Occupation & salary Switzerland
Gross to net conversion
Our salary calculator works out your exact net wage – including OASI, DI, UI and withholding tax. The average salary is already filled in.
Calculated for the canton of Zurich, age 40, single, no children, no church affiliation. Use the full salary calculator for your personal details.
In many cantons households pay 20-40% more for health insurance than necessary. By comparing, Swiss households save CHF 1'200 per year on average.
Salary data
| By canton | Gross per year | Monthly wage |
|---|---|---|
| ag | 55,877 CHF | 4,656 CHF |
| bl | 60,397 CHF | 5,033 CHF |
| be | 57,785 CHF | 4,815 CHF |
| bs | 61,550 CHF | 5,129 CHF |
| fr | 55,700 CHF | 4,642 CHF |
| ge | 63,750 CHF | 5,313 CHF |
| gl | 56,100 CHF | 4,675 CHF |
| gr | 56,500 CHF | 4,708 CHF |
| lu | 57,200 CHF | 4,767 CHF |
| sg | 60,397 CHF | 5,033 CHF |
| sh | 55,212 CHF | 4,601 CHF |
| so | 56,900 CHF | 4,742 CHF |
| tg | 58,038 CHF | 4,837 CHF |
| ti | 58,400 CHF | 4,867 CHF |
| vd | 57,092 CHF | 4,758 CHF |
| zg | 57,785 CHF | 4,815 CHF |
| zh | 60,875 CHF | 5,073 CHF |
| By qualification | Gross per year | Monthly wage |
|---|---|---|
| No education | 60,853 CHF | 5,071 CHF |
| Continuing education | 59,795 CHF | 4,983 CHF |
| Secondary school | 59,560 CHF | 4,963 CHF |
| Higher secondary school | 49,154 CHF | 4,096 CHF |
| Vocational baccalaureate | 57,046 CHF | 4,754 CHF |
| Apprenticeship | 59,098 CHF | 4,925 CHF |
| University of applied sciences | 54,000 CHF | 4,500 CHF |
| University | 57,046 CHF | 4,754 CHF |
| By gender | Gross per year | Monthly wage | Ø age | Ø work experience |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Male | 59,185 CHF | 4,932 CHF | 39.3 | 17.4 |
| Female | 55,707 CHF | 4,642 CHF | 29.2 | 7.1 |
The salary of a painter in Switzerland varies significantly by canton. Particularly high wages are paid in Geneva, Basel-Stadt, and Zurich, where the cost of living and general wage level are above average. In more rural regions such as Schaffhausen, Fribourg, and Aargau, salaries are noticeably lower, mainly due to lower demand and lower operating costs of local painting businesses.
Qualifications also play an important role: those who have completed a vocational apprenticeship or further training as a foreman or master painter earn considerably more than unskilled workers. Professional experience also has a positive effect on salary, as experienced tradespeople are able to independently carry out more demanding work such as facade renovations or decorative techniques.
There is a noticeable pay gap between the genders: men earn on average around CHF 59,185 per year, while women can expect around CHF 55,707. This difference can be partly explained by the shorter average professional experience of women in this field, as the painting trade is traditionally more male-dominated.
Painters design and protect the surfaces of buildings, both indoors and outdoors. Their tasks include preparing surfaces, applying paints, varnishes, and wallpaper, as well as carrying out special techniques such as stucco work or decorative finishes. Insulating facades is also part of the job in many cases.
Entry into the profession is usually through a three-year apprenticeship as a painter (EFZ), which combines practical training in a company with vocational school and inter-company courses. Those who wish to further their education can complete the professional examination to become a foreman or the higher vocational examination to become a master painter, opening up additional career and earning opportunities.
Painters are mainly employed by painting companies and general contractors in the construction industry, but also work for renovation firms or as self-employed tradespeople. The work often takes place on construction sites and requires physical fitness, a good eye for color, and precision, especially for demanding decorative work.
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