lille | C | 0.89× (-11%) | €72k | €59k–€88k | $78k | 1 |
| Nantes | C | 0.88× (-12%) | €71k | €58k–€87k | $77k | 0 |
| Nice | C | 0.88× (-12%) | €71k | €58k–€87k | $77k | 0 |
City factors are estimates (tier A = largest tech hubs). Remote roles are paid to the employer's pay band, which can differ from the city rate.
From gross to take-home in France
A mid-level Security / Penetration Tester on €81k gross keeps roughly 67–73% after income tax and social contributions, about €54k to €59k a year.
In France, pay is usually quoted as annual gross salary, often paid in 12 or 13 instalments. Estimate only: a single earner with no dependants and typical deductions. Bonuses, benefits, pension choices and regional taxes change the result. It is not tax advice.
QA roles open in France
2 Security / Penetration Tester roles open today. Showing the closest matches from 30 QA listings in France.
Security/Penetration Test Engineer
Senior Application Security Engineer
Senior Mobile QA
2 listings in France show a real posted pay range (0 for Security / Penetration Tester). Others carry a model estimate marked “est.”.
Who hires Security / Penetration Testers in France
Employer mix by share of listings (30 listings in France). Names are withheld; we show the type of company.
- Software companies40%
- Cybersecurity companies13%
- Games studios10%
- E-commerce companies10%
- AI companies7%
What this estimate rests on
The Security / Penetration Tester baseline uses 22 US posted pay ranges. For France, the country index is calibrated on 166 non-US observations in Western Europe, so the regional sample is usable but still modest. Evidence score 5 of 8.
Security / Penetration Tester salary and jobs by city in France
Security / Penetration Tester salary in France: FAQ
What is the average Security / Penetration Tester salary in France?
The median gross salary for a mid-level Security / Penetration Tester in France is €81k a year ($88k). The p10 is €66k and the p90 is €99k. This is an estimate based on posted pay ranges.
How much does a senior Security / Penetration Tester earn in France?
A senior Security / Penetration Tester in France earns a median of €100k ($110k), with a range of €85k to €130k. Leads earn €130k, 100% more than juniors at €63k.
Which city in France pays Security / Penetration Testers the most?
Paris has the highest pay factor at 1.08x the country median, which puts a mid-level Security / Penetration Tester at about €87k ($95k). Nice sits at 0.88x, around €71k.
How does France compare with the US for Security / Penetration Tester pay?
A mid-level Security / Penetration Tester in the US earns a median of $180k. In France the equivalent is $88k, which is 51% below the US figure. France ranks 18 of 36 countries; the Western Europe median for this role is $100k.
What is the take-home pay for a Security / Penetration Tester in France?
Roughly 67–73% of gross stays after income tax and social contributions for a single mid-level earner, which is about €54k to €59k a year on a €81k gross salary. This is a generic estimate, not tax advice: benefits, family status and regional taxes change the result.
How many Security / Penetration Tester jobs are open in France?
PassRidge lists 2 live Security / Penetration Tester roles in France, and 30 QA listings across all roles in France. 0 of the Security / Penetration Tester listings and 2 of all listings in the country show a real posted pay range; the rest carry a model estimate.
Other roles in France
| Role | Mid-level median | USD |
|---|---|---|
| Manual QA Tester | €37k | $40k |
| QA Automation Engineer | €54k | $59k |
| SDET | €59k | $64k |
| QA Lead / Manager | €49k | $53k |
| Mobile QA Engineer | €47k | $52k |
| Performance Test Engineer | €66k | $71k |
| Game QA Tester | €30k | $32k |
| Accessibility Tester | €44k | $48k |
| Business / Test Analyst | €40k | $43k |
| Data / ETL QA Engineer | €45k | $49k |
| Localization QA Tester | €21k | $23k |
| AI / LLM Evaluation QA | €47k | $51k |
| Release / DevOps Engineer | €64k | $70k |
| Technical Writer (QA / Docs) | €40k | $44k |
World view: Security / Penetration Tester salary by country · Security / Penetration Tester role guide · Hire a Security / Penetration Tester · Salary finder.