In France, about 3% of the working population—approximately 830,000 people—belong to the social and professional elite. This group, as defined by the French National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies (Insee), includes managers and professionals with high levels of responsibility or specialized knowledge. Half of these individuals work in liberal or scientific professions, such as doctors, lawyers, architects, pharmacists, and university professors. The other half are engineers and managers, mostly in the private sector, with roles ranging from IT project managers to television presenters and high-level athletes. This elite group is notably more educated than the general working population. Nearly 80% have completed five years of higher education, and one in every five holds a doctorate, especially among doctors and researchers. They also tend to be older, as their level of responsibility is often tied to experience. Men make up 60% of this group, compared to 40% women. There are also fewer immigrants in this group than in the general workforce. Social mobility within this group is limited, with a third of its members having parents who were also managers, and half of them in relationships with someone in a higher-level job. Despite their high status, there are significant income differences within this elite. The median income is around 76,000 euros per year, but the top 10% earn more than 168,000 euros annually, while the bottom 10% earn less than 36,000 euros. These income disparities are more pronounced in this group than in other employed populations and are even greater between men and women. On average, women in this elite earn 19% less than men, partly because they tend to have less seniority and are less likely to hold leadership roles in companies. Even though women in this group are often more educated than their male counterparts, they are more frequently found in lower-paying positions when they reach the top of their careers. This suggests that while education levels have increased among women, structural barriers still exist that affect their ability to achieve the highest salaries and positions within the elite.