Average Salaries ($K)
Marseille 2020-2024
Data Salary review
Marseille
2020 - 2024
- 28% Average Cost Of Living Rise
- #5/23 Cheapest City To Live
- 21% Average Salary Rise
- #13/23 Salary Growth - All Roles
- #10/23 Salary Growth For Heads Of Data
- #5/23 Salary Growth For Data Engineers
- #15/23 Salary Growth For Data Analyst
- #22/23 Salary Growth For Data Scientists
Overview
The backbone of Marseille’s economy has always been its port, one of the largest in Europe, and its associated industries like shipping and logistics. These sectors have undergone a digital transformation, heavily investing in supply chain analytics, IoT devices for maritime operations, and environmental monitoring systems. Renewable energy is another key sector, with Marseille being a hotspot for solar and wind energy companies that require data engineers and scientists for performance monitoring and energy forecasting.
The city’s tech ecosystem is primarily composed of small to mid-sized enterprises (SMEs), startups, and a few larger, notable employers. However, despite these positive developments, Marseille is still playing catch-up compared to Paris, Lyon, or even Toulouse when it comes to the sheer volume of tech jobs and opportunities. Limited access to world-class training and a smaller network of seasoned mentors can make Marseille less appealing for mid-to-senior-level data professionals who might find more robust ecosystems elsewhere. In summary, Marseille has potential as a tech hub for data professionals, especially those interested in maritime logistics, renewable energy, or small startups where they can have a direct impact.
Heads Of Data
Marseille’s SME (small to medium-sized enterprise) market is a defining feature of its tech ecosystem, and this can work to the advantage of ambitious data professionals. Compared to Paris, which is home to many established corporations with entrenched hierarchies, Marseille offers a flatter organisational structure. This dynamic means there are fewer layers of management to navigate, making it theoretically easier to land a senior role. This being said, the nature of SMEs is that these businesses might not even have a dedicated data department, let alone a need for a Head of Data and so the scarcity of roles means stiff competition and potentially long waits for the right opportunity to come along. Marseille’s professional network is tight-knit and heavily influenced by local connections. Without solid local ties, you might struggle to get noticed, especially by smaller businesses that prioritise trust over credentials.
We see a very similar trend for Data leaders in Marseille as the rest of France with a dip in 2022 whilst companies focused on hiring practical roles, but positive wage growth since. Lyon ranked #10/23 in terms of wage growth over the last five years.
Average Salaries ($K) By Experience
Data Engineers
Logistics and maritime industries in Marseille are increasingly relying on real-time analytics, predictive modelling, and IoT data management to enhance efficiency and decision-making. Meanwhile, the renewable energy sector is heavily investing in advanced data systems to optimise energy production and improve demand forecasting. Many SMEs and even larger corporations in the region are still in the early stages of developing their data infrastructure, meaning data engineers play a crucial role in building the foundations. Whether it’s designing scalable ETL pipelines, integrating cloud services, or developing the architecture for big data platforms, companies need skilled professionals to drive their digital transformation.
A striking trend in 2022 was the sharp rise in salaries at the entry level, with beginner data engineers seeing a 72% increase, outpacing even Paris (69%). This surge highlights the growing recognition of data engineers’ value across industries but also exposes a significant talent shortage. Companies were struggling to find enough skilled professionals to meet demand, and those who did secure these roles often face intense workloads and high expectations. As competition for talent continues, and we see wages once again growing, businesses must focus on strong employer branding, training initiatives, and competitive compensation to attract and retain skilled data professionals.
Average Salaries ($K) By Experience
Data Analysts
Data analysts in Marseille are in demand, but the opportunities come with caveats. While industries like logistics, maritime, and renewable energy are increasingly turning to data for better decision-making, the role in this city often lacks the specialisation and structure found in bigger tech hubs. Analysts in Marseille are typically expected to juggle multiple tasks, from data cleaning to creating dashboards and running complex queries, with limited support or advanced tools. The salaries are decent for the region, but they do not match those of larger cities, and career progression can be slower due to the smaller, less mature job market. For those who thrive in fast-paced, multi-disciplinary environments, Marseille can be an exciting place to make an impact, but it is not the ideal spot for those seeking clearly defined roles or rapid career advancement.
Wage growth in Marseille follows a very similar trend to the rest of France for Data Analysts, a steep 30% rise from 2020 to 2022 but flat growth since then, with most roles seeing a small decline last year.
Average Salaries ($K) By Experience
Data Scientists
Data scientists in Marseille face a more challenging landscape when compared to their counterparts in larger tech hubs. While demand for data science talent exists, particularly in logistics and renewable energy, wage growth for this role is minimal, with salaries remaining relatively stagnant compared to other cities. The market is still developing, and while some SMEs and larger companies like CMA CGM may offer data science positions, these roles tend to be more limited and less lucrative. The slow adoption of cutting-edge data science techniques in Marseille means that professionals are often tasked with traditional statistical analysis or basic machine learning, rather than the advanced AI and deep learning projects that fuel faster career growth in other cities. For data scientists looking to advance quickly or earn top-tier wages, Marseille’s market is somewhat underwhelming, offering fewer high-impact opportunities or rapid career progression. Marseille ranked #22/23 for wage growth over the last five years.
Average Salaries ($K) By Experience
Hiring Data Roles For Marseille Companies
Marseille’s data talent market is still emerging, making it less competitive for hiring compared to Paris or Lyon. While the local talent pool is growing, it remains relatively limited, particularly when it comes to experienced professionals. Wage growth has been steady, and retention rates are high, largely due to Marseille’s lower cost of living and strong job stability. However, employers may struggle to hire specialists in big data management, AI-driven analytics, and IoT data processing, especially within the logistics, maritime, and industrial sectors, where demand is increasing.
For companies that require high-level expertise or need to accelerate their data initiatives, a data agency like 173tech can provide a flexible and effective solution. Many businesses in Marseille are still in the early stages of building their data infrastructure, and hiring a full in-house team can be costly and slow. A data agency can offer immediate access to specialists in ETL development, predictive analytics, and cloud data architecture, enabling companies to implement sophisticated data strategies without the long recruitment process. This approach is particularly valuable for SMEs and firms with project-based needs, allowing them to leverage advanced data expertise without the long-term commitment of hiring full-time staff.
173tech Direct Comparison
- Head Of Data (5+ yrs) $230k
- Data Engineer (5+ yrs) $110k
- Data Engineer (0-3 yrs) $65k
- Data Analyst (3-5 yrs) $70k
- $475k per yr + Tax + Pension + Holidays
- Candice (15+ yrs) Ruben (8+ yrs) Oliver (10+ yrs)
- Adrian (15+ yrs)
- Oscar (2+ yrs)
- Emeric (3+ yrs) Mai (4+ yrs) Noel (2+ yrs) Amy (2+ yrs)
- $240k
Working with 173tech is effortless – wake up, log in, and instantly tap into a full data team at your fingertips. From strategy to implementation, we make leveraging data for growth easy and hassle-free.
We deploy a full team to every project and give you direct access through weekly syncs and shared slack. We work with the tools and processes you have already established or can set up from scratch.
We provide a fully flexible resource to tap into when you need to fast-track data projects and represent not only great value, but are passionate about creating value from data. Get in touch today to see how we can help you!
