The highest paying jobs in Switzerland

Switzerland offers jobs with salaries significantly higher than in France. What are the most sought-after and best-paid professions?

Understanding salary in Switzerland

The median salary in Switzerland is €5,700 or 6,500 Swiss francs (noted CHF in the rest of the study). It is therefore much higher than the average in European Union countries. The unemployment rate is 2.6%, the lowest in ten years, never exceeding 3%. But is Switzerland really a paradise for employees?

First of all, the cost of living is very high: food, housing, parking. It is therefore important to negotiate your starting salary accordingly. Important elements that make up the Swiss labor market must be taken into account:

  • There is no minimum wage like the Smic in France. A referendum to set the minimum wage at €3,300 was rejected by the population in 2014. However, some cantons have chosen to implement an hourly minimum wage such as the canton of Geneva (23 Swiss francs per hour) and the cantons of Neuchâtel and Jura (20 Swiss francs per hour). Negotiations between social partners called CCT (Collective Labor Agreements) can provide for minimum wages. For example, the hospitality and construction sectors are concerned.
  • The annual remuneration includes thirteen salaries: twelve months and a thirteenth month in December.
  • The weekly working time is 41.7 hours compared to 35 hours in France, which is 6.7 hours more.
  • Health insurance is fully covered by the employee, which represents an average of €450 per month for basic insurance plus €120 for supplementary insurance and €150 for various insurances.
  • The salary may also include bonuses or rewards. These bonuses are paid at the end of the year on certain occasions such as Christmas. They are not mandatory.
  • Payroll taxes are lower in Switzerland, ranging from 10 to 15% of gross salary compared to 23% in France.
  • Like in France, tax is withheld at source. If you reside in Switzerland, the tax rate depends on the canton in which you live. If you are a cross-border worker, to avoid paying taxes twice in France and Switzerland, you will need to fill out a French tax residence certificate for Franco-Swiss workers.
  • There is a significant wage gap between men and women in Switzerland. According to figures from the Swiss Federal Statistical Office, women earn 20% less than men for the same position.
  • The salary level depends on the level of education, age, sector of activity, and canton.

The best-paid sectors

To know the highest salary offers in French-speaking Switzerland, one must focus on the sectors that have highly sought-after professions. The salaries below correspond to a full-time gross annual salary expressed in Swiss francs.

  • Salesperson: the average remuneration is CHF 65,000. However, salespeople specialized in the chemical and parapharmaceutical sectors earn CHF 80,000. Professional training, telecommunications, and transportation pay their sales force CHF 68,000.
  • Truck driver: this profession is particularly sought after by employers, especially in the canton of Vaud, with an average salary of CHF 64,950. Depending on the goods, remuneration can reach CHF 80,000 in chemicals and pharmaceuticals and CHF 70,000 in health, public administration, and tourism.
  • Engineer: this specialization guarantees very good salaries with a median salary of CHF 97,000, rising to CHF 145,000 in finance and banking, and CHF 120,000 in marketing and machine construction.
  • Project manager: this profession earns an average gross annual salary of CHF 100,000 in Switzerland, which is already considerable. However, if you focus on IT, salaries can reach CHF 115,000 and CHF 140,000 for banking, insurance, and commerce.

It is clear that the highest salaries are paid in banking and insurance. Certain sought-after specialties in IT, such as development, are also in high demand. The chemical and pharmaceutical sectors, which are leaders in exports, also pay very substantial salaries. It should be kept in mind that there are significant disparities for the same position within the same sector and across different companies. The lowest salaries are found in hospitality, catering, construction, and retail.

In Switzerland, there is a strong salary disparity depending on the cantons. The northwest (canton of Aargau, Basel-City, Basel-Country) and the Zurich region pay the highest salaries. Salaries in eastern Switzerland are the lowest in the country.

How to negotiate a salary increase?

To earn more than the average salary for your position, it is essential to ask for a salary increase. But in Switzerland more than elsewhere, this is a process that requires following the customs and practices of this country. Once employed, employees in Switzerland experience few salary increases. The average increase in 2018 was only 0.6%. To obtain a significant salary increase, the following points should be followed:

  1. Check in advance the average salary for your sector and position, especially if the sector is covered by a CCT.
  2. Approach your employer tactfully and flexibly because the issue of money is quite taboo in both German-speaking and French-speaking Switzerland.
  3. Highlight your skills without exaggerating. Humility and discretion are highly valued qualities in Geneva.
  4. Set a specific target for your future net and gross salary by accurately calculating the level of charges.
  5. Be aware of your company’s dynamics to make the request during a period of proven economic growth in your sector.
  6. During the meeting, present three main arguments that justify your request, taking care to start with the second argument, then the third, and finally the first. This method allows you to enhance your value and maximize your chances of having your skills recognized with a significant salary in Swiss francs.

This approach can also be applied during your recruitment to maximize your starting salary.

The top 10 companies most sought after by employees

This ranking established by an online recruitment portal does not indicate the companies that pay the highest salaries in Switzerland, but it indicates the companies that have the best reputation in terms of employment and economic dynamism.

  1. Migros
  2. Nestlé
  3. Patek Philippe
  4. Glenmark
  5. Cisco
  6. City of Geneva
  7. Manor
  8. EPFL
  9. Coop
  10. Audemars Piguet

The 10 largest groups in Switzerland

This ranking helps to understand the structuring of the Swiss economy in terms of the sectors of activity of its largest companies that are constantly looking for new profiles with high salaries and numerous benefits for their employees:

  1. UBS (banking and finance)
  2. Nestlé (food industry)
  3. Credit Suisse (banking and finance)
  4. Zurich Financial Service (insurance)
  5. Novartis (pharmaceutical)
  6. Roche Group (pharmaceutical)
  7. Swiss Reinsurance (insurance)
  8. Adecco (Temporary employment agency)
  9. ABB (engineering)
  10. Swiss Life (insurance)

To complete your information on the Swiss job market, we suggest reading our file How to work in Switzerland?