# Salary of Contract Agents FGIV vs Administrators AD5: how big is the difference? - Link: https://euemployment.eu/salary-of-contract-agents-fgiv-vs-administrators-ad5-how-big-is-the-difference/ - Published: 2024-05-28T21:34:02+02:00 - Author: Ben Most people join the EU institutions at the so-called ‘entry grades’. **Two of the most common grades are Contract Agents in functional FG IV vs [Administrators](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/administrators/) in the [grade](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/grade/) [AD 5](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/ad-5/)**. This article will compare the salary as well as the full benefits package for both grades – [AD5](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/ad-5/) and FGIV – so that you can decide for which type of contract you should aim, and whether to even consider a [Contract Agent](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/contract-agent/) position while you compete for vacancies of [Administrators](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/administrators/). **TL;DR** If you are an experienced professional with 17 or more years of work experience, as a [Contract Agent](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/contract-agent/) FGIV in [grade](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/grade/) 16 financially you’ll be equal to a person in [grade](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/grade/) [AD5](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/ad-5/), probably, with less work-related stress. However, you’ll have less job security if you’re employed by the [European Commission](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/european-commission/), as Contract Agents can stay in one position for only 6 years total; consider working for EU agencies as most agencies offer indefinite contracts to Contract Agents. ## Salary comparison ### Contract agents Depending on the length of your work experience, as a **[Contract Agent](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/contract-agent/) in [function group](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/function-group/) IV you can be placed in three grades**, each with its own starting salary: | [Grade and step](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/grade/) | Minimum work experience in years | [Basic salary](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/basic-salary/) | | FGIV [grade](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/grade/) 16 | 17+ | 5,768.89 | | FGIV [grade](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/grade/) 14 | 5-16 | 4,506.36 | | FGIV [grade](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/grade/) 13 | 0-4 | 3,982.82 | * Contract Agents are not place in [grade](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/grade/) 15 initially, but can be reclasified (promoted) to this [grade](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/grade/). Source: [Article 93 of Staff Regulations](https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A01962R0031-20240101) If you are a [Contract Agent](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/contract-agent/) in [grade](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/grade/) 14, your salary is similar to [Assistants](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/assistants/) in [grade](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/grade/) AST3 [step](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/grade/) 2. If you are a [Contract Agent](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/contract-agent/) in [grade](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/grade/) 13, your salary is similar to [Assistants](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/assistants/) in [grade](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/grade/) AST2 [step](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/grade/) 2. ### Administrators As an Administrator in [grade](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/grade/) [AD 5](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/ad-5/), you are usually placed in [step](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/grade/) 1. Some institutions place [Administrators](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/administrators/) in [step](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/grade/) 2 based on the length of their work experience. Everyone with work experience under 5 years is placed in [step](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/grade/) one while succesful candidates with 5+ years of work experience are placed in [step](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/grade/) 2. | [Grade and step](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/grade/) | Minimum work experience in years | [Basic salary](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/basic-salary/) | | [AD5](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/ad-5/) [step](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/grade/) 1 | 0-4 | 5,507.55 | | [AD5](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/ad-5/) [step](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/grade/) 2 | Usually 5+ | 5,738.98 | * Contract Agents are not place in [grade](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/grade/) 15 initially, but can be reclasified (promoted) to this [grade](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/grade/). Source: [Article 93 of Staff Regulations](https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A01962R0031-20240101) ## Allowances Unless you are competing for positions at the very level in EU institutions, the benefits and [allowances](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/allowances/) package is more or less the same for all positions. This means that Contract Agents and [Administrators](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/administrators/) will receive roughly the same additional sums on top of their [basic salary](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/basic-salary/). The below table provides an overview of entitlements for Contract Agents and [Administrators](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/administrators/). | Allowance / benefit | Contract Agents | [Administrators](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/administrators/) | | [Household allowance](https://euemployment.eu/european-commission-household-allowance/) | X | X | | [Dependent child allowance](https://euemployment.eu/dependent-child-allowance-european-commission/) | X | X | | EU health insurance ([JSIS](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/joint-sickness-insurance-scheme-jsis/)) coverage | X | X | | Entitlement to EU pension | 10+ years of service | 10+ years of service | | [Installation allowance](https://euemployment.eu/european-commission-installation-allowance/) & [removal expenses](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/removal-expenses/) compensation | X | X | | [Expatriation or Foreign Residence allowance](https://euemployment.eu/expatriation-allowance/) | X | X | | [Daily subsistence allowance](https://euemployment.eu/daily-subsistence-allowance-for-new-eu-employees/) when starting employment | X | X | | Travel cost compensation (on taking up duties and once annually) | X | X | | [Education allowance](https://euemployment.eu/european-commission-education-allowance/) / access to EU school for children | X | X | | [Birth grant](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/birth-grant/) | X | X | | [Unemployment allowance](https://euemployment.eu/unemployment-allowance-european-commission/) | X | X | | [Disability](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/disability/) insurance / allowance | | | | Coverage of funeral expenses | X | X | ## European Commission salary grid [⌊European Commission Salary Grid⌉⌊European Commission Salary Grid⌉[ European Commission Salary Grid Read the linked article, if you are interested in the complete [EU institutions salary grid](https://euemployment.eu/european-commission-salary-grid/) for all grades of [Administrators](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/administrators/), [Assistants](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/assistants/), Secretaries and Clerks, as well as Contract Agents.