According to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)’s data, the average household net income per capita in Switzerland is $37,466 a year (CHF 34,260) — 11% higher than the OECD average of $33,604 a year. The average salary, meanwhile, is around CHF 7,000 per month, or CHF 84,000 per year.
Workers in Switzerland’s information and communications technology (ICT) sector can earn 20–50% more than the average wage in the country.
How much you can earn
An experienced person working in the IT sector in Switzerland typically earns around CHF 124,000 per year (including benefits). The average salaries range from CHF 64,500 to CHF 203,000, according to Salary Explorer.
Like many countries, Switzerland suffers a shortage of qualified software engineers. According to the Robert Half agency, most-wanted IT positions in the country are IT analysts, IT administrators, and systems analysts. And sought-after professional skills include IT management, IT security, IT architecture (solutions, infrastructure, enterprise), digitalization, cloud technology, and business intelligence.
Due to the high demand, experienced professionals can easily earn over CHF 100,000 in Switzerland. In fact, it’s the only place in Europe where the average software engineer salary is on the same level with wages in Silicon Valley.
Tech salaries in Switzerland can vary significantly depending on work experience. Here are several examples of base salaries (CHF/year):
- 60,000 – 90,000: junior software developers with up to 2 years of experience
- 90,000 – 120,000: middle software developers with 2 to 5 years of experience
- From 120,000: senior software developers with more than 5 years of experience
According to Robert Half and Michael Page agencies, IT salaries in Switzerland can also vary significantly depending on both specialization and experience. Here are several examples (CHF/year):
Back-end developer:
- Junior: 85,000
- Middle: 110,000
- Senior: 130,000
Business Intelligence analyst:
- Junior: 99,250 – 110,000
- Middle: 108,750 – 125,000
- Senior: 121,750 – 140,000
- Expert: 153,250
Data analyst:
- Junior: 75,000
- Middle: 90,000
- Senior: 110,000
Data scientist:
- Junior: 105,000
- Middle: 130,000
- Senior: 160,000
Data engineer:
- Junior: 90,000
- Middle: 110,000
- Senior: 130,000
Database administrator:
- Junior: 91,875 – 110,000
- Middle: 106,875 – 130,000
- Senior: 122,000 – 150,000
- Expert: 143,750
Embedded software developer:
- Junior: 90,000
- Middle: 120,000
- Senior: 140,000
Front-end developer:
- Junior: 85,000
- Middle: 110,000
- Senior: 130,000
Full-stack developer:
- Junior: 90,000
- Middle: 120,000
- Senior: 135,000
IT manager:
- Junior: 107,500 – 120,000
- Middle: 127,500 – 140,000
- Senior: 143,750 – 160,000
- Expert: from 155,000
.NET developer:
- Junior: 90,000
- Middle: 115,000
- Senior: 135,000
Network engineer:
- Junior: 92,250 – 110,000
- Middle: 107,500 – 130,000
- Senior: 123,750 – 150,000
- Expert: 151,250
Java developer:
- Junior: 95,000
- Middle: 120,000
- Senior: 150,000
QA tester:
- Junior: 85,000
- Middle: 110,000
- Senior: 130,000
Security engineer:
- Junior: 100,000 – 124,750
- Middle: 130,000 – 145,000
- Senior:150,000 – 169,250
- Expert: 194,250
Software developer:
- Junior: 99,250
- Middle: 113,000
- Senior: 124,500
- Expert: 141,250
System administrator:
- Junior: 80,000
- Middle: 95,000
- Senior: 105,000
System engineer:
- Junior: 93,750 – 100,000
- Middle: 107,000 – 115,000
- Senior: 119,250 – 130,000
- Expert: 132,500
Web developer:
- Junior: 85,000
- Middle: 94,250
- Senior: 116,000
- Expert: 139,250
In addition to base salaries (85–95%), the compensation packages in Switzerland also include annual bonuses (5–15%). Swiss companies rarely offer stock options. For you as a worker, it can mean less upside potential but more money upfront.
Don’t forget that all workers in Switzerland should pay income taxes. Rates can vary significantly between cantons and even cities and municipalities. Combined, federal, cantonal, and communal taxes amount to 15–25% of gross-earnings. You can find places where your total taxes will be around 15% (some German cantons, e.g. Zug) or some places where it will be around 25% — mostly in the French part (e.g. Geneva).
For example, if you make CHF 100,000 a year living in Zurich, you will be taxed CHF 20,174 (20.2%). That means that your net pay will be CHF 79,826 per year, or CHF 6,652 per month.
Source: Talent.com
You can use Bruttonetto.ch or Lohncomputer.ch to estimate your salary after taxes.
Cost of living in Switzerland
The net salary of CHF 6,500 – 7,000 per month is enough to live in Switzerland. The minimum living income in Switzerland is CHF 2,000 – 4,000 per month for a single person.
Here are examples of approximate monthly expenses in Switzerland (CHF):
- Rental accommodation: 1,100 – 2,000
- Groceries: 300–700
- Compulsory health insurance: 230–300
- Transport: 160–430
- Leisure activities: 100–300
- Utilities and Internet: 200–400
If you have children, though, you might need to make at least CHF 10,000 per month for a family of four as child care costs are high in Switzerland.
Despite the high cost of living, some of the highest salaries in the world mean that Swiss residents enjoy considerable purchasing power: according to a study by the UBS bank, inhabitants of Zurich and Geneva rank second and fourth worldwide on this indicator.