Swiss salary data, verified
Salaries in Switzerland, in numbers that actually reach your bank account
Swiss job ads quote gross salaries, but between AHV, ALV, the BVG pension, accident insurance and three layers of income tax, the number on the contract is not the number you live on. SwissPay collects the verified benchmarks - per BFS, the Swiss Federal Statistical Office - and turns any gross offer into an honest monthly net.
By the SwissPay editorial team · Updated $1
Key numbers at a glance
| Benchmark (gross, full-time) | CHF / month | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Median salary, all of Switzerland | 7,024 | per BFS, 2024 |
Swiss Salary Calculator
Annual gross in, net monthly out: AHV/IV/EO, ALV, NBU, age-based BVG and an income tax estimate for your canton.
Salary by Canton
Median pay across the largest cantons and regions, per BFS 2024, and how tax and rents offset the gaps.
Nurse Salary in Switzerland
Median CHF 7,719 for nursing specialists per OBSAN/BFS 2024 - plus how canton, shift work and seniority move it.
Software Engineer Salary
The IT median nears CHF 9,400 per month. Entry bands, senior bands and what Zurich actually pays.
The benchmarks that matter in 2026
Per BFS, 2024, half of all full-time employees in Switzerland earned more than CHF 7,024 gross per month and half earned less - about CHF 84,300 over a year, and up 3.5% from CHF 6,788 in 2022. The spread around that midpoint is wide: the lowest-earning 10% took home under CHF 4,635 per month, while the top 10% cleared CHF 12,526. The BFS counts a full-time employee as 40+ hours per week and includes the private and public sectors together.
| Percentile / group | Gross CHF / month |
|---|---|
| Bottom 10% of earners | below 4,635 |
| Median, Switzerland | 7,024 |
| Top 10% of earners | above 12,526 |
| Median, Zurich region | 7,502 |
| Median, Ticino (lowest region) | 5,708 |
Where you work shifts the median more than most negotiation tactics do. Per BFS, 2024, the Zurich region pays a median of CHF 7,502 and Northwest Switzerland around Basel CHF 7,156, while Ticino sits at CHF 5,708 - a gap of nearly CHF 1,800 per month between the strongest and weakest regional markets. The full ranking, plus the tax and rent offsets that close part of it, is in our salary by canton comparison.
From gross to net: what comes off a Swiss payslip
Swiss deductions are predictable in structure and personal in amount. The employee side, per the official AHV/IV contribution leaflet valid from 1 January 2026 and the 2026 social insurance tables: 5.3% for AHV/IV/EO old-age and disability insurance, 1.1% for ALV unemployment insurance (levied on salary up to CHF 148,200), and accident and daily-allowance insurance that typically costs around 1% depending on the branch. On top comes the BVG occupational pension: once your salary passes the CHF 22,680 entry threshold, the law credits 7% of the coordinated salary from age 25 to 34, rising to 18% from 55 - and employers must pay at least half.
Income tax is the wildcard. A single person on CHF 100,000 pays roughly CHF 7,600 total income tax in Zug and more than CHF 19,200 in the most expensive cantons, per the Federal Tax Administration (ESTV) reference figures - cantonal and communal taxes do that much work. The gross-to-net calculator models every layer, and the working in Switzerland guide covers withholding tax (Quellensteuer), permits and contract basics for arrivals.
Two professions internationals ask about most
Nursing and software engineering are the two offers most internationals hold in their hands when they land here, and both sit above the national median. Nursing specialists earned a median of CHF 7,719 gross per month in 2024, per OBSAN analysis of BFS data, with under-30 nurses at CHF 6,573 - see the full breakdown, including the FaGe and specialist bands, in nurse salary in Switzerland. IT specialists cluster near the top of the pay table: BFS-based analyses of the 2024 survey put the IT median at roughly CHF 9,200-9,450 per month, and typical software engineering ranges run CHF 7,800-11,140 - detailed in software engineer salary in Switzerland.
One cost that surprises every newcomer: mandatory health insurance is not withheld from your salary. Per BAG, the Federal Office of Public Health's September 2025 announcement, adults pay an average premium of CHF 465.30 per month in 2026, rising about 5% more in 2027. Deduct it yourself before you judge an offer.
FAQ
What is the median salary in Switzerland?
Per BFS (Swiss Federal Statistical Office), the median gross salary for a full-time employee was CHF 7,024 per month in 2024, or roughly CHF 84,300 per year. The bottom 10% of earners made less than CHF 4,635 per month and the top 10% more than CHF 12,526. Your take-home is lower after AHV/IV/EO, ALV, accident insurance, BVG pension contributions and income tax.
How much of a Swiss salary do you take home?
A single employee on the median salary typically keeps roughly 70-75% of gross. The employee pays 5.3% AHV/IV/EO, 1.1% ALV, around 1% accident and daily-allowance insurance, an age-dependent BVG pension contribution of 7-18% of the coordinated salary (usually split with the employer), plus federal, cantonal and communal income tax, which varies widely by canton.
Which canton pays the highest salaries?
Per BFS 2024 earnings structure data, the Zurich region has the highest median at CHF 7,502 gross per month, followed by Northwest Switzerland (Basel) at CHF 7,156. Zug, Zurich and Geneva consistently top cantonal comparisons. Ticino has the lowest regional median at CHF 5,708 per month. Canton-level medians are only published for some cantons; others appear under their BFS major region.
How much do nurses earn in Switzerland?
Per OBSAN (the Swiss Health Observatory), based on BFS 2024 survey data, nursing specialists earned a median of CHF 7,719 gross per month, about 10% above the national median. Nurses under 30 earned a median of CHF 6,573, and less-qualified care roles such as FaGe earn around CHF 4,700-5,100.
How much do software engineers earn in Switzerland?
IT professionals are among the best paid in Switzerland: analyses of the BFS 2024 earnings structure put the IT median at roughly CHF 9,200-9,450 gross per month, and the official BFS 2022 figures were CHF 9,751 for male and CHF 8,008 for female IT specialists. Typical software engineering pay runs from about CHF 7,800 to CHF 11,140 per month, with seniors at CHF 130,000-170,000 per year in the strongest market.
Is health insurance deducted from a Swiss salary?
No. Mandatory health insurance (KVG) is not withheld from your salary. You contract an insurer yourself and pay the premium privately - per BAG, the average adult premium is CHF 465.30 per month in 2026 (rising to about CHF 487.60 in 2027). Budget for it separately when you compare offers, on top of commuting and the pension gap.