Per OBSAN / BFS, 2024
Nurse salary in Switzerland
Switzerland runs on imported nursing talent, and it pays accordingly: nursing specialists earned a median of CHF 7,719 gross per month in 2024, per OBSAN analysis of the BFS earnings structure survey - comfortably above the national median of CHF 7,024. Here is what that means by qualification, canton and years on the ward.
By the SwissPay editorial team · Updated $1
Key numbers at a glance
| Nursing role | Median gross CHF / month | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Nursing specialist (Pflegefachperson, all sectors) | 7,719 | per OBSAN/BFS, 2024 |
Nurse salary in Switzerland: the numbers
The headline figure comes from the Swiss Health Observatory (OBSAN), whose pay indicator draws directly on the BFS Swiss Earnings Structure Survey. In 2024, nursing specialists - registered nurses with a diploma or degree, across hospitals, clinics and long-term care - earned a median of CHF 7,719 gross per month. Set that against the all-Switzerland median of CHF 7,024 per BFS, 2024, and nursing sits roughly CHF 700, or about 10%, above the typical Swiss job. The survey counts standardised full-time pay, so shift allowances and overtime often push real hospital income higher.
Within nursing, qualification does the heavy lifting. Nursing specialists under 30 - most still climbing their first pay-scale bands - median CHF 6,573 per month, per OBSAN/BFS, 2024. One tier down, federally certified care workers (FaGe) and similar intermediately qualified roles typically earn around CHF 4,700-5,100 gross per month according to Swiss salary portals - verify the current band with the employer or the cantonal pay scale. Care assistants without formal credentials cluster near the bottom decile of the whole Swiss wage table, which starts below CHF 4,635 per month per BFS, 2024.
| Role / band | Gross CHF / month | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Nursing specialist, all sectors (median) | 7,719 | per OBSAN/BFS, 2024 |
| Nursing specialist under 30 (median) | 6,573 | per OBSAN/BFS, 2024 |
| FaGe / intermediate care qualification | ≈4,700-5,100 | typical portal ranges - verify with employer |
| All-Switzerland median (all professions) | 7,024 | per BFS, 2024 |
| Bottom 10% of Swiss earners (all professions) | below 4,635 | per BFS, 2024 |
Gross is only half the story. On CHF 7,719 the employee side of the payroll stack - 5.3% AHV/IV/EO, 1.1% ALV, roughly 1% accident insurance and the age-based BVG pension share - plus income tax leaves a single nurse with roughly 70-75% of gross, around CHF 5,400-5,900 net per month depending on canton and age. The Swiss salary calculator runs the exact numbers for all 26 cantons.
How cantons and experience change pay
Nursing pay bends to three forces: the cantonal pay scale of the employer, the regional labour market, and seniority. The BFS does not publish a nurse-specific median for each canton, but the regional wage levels around those employers are documented - per BFS, 2024, the Zurich region has the highest all-profession median at CHF 7,502 gross per month, Northwest Switzerland around Basel follows at CHF 7,156, the Lake Geneva region matches the national CHF 7,024, and Ticino trails at CHF 5,708. University hospital cantons - Zurich, Bern, Basel-Stadt, Vaud, Geneva - also tend to run richer shift allowance schemes than smaller regional hospitals, which matters when night and Sunday work is a large share of your roster.
Experience moves the base grade more predictably than in most countries because public pay scales are published. A newly graduated nursing specialist starts in the lowest bands near the under-30 median of CHF 6,573; a nurse with roughly 8-12 years, a specialist diploma or a team-leading function typically negotiates above CHF 8,000 base at a public hospital, and private clinics sometimes beat it with allowances. Two practical levers for internationals: diploma recognition through the SRK (Swiss Red Cross) determines which band you can even enter, and canton choice changes the tax bill on the same gross - a single nurse pays roughly 7.5% effective income tax in Zug and closer to 18.5% in Geneva, per ESTV reference figures. Compare complete packages across cantons with our salary by canton comparison, and see how nursing stacks up against the other classic international route into the Swiss market in software engineer salary in Switzerland. More national benchmarks are on the SwissPay hub.
FAQ
How much does a nurse earn in Switzerland?
Per OBSAN, the Swiss Health Observatory, based on BFS survey data, nursing specialists earned a median of CHF 7,719 gross per month in 2024 - about 10% above the national median of CHF 7,024. Nurses under 30 earned a median of CHF 6,573, and less-qualified roles such as FaGe or care assistants typically earn around CHF 4,700-5,100 gross per month.
Do nurses in Switzerland earn more than the average worker?
Yes. The nursing specialist median of CHF 7,719 per month sits about CHF 700 above the all-Switzerland median of CHF 7,024 per month, per BFS, 2024. The gap widens further with night, Sunday and holiday shift allowances, which can add several hundred francs per month in hospitals.
Which canton pays nurses the most?
BFS does not publish nurse-specific medians for every canton, but the overall market is clearest in the Zurich region (all-profession median CHF 7,502 per month per BFS, 2024) and Northwest Switzerland around Basel (CHF 7,156), where the university hospitals sit. Ticino has the lowest regional median at CHF 5,708. Public hospital pay scales and shift allowance schemes differ by canton - compare the full package, not the base grade.
How much experience do you need to pass CHF 8,000 a month?
Most cantonal hospital pay scales put experienced nursing specialists (roughly 8-12+ years or a specialist qualification) in bands above CHF 8,000 base, and shift allowances on top. The OBSAN/BFS median of CHF 7,719 covers all experience levels; nurses under 30 median CHF 6,573, which shows how strongly tenure moves pay in Switzerland.
What is left of a CHF 7,719 nurse salary after deductions?
Expect roughly 70-75% of gross as a single taxpayer: 5.3% AHV/IV/EO, 1.1% ALV, around 1% accident insurance and the age-based BVG pension share come off first, then income tax of roughly 7.5-18.5% effective depending on canton. That lands near CHF 5,400-5,900 net per month - run your exact case in the SwissPay calculator.
Do foreign nurses get paid the same as Swiss nurses?
Public sector pay scales apply the same bands regardless of nationality, and Switzerland recognizes EU nursing diplomas under the bilateral agreements. BFS wage data still shows differences between Swiss and foreign employees overall, driven by role mix and seniority rather than separate scales. Diploma recognition goes through the SRK (Red Cross) - verify your credentials before negotiating a grade.