The latest Labour Force Survey from the Federal Statistical Office (FSO) has revealed how salaries in Switzerland evolved over the last year. While 2023 saw median wages for workers rise, there are still major salary differences between expats and citizens, and men and women.

Median wage in Switzerland rises by over 3 percent

According to the FSO, in 2023 the median wage of someone working full-time in Switzerland stood at 84.500 francs a year. This means that 50 percent of the Swiss workforce earned less than 84.500 francs, while 50 percent earned more - using the median is seen as a more accurate depiction of "real" salaries than the mean average, as it helps avoid distortions caused by extremely high or low wages. 

The study noted that the annual median salary in Switzerland rose by 3,7 percent compared to 2022, when it stood at 81.460 francs. Last year, 31 percent of full-time working men and 21 percent of full-time women employees earned more than 104.000 francs a year. 

The majority of Swiss workers earned between 52 and 78.000 francs a year, while the gender imbalance for low earners was flipped: 14 percent of women and 7 percent of men were found to earn less than 52.000 francs a year.

Major salary differences persist between locals and expats

At the same time, the survey noted that there are major wage differences between Swiss citizens and those who hold residence permits. For Swiss men, the median salary last year was 92.700 francs a year, compared to 79.800 francs for male expats and internationals. A similar gap was recorded between Swiss and expat women, at 78.000 and 71.000 francs respectively.

This means that the median wage for local workers is up to 16 percent higher than it is for international staff. This phenomenon was reported across all but two of the jobs analysed - only non-Swiss managers and female academics were found to earn more than locals.

Salaries in Switzerland: Higher but more unequal

The news comes as experts predict that salaries in Switzerland will finally rise faster than inflation in 2025. Nevertheless, a recent study by Unia found that the gap between the richest and poorest earners has continued to widen, with trade unions now calling for salary increases of at least 4 percent to compensate for the lost real wages incurred during the pandemic.

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