Quel est le salaire d'un ingénieur débutant en 2026 ?

De 30 à 48 k€ bruts par an selon la spécialité, en salaire fixe et en base nationale (baromètre Volta Executive 2026). Le haut de la fourchette correspond aux batteries et au stockage d'énergie.

Quel ingénieur gagne le plus ?

Après dix ans d'expérience : l'ingénieur batteries / BESS (75 à 90 k€), puis l'ingénieur hydrogène (68 à 83 k€). Viennent ensuite l'ingénieur R&D et l'ingénieur informatique industrielle (65 à 80 k€).

Quel est le salaire d'un ingénieur mécanique ?

De 35 à 40 k€ en début de carrière à 60 à 70 k€ après dix ans, en brut annuel fixe, base nationale.

Quel est le salaire d'un ingénieur nucléaire ?

Il dépend du poste : 30 à 37 k€ au démarrage en sûreté nucléaire, jusqu'à 62 à 75 k€ après dix ans en projet. La sûreté nucléaire est classée en pénurie critique.

Quel est le salaire médian des ingénieurs en France ?

67 000 € bruts par an selon l'IESF (enquête 2025, données 2024), en hausse de 4,7 %. L'IESF compte tous les ingénieurs, y compris ceux devenus dirigeants ; le baromètre Volta ne mesure que le fixe, poste par poste.

Les salaires des ingénieurs sont-ils plus élevés à Paris ?

Oui, d'environ 12 % sur le fixe selon le baromètre Volta. L'IESF mesure dans l'industrie une médiane de 75 240 € en Île-de-France contre 65 000 € en province.

Recrutez-vous des ingénieurs débutants ?

Non. Volta Executive recrute des ingénieurs à partir de deux à cinq ans d'expérience, sur des postes de managers et de cadres dirigeants. Un poste de jeune diplômé se pourvoit bien par annonce ; l'approche directe sert quand le bon profil est en poste et ne lit pas les annonces.

Salaries 2026

Engineer salary 2026: the grid by specialism

In brief: in 2026, an engineer in industry or energy earns from 30 to 48 k€ gross per year at the start of a career and from 50 to 90 k€ after ten years, as fixed salary, national basis. The differences come first from the specialism: batteries and energy storage, hydrogen, R&D and industrial IT pay the most. Paris adds about 12%.

Grids from the Volta Executive 2026 barometer (20 engineering specialisms), built from our assignments and cross-checked with Robert Walters, Apec, IESF and Michael Page. Fixed annual gross salary, excluding variable pay and bonuses.

By Florian Beurtey, engineer and founder of Volta Executive. Updated on 8 October 2026.

Salaries of industry engineers

Speciality	0-2 years	2-5 years	5-10 years	10+ years
R&D engineer	35–45	45–55	55–65	65–80
Industrial IT engineer	35–45	45–55	55–65	65–80
Methods / lean engineer	35–42	42–52	52–65	65–78
Automation / robotics engineer	35–40	40–50	50–60	60–70
Process engineering engineer	35–40	40–50	50–60	60–70
Mechanical engineer	35–40	40–50	50–60	60–70
Embedded electronics engineer	35–40	40–50	50–60	60–70
HSE engineer	33–40	40–50	50–60	60–72
QHSE engineer	32–40	40–48	48–60	60–70

In €k gross annual fixed salary, national basis. Source: Industry and Energy Salary Barometer 2026, Volta Executive.

Salaries of energy engineers

Speciality	0-2 years	2-5 years	5-10 years	10+ years	Shortage
Batteries / BESS engineer	40–48	48–60	60–75	75–90	high
Hydrogen engineer	32–40	40–50	50–68	68–83	high
Methods / reliability engineer	38–45	45–55	55–66	66–78	high
Smart grid / flexibility engineer	33–39	39–48	48–63	63–76	high
MV/HV power grid engineer	34–39	39–48	48–62	62–75	critical
Nuclear project engineer	34–41	41–50	50–62	62–75	high
Nuclear design and stress engineer	34–41	41–50	50–62	62–73	high
Nuclear safety engineer	30–37	37–46	46–58	58–73	critical
Nuclear operations engineer	31–37	37–46	46–58	58–70	high
Fluids / HVAC / thermal engineer	32–38	38–45	45–58	58–70	high
Energy efficiency engineer	30–36	36–42	42–50	50–60	high

In €k gross annual fixed salary, national basis. Source: Industry and Energy Salary Barometer 2026, Volta Executive.

Paris and the regions

For an equivalent role, Paris is about 12% above the national basis and the other regions about 5% below, on fixed pay. Exception: specialisms in critical or extreme shortage, such as the MV/HV power grid or nuclear safety, are paid at the national level everywhere, because their talent pool is national.

Calculate Paris and the regions in the barometer

What the public figures say

IESF gives a median gross annual salary of 67 000 € for all engineers, up 4.7%. By age: €43,000 between 25 and 29, €54,600 between 30 and 34, €65,000 between 35 and 39. In industry, the median reaches 75 240 € in Île-de-France against 65 000 € outside Paris.

The two sources do not measure the same thing. IESF counts all engineers, including those who have become executives, and does not say whether variable pay is included. The Volta barometer counts fixed pay only, role by role.

Source: IESF, 36th national survey of engineers (2025, 2024 data).

What drives up an engineer's salary

Shortage in the specialism. The MV/HV power grid and nuclear safety are ranked as critical shortage: employers pay the national level there, even in the regions.
Moving into management. A production manager starts at €60-70k, a technical director at €75-85k: the gap with an expert engineer of the same seniority exceeds €20k.
Shift work and on-call duty. According to the barometer, shift allowances add €3-6k per year and on-call duty €5-12k, on top of the fixed salary.

Hiring an engineer?

Specialisms in short supply receive several offers. Volta Executive, a firm founded by a Mines engineer, approaches in post the manager and expert engineers that job adverts do not reach.

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Frequently asked questions about engineers' salaries

What is a graduate engineer's salary in 2026?

From €30k to €48k gross per year depending on the specialism, as fixed salary and on a national basis (Volta Executive 2026 barometer). The top of the range corresponds to batteries and energy storage.

Which engineer earns the most?

After ten years' experience: the batteries / BESS engineer (€75-90k), then the hydrogen engineer (€68-83k). Next come the R&D engineer and the industrial IT engineer (€65-80k).

What is a mechanical engineer's salary?

From €35-40k at the start of a career to €60-70k after ten years, fixed annual gross, national basis.

What is a nuclear engineer's salary?

It depends on the role: €30-37k at the start in nuclear safety, up to €62-75k after ten years in projects. Nuclear safety is ranked as critical shortage.

What is the median engineer salary in France?

€67,000 gross per year according to IESF (2025 survey, 2024 data), up 4.7%. IESF counts all engineers, including those who have become executives; the Volta barometer measures fixed pay only, role by role.

Are engineers' salaries higher in Paris?

Yes, by about 12% on fixed pay according to the Volta barometer. In industry, IESF measures a median of €75,240 in Île-de-France against €65,000 outside Paris.

Do you recruit graduate engineers?

No. Volta Executive recruits engineers with two to five years' experience or more, for manager and senior executive roles. A graduate role is well filled through a job advert; direct search is for when the right profile is in post and does not read job adverts.