Swiss wages are typically higher than elsewhere in Europe, but how much an executive can expect to earn depends on the industry and the job title itself.
Perhaps not surprisingly, the industry where the earning potential is highest right now is the financial sector.
This is what emerges from a survey published by Michael Page recruitment agency on November 4th.
It found that “financial services sector continues to lead the Swiss market in executive compensation, with private equity showing rising demand.”
Just how much can top managers make in this lucrative sector?
An executive below the level of the CEO – that is, those not the ‘top’ – can command gross salaries ranging from 350,000 to 500,000 francs a year, depending on what kind of job they perform within this particular industry.
For instance, Managing Director of Investment Banking or Chief Risk Officer are at the bottom of this salary ladder, while the head of private banking will earn the maximum for this sector – that is, half a million francs.
In between, there is a Chief Financial Officer (360,000 francs); senior Vice President (400,000); and Chief Investment Officer (450,000).
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What are the highest (and lowest) salaries in other sectors?
Among other high-pay industries are Human Resources (280,000 francs on average) as well as Engineering and Manufacturing – 180,000 francs.
Other sectors, on the others hand, are closer to the Swiss median wage of just over 80,000 francs a year.
In IT, for example, the average annual salary is 95,000 francs and in Manufacturing, 100,000.
The lowest, below-national-average pay, the study found, was in the insurance sector: only 60,000 francs a year.
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What do other studies show, in terms of wages?
Earlier in 2025, an analysis from Indeed recruitment agency indicated – in line with the Michael Page findings – that the financial industry (including banking) pays best overall.
However, the wages in the Indeed studies were lower, with the executives in this sector commanding median annual salaries of 129,590 francs.
Next are tax and security experts, who earn 125,000 a year, followed by cybersecurity engineers, with the annual income of 122,000 francs.
READ ALSO: Switzerland’s 10 highest-paid professions
