France hourly wages index: information and communication
France hourly wages index: information and communication stood at 116.7 in Q2 2026, according to INSEE – Institut national de la statistique et des études économiques (BDM). It is one of the indicators in the Wages and labour cost table (Value · Quarterly), with a complete series running from Q1 1998 to Q2 2026. The complete series with an interactive chart, free to download.
This indicator in the Wages and labour cost table
| Indicator | Q2-2026 | Q1-2026 | Q4-2025 | Q3-2025 | Q2-2025 | Q1-2025 | Q4-2024 | Q3-2024 | Q2-2024 | Q1-2024 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labour cost index | |||||||||||
| hourly wages - Information, communication (NAF rev. 2 item J) | 116.7 | 115.7 | 114.8 | 113 | 113.2 | 112.9 | 111.7 | 110.1 | 109.7 | 108.9 | |
| hourly wages - Financial and insurance activities (NAF rev. 2 item K) | 120.2 | 120.8 | 118.2 | 116.5 | 116.4 | 117 | 115.2 | 114.2 | 112.5 | 112 |
Understanding france hourly wages index: information and communication
Hourly compensation rates for personnel engaged in publishing, motion picture production, broadcasting, telecommunications, computer programming, and information services capture wage dynamics in the digital and media economy. The metric calculates gross earnings per hour worked for software engineers, technicians, editors, and administrative personnel, excluding external freelance fees and non-wage corporate benefits. This focus isolates pure hourly wage inflation from the widespread use of independent contractors and variable project-based compensation.
Information and communication wage series can experience sudden step-changes driven by specialized talent scarcity and annual corporate equity or bonus payouts concentrated in specific quarters. Year-on-year comparisons provide a stable framework for evaluating wage trends by smoothing these irregular incentive distributions. Revisions to early figures reflect the complex payroll structures of technology firms. Analysts comparing this sector with traditional industries must account for the prevalence of remote work arrangements and specialized skill premiums.
Frequently asked questions
- Does this index cover freelance software developers and independent contractors?
- No, the series measures payroll wages for formally employed personnel, excluding business-to-business payments made to independent freelancers.
- What NAF rev. 2 sections define the information and communication index?
- The metric corresponds to section J, encompassing publishing, media production, telecommunications, IT programming, and information service activities.
- Why might quarterly wage changes appear volatile in this sector?
- The tech and media industries frequently utilize performance-based bonuses and stock-related compensation schemes that can distort single-quarter comparisons.