A Taboo Topic? 

Few companies in Switzerland publish salary data, and even among friends or classmates, salary discussions can feel uncomfortable. 
Yet being well prepared for a salary negotiation is essential. Knowing your value and the market makes all the difference. 

There are numerous online tools that help you estimate average salaries by region, industry, position, age, or education level. 
These tools support you in developing realistic salary expectations and building confidence for your negotiation. 

Use several queries with these tools – by region, position, or age – and combine them with informal conversations with friends, alumni or colleagues. The more perspectives you gather, the clearer your picture becomes. 

Personal Skills and Experience  

Your personal, professional and methodological skills all influence your salary. 
Reflect on where you’ve already taken on responsibility, produced results, or demonstrated impact. 

Education and Expertise 

Include experience from studies, internships, research projects, theses or group assignments. 
Language and intercultural skills are valuable differentiators – highlight them. 

Employer Factors 

Salary levels vary by industry, company size and economic situation. 
SMEs generally pay less than large corporations. Graduates in technical and MINT fields often have stronger negotiation leverage. 
Use salary calculators to compare across sectors. 

Tasks and Responsibilities

Consider the scope of your role: 

  • Functional or team leadership (how many people?)
  • Budget responsibility (how large?)
  • Measurable goals or project outcomes
  • Range of tasks (administrative, strategic, communicative, project-based, leadership)
  • Flexibility requirements (time, role variety) 

Location 

Swiss salary levels differ by region. 
Average gross annual salaries one year after graduation (Bachelor, Universities of Applied Sciences – Source: Career Starter 2021, BFS): 

  • Espace Mittelland: CHF 75'400.-
  • Lake Geneva Region : CHF 70'000.-
  • Northwestern Switzerland: CHF 80'600.-
  • Eastern Switzerland : CHF 80'500.-
  • Ticino : CHF 64'400.-
  • Central Switzerland : CHF 80'600.-
  • Zurich : CHF 81'900.-

Compare the results from different salary tools and identify a figure that matches the scope of responsibility and your personal comfort level. 
Then adjust it based on your individual skills and experience to define a realistic salary range for negotiation. 

Timing 

Salary is usually discussed only in a second interview. 
Still, prepare early by asking relevant questions during the first conversation: 

  • What are the main responsibilities and working conditions?
  • What is the reporting line or level of responsibility?
  • What personal qualities or skills are most important for success? 

Negotiation Approach 

  • Define your personal range and your minimum acceptable salary.
  • Communicate your expectations confidently but with flexibility.
  • Prepare strong arguments – focus on value, not need.
  • If the salary doesn’t meet your expectations, ask about fringe benefits or development opportunities. 

Salary Composition in Switzerland 

Typical elements of Swiss compensation: 

  • Grundlohn
  • Individueller Leistungsanteil/-bonus (falls vom Unternehmen vorgesehen)
  • Unternehmenserfolgsanteil (falls vom Unternehmen vorgesehen)
  • Anforderungszulagen (z.B. bei Schicht)
  • Sozialzulagen (Kinderzulagen, etc.)
  • Lohnnebenleistungen, Fringe Benefits
  • Base salary
  • Individual performance bonus (if applicable)
  • Company performance bonus (if applicable)
  • Allowances (e.g. shift work)
  • Family or child benefits
  • Additional benefits (fringe benefits) 

You usually negotiate the base salary and any individual bonus, but always consider the total compensation package when evaluating an offer. 

The study «Student Research Switzerland 2016»  (Universum Communications, 2016) shows that female students expect, on average, CHF 8,000 less per year than their male peers (CHF 73,000 vs. CHF 81,000). 
The gap varies by field – small in IT (~CHF 1,000), but up to CHF 9,000 in engineering. 

Recommendations: 

  • Do your research boldly: When in doubt, orient yourself toward the higher end of market ranges.
  • Adopt the right mindset: Focus on your skills, your value and the impact you bring to the organisation.
  • Use confident language: 

    • «This role carries significant responsibility»

    • «For the discussed tasks, I bring the following skills and achievements»

    • «Given this background, a salary of … seems appropriate»

    • «Thank you for the offer, I’d like to take some time to reflect on it» 

Avoid phrases such as«A good working environment matters more to me than salary» 

A salary increase typically follows new tasks or added responsibility. 
Plan your conversation during a performance review (announce it in advance) and prepare clear arguments: 

  • What additional responsibilities have you taken on? 

  • What concrete results demonstrate your impact (tasks, outcomes, improvements)? 

Internship pay is often predefined and sometimes published on company websites. 
According to Jobs.ch, the median gross annual salary for interns in Switzerland is around CHF 40,000 (including 13th-month salary and bonus, based on 2,737 data points, August 2022). 

Salary calculator
Use the FH SCHWEIZ salary calculator to find the right salary for you.

Fill out the form and receive a range that can serve as a reference point in your salary negotiations.

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