How much money does a person working as Pharmacist make in Switzerland?
Average Yearly Salary
160,000 CHF
( 13,300 CHF monthly)
LOW
78,400
CHFAVERAGE
160,000
CHFHIGH
250,000
CHF
All salary figures displayed here are
per yearexcept when noted otherwise.
All salary and compensation figures displayed here are gross salary figures, that is the salary before tax deductions. Because taxes may differ across sectors and locations, it is difficult to accurately calculate the net salary after tax for every career.
A person working as Pharmacist in Switzerland typically earns around 160,000 CHF. Salaries range from 78,400 CHF (lowest) to 250,000 CHF (highest).
Salary Variance
This is the average salary including housing, transport, and other benefits. Pharmacist salaries in Switzerland vary drastically based on experience, skills, gender, or location. Below you will find a detailed breakdown based on many different criteria.
Pharmacist Pay Scale and Salaries in Switzerland
Salary Structure and Pay Scale Comparison
5% of people earn
148,000 CHF or more
10% of people earn
131,000 to 148,000 CHF
20% of people earn
93,000 CHF or less
65% of people earn
93,000 to 131,000 CHF
78,400 CHF |
149,000 CHF |
250,000 CHF |
Median Salary, maximum and minimum salary, minimum wage, starting salary, and the salary range
All salary figures displayed here are
per yearexcept when noted otherwise.
Salary Range, Minimum Wage, and Starting Salary
Salaries for the position Pharmacist in Switzerland range from 78,400 CHF (starting salary) to 250,000 CHF (maximum salary). It should be noted that the given figure is not the legally mandated minimum wage; rather, it represents the lowest figure reported in a salary survey that included thousands of participants and professionals from all regions of the country.
Median Salary
With a median salary of 149,000 CHF, half of the professionals who work as Pharmacist in Switzerland earn less than this amount, and the other half earn more. The median salary denotes the middle value of salaries. Ideally, you would want to belong to the group earning more than the median salary, located on the right side of the salary distribution graph.
Percentiles and Salary Scale
The median is closely associated with two other values known as the 25th and 75th percentiles. By examining the salary distribution chart, it can be determined that 25% of professionals employed as Pharmacist in Switzerland earn less than 122,000 CHF, while 75% earn more. Similarly, the chart shows that 75% earn less than 171,000 CHF while 25% earn more.
Pay Scale Structure
To provide a better understanding of expected salaries, we categorized the frequently occurring salaries into different ranges. This approach provides a more precise representation of salary distribution for the job title Pharmacist in Switzerland compared to simply calculating the average. The majority of reported salaries, approximately 65%, fall within the range of 93,000 CHF to 131,000 CHF. About 20% of salaries are below the 93,000 CHF mark, while 10% fall within the range of 131,000 CHF to 148,000 CHF. Only 5% of individuals have salaries exceeding 148,000 CHF.
Salary Comparison by Years of Experience / Pharmacist / Switzerland
How do experience and age affect pay?
| 0 - 2 Years | 92,900 CHF | |
| 2 - 5 Years | +29% | 119,000 CHF |
| 5 - 10 Years | +38% | 165,000 CHF |
| 10 - 15 Years | +24% | 204,000 CHF |
| 15 - 20 Years | +7% | 219,000 CHF |
| 20+ Years | +7% | 233,000 CHF |
Percentage increase and decrease are relative to the previous value
The experience level is the most important factor in determining the salary. Naturally, the more years of experience the higher the wage. We broke down salaries by experience level for people working as Pharmacist and this is what we found.
All salary figures displayed here are
per yearexcept when noted otherwise.
Employees with less than two years of experience earn approximately 92,900 CHF.
While someone with an experience level between two and five years is expected to earn 119,000 CHF, 29% more than someone with less than two year's experience.
Moving forward, an experience level between five and ten years lands a salary of 165,000 CHF, 38% more than someone with two to five years of experience.
Additionally, professionals whose expertise span anywhere between ten and fifteen years get a salary equivalent to 204,000 CHF, 24% more than someone with five to ten years of experience.
If the experience level is between fifteen and twenty years, then the expected wage is 219,000 CHF, 7% more than someone with ten to fifteen years of experience.
Lastly, employees with more than twenty years of professional experience get a salary of 233,000 CHF, 7% more than people with fifteen to twenty years of experience.
“ On average, a person's salary doubles their starting salary by the time they cross the 10 years* experience mark. ”
* Based on the average change in salary over time. Salary variations differ from person to person.
Typical Salary Progress for Most Careers
Salary Comparison By Education / Pharmacist / Switzerland
How do education levels affect salaries?
Displayed below is the average salary variance between different education levels of professionals working as Pharmacist.
| Bachelor's Degree | 116,000 CHF | |
| Master's Degree | +60% | 186,000 CHF |
Percentage increase and decrease are relative to the previous value
We all know that higher education equals a bigger salary, but how much more money can a degree add to your income? We broke down salaries by education level for the position Pharmacist in order to make a comparison.
Level 1: Bachelor's Degree
Employees at this education level have an average salary of 116,000 CHF.
Level 2: Master's Degree
At this level, the average salary becomes 186,000 CHF, 60% more than the previous level.
Is a Master's degree or an MBA worth it? Should you pursue higher education?
A Master's degree program or any post-graduate program in Switzerland costs anywhere from 51,800 CHF to 155,000 CHF and lasts approximately two years. That is quite an investment.
You can't really expect any salary increases during the study period, assuming you already have a job. In most cases, a salary review is conducted once education is completed and the degree has been attained.
Many people pursue higher education as a tactic to switch to a higher-paying job. The numbers seem to support the theory. The average increase in compensation while changing jobs is approximately 10% more than the customary salary increment.
If you can afford the costs of higher education, the return on investment is definitely worth it. You should be able to recover the costs in roughly a year or so.
Typical Salary Difference by Education for Most Careers
Salary and Compensation Comparison By Gender / Pharmacist / Switzerland
Though gender should not have an effect on pay, in reality, it does. So who gets paid more: men or women? For the people who work as Pharmacist in Switzerland, the average difference between the salary of male and female employees is 4%.
| Male | 163,000 CHF | |
| Female | -4% | 157,000 CHF |
Percentage increase and decrease are relative to the previous value
Salary Comparison By Gender in Switzerland for all Careers
Average Annual Salary Increment Percentage / Pharmacist / Switzerland
How much are annual salary increments in Switzerland for individuals working as Pharmacist? How often do employees get salary raises?
Individuals working as Pharmacist in Switzerland are likely to observe a salary increase of approximately 12% every 16 months. The national average annual increment for all professions combined is 9% granted to employees every 15 months.
The figures provided here are averages of numbers. Those figures should be taken as general guidelines. Salary increments will vary from person to person and depend on many factors, but your performance and contribution to the success of the organization remain the most important factors in determining how much and how often you will be granted a raise.
Switzerland / All Professions
The term Annual Salary Increase usually refers to the increase in 12 calendar month period, but because it is rare that people get their salaries reviewed exactly on the one-year mark, it is more meaningful to know the frequency and the rate at the time of the increase.
How to calculate the salary increment percentage?
The annual salary Increase in a calendar year (12 months) can be easily calculated as follows: Annual Salary Increase = Increase Rate x 12 / Increase Frequency
“The average salary increase in one year (12 months) in Switzerland is 7%.”
Worldwide Salary Raises: All Countries and All Jobs
Salary Packages and Schemes
Not all compensation increases are reflected directly in the salary. Some companies offer upgraded packages to their staff instead of cash money. The figures displayed here account only for direct increments to the base salary.
Bonus and Incentive Rates / Pharmacist / Switzerland
How much and how often are bonuses being awarded?
41% of surveyed staff reported that they haven't received any bonuses or incentives in the previous year while 59% said that they received at least one form of monetary bonus.
Those who got bonuses reported rates ranging from 3% to 6% of their annual salary.
| Received Bonus | 59% | |
| No Bonus | 41% |
Types of Bonuses Considered
Individual Performance-Based Bonuses
The most standard form of bonus, where the employee is awarded based on their exceptional performance.
Company Performance Bonuses
Occasionally, some companies like to celebrate excess earnings and profits with their staff collectively in the form of bonuses that are granted to everyone. The amount of the bonus will probably be different from person to person depending on their role within the organization.
Goal-Based Bonuses
Granted upon achieving an important goal or milestone.
Holiday / End of Year Bonuses
These types of bonuses are given without a reason and usually resemble an appreciation token.
Bonuses Are Not Commissions!
People tend to confuse bonuses with commissions. A commission is a prefixed rate at which someone gets paid for items sold or deals completed while a bonus is in most cases arbitrary and unplanned.
What makes a position worthy of good bonuses and a high salary?
The main two types of jobs | |
| Revenue Generators | Supporting Cast |
Employees that are directly involved in generating revenue or profit for the organization. Their field of expertise usually matches the type of business. | Employees that support and facilitate the work of revenue generators. Their expertise is usually different from that of the core business operations. |
Example: | Example: |
Revenue generators usually get more and higher bonuses, higher salaries, and more frequent salary increments. The reason is quite simple: it is easier to quantify your value to the company in monetary terms when you participate in revenue generation.
“Try to work for companies where your skills can generate revenue. We can't all generate revenue and that's perfectly fine.”
Bonus Comparison by Seniority Level
Top management personnel and senior employees naturally exhibit higher bonus rates and frequencies than juniors. This is very predictable due to the inherent responsibilities of being higher in the hierarchy. People in top positions can easily get double or triple bonus rates than employees down the pyramid.
Average Hourly Wage / Pharmacist / Switzerland
77 CHF per hour
The average hourly wage (pay per hour) for individuals working as Pharmacist in Switzerland is 77 CHF.This is the rate they get paid for every worked hour.
Hourly Wage = Annual Salary / ( 52 x 5 x 8 )
About The Hourly Pay Rate
The hourly wage is the salary paid in one worked hour. Usually, jobs are classified into two categories: salaried jobs and hourly jobs. Salaried jobs pay a fixed amount regardless of the hours worked. Hourly jobs pay per worked hour. To convert salary into hourly wage the above formula is used (assuming 5 working days in a week and 8 working hours per day which is the standard for most jobs). The hourly wage calculation may differ slightly depending on the worked hours per week and the annual vacation allowance. The figures mentioned above are good approximations and are considered to be the standard. One major difference between salaried employees and hourly paid employees is overtime eligibility. Salaried employees are usually exempt from overtime as opposed to hourly paid staff.
What is the minimum hourly rate of pay?
The minimum pay rate per hour for people working as Pharmacist in Switzerland is 38 CHF. This is the minimum as per the gathered data in the salary survey not the minimum hourly rate mandated by law.
Salary comparison with similar jobs
| Job Title | Average Salary |
| Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology |  -100% | |
| Assistant Pharmacist | 108,000 CHF | -32% |
| Assistant Pharmacy Director | 194,000 CHF |  +21% |
| Associate Medical Affairs Director | 281,000 CHF | +76% |
| Bioethics Specialist | 149,000 CHF | -7% |
| Biofabrication Specialist | 154,000 CHF | -4% |
| Bioinformatics Scientist | 247,000 CHF | +54% |
| Bioinformatics Technician | 115,000 CHF | -28% |
| Biological Scientist | 271,000 CHF | +69% |
| Biological Technician | 118,000 CHF | -26% |
| Biomanufacturing Technician | 134,000 CHF | -16% |
| Biomarker Scientist | 184,000 CHF | +15% |
| Biomedical Electronics Technician | 108,000 CHF | -32% |
| Biomedical Engineer | 106,000 CHF | -34% |
| Biomedical Engineering Director | 207,000 CHF | +29% |
| Bioprocess Engineer | 123,000 CHF | -23% |
| Biostatistician | 169,000 CHF | +6% |
| Biotechnologist | 162,000 CHF | +1% |
| Biotechnology Lead Data Manager | 137,000 CHF | -14% |
| Cell Therapy Scientist | 228,000 CHF | +43% |
| Chemical Process Technician | 114,000 CHF | -29% |
| Clinical Consultant | 163,000 CHF | +2% |
| Clinical Data Manager | 166,000 CHF | +4% |
| Clinical Data Specialist | 154,000 CHF | -4% |
| Clinical Informatics Specialist | 130,000 CHF | -19% |
| Clinical Operations Manager | 235,000 CHF | +47% |
| Clinical Pharmacist | 166,000 CHF | +4% |
| Clinical Pharmacy Specialist | 192,000 CHF | +20% |
| Clinical Programmer | 86,400 CHF | -46% |
| Clinical Project Manager | 154,000 CHF | -4% |
| Clinical Research Associate | 149,000 CHF | -7% |
| Clinical Research Manager | 241,000 CHF | +51% |
| Clinical Study Manager | 214,000 CHF | +34% |
| Clinical Trials Compliance Officer | 287,000 CHF | +79% |
| Compliance Specialist | 171,000 CHF | +7% |
| Computational Chemist | 215,000 CHF | +34% |
| Cytology Laboratory Technologist | 129,000 CHF | -19% |
| Cytotechnologist | 130,000 CHF | -19% |
| Digital Biomarker Developer | 164,000 CHF | +3% |
| Digital Health Specialist | 151,000 CHF | -6% |
| Drug Safety Specialist | 177,000 CHF | +11% |
| GCP Auditor | 148,000 CHF | -7% |
| Gene Editing Compliance Officer | 201,000 CHF | +26% |
| Gene Editing Specialist | 164,000 CHF | +3% |
| Gene Therapy Researcher | 175,000 CHF | +9% |
| Hospital Pharmacy Technician | 124,000 CHF | -22% |
| Manufacturing Engineer | 134,000 CHF | -16% |
| Medical 3D Printing Specialist | 132,000 CHF | -17% |
| Medical Affairs Director | 259,000 CHF | +62% |
| Medical Device Compliance Specialist | 160,000 CHF | +0% |
| Medical Device Data Analyst | 154,000 CHF | -4% |
| Medical Device Designer | 151,000 CHF | -6% |
| Medical Representative | 114,000 CHF | -29% |
| Medical Science Liaison | 194,000 CHF | +21% |
| Medical Technology Writer | 126,000 CHF | -21% |
| Molecular and Cellular Biologist | 275,000 CHF | +72% |
| Nuclear Pharmacist | 166,000 CHF | +4% |
| Pharmaceutical Compliance Auditor | 241,000 CHF | +51% |
| Pharmaceutical Manager | 285,000 CHF | +78% |
| Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Lead | 313,000 CHF | +96% |
| Pharmaceutical Operations Excellence Manager | 271,000 CHF | +69% |
| Pharmaceutical Process Engineer | 157,000 CHF | -2% |
| Pharmaceutical Production Assistant Manager | 190,000 CHF | +19% |
| Pharmaceutical Project Manager | 180,000 CHF | +13% |
| Pharmaceutical Quality Auditor | 188,000 CHF | +18% |
| Pharmaceutical Regulatory Affairs Assistant | 135,000 CHF | -16% |
| Pharmaceutical Regulatory Affairs Manager | 186,000 CHF | +16% |
| Pharmaceutical Regulatory Affairs Specialist | 147,000 CHF | -8% |
| Pharmaceutical Representative | 108,000 CHF | -32% |
| Pharmaceutical Research Associate | 162,000 CHF | +1% |
| Pharmaceutical Research Scientist | 239,000 CHF | +49% |
| Pharmaceutical Researcher | 233,000 CHF | +46% |
| Pharmaceutical Sales and Marketing Manager | 202,000 CHF | +26% |
| Pharmaceutical Sales Manager | 245,000 CHF | +53% |
| Pharmaceutical Sales Representative | 109,000 CHF | -32% |
| Pharmaceutical Supply Chain Manager | 262,000 CHF | +64% |
| Pharmaceutical Team Leader | 182,000 CHF | +14% |
| Pharmaceutical Technologist | 123,000 CHF | -23% |
| Pharmacist | 160,000 CHF | +0% |
| Pharmacogenomics Expert | 198,000 CHF | +24% |
| Pharmacovigilance Analyst | 196,000 CHF | +23% |
| Pharmacy Aide | 109,000 CHF | -32% |
| Pharmacy Manager | 228,000 CHF | +43% |
| Pharmacy Stock Controller | 97,600 CHF | -39% |
| Pharmacy Technician | 97,000 CHF | -39% |
| Precision Medicine Compliance Analyst | 186,000 CHF | +16% |
| Precision Medicine Specialist | 176,000 CHF | +10% |
| Records Management Coordinator | 93,200 CHF | -42% |
| Shift Encapsulator | 101,000 CHF | -37% |
| Staff Pharmacist | 170,000 CHF | +6% |
| Synthetic Biologist | 202,000 CHF | +26% |
| Telepharmacy Technician | 102,000 CHF | -36% |
Salary Comparison By City
| City | Average Salary |
| Zurich | 175,000 CHF |
Government vs Private Sector Salary Comparison
Where can you get paid more, working in a private company or the government? The difference between the public or government sector salaries and the private sector salaries in Switzerland is 4% on average across all career fields.
| Private Sector | 122,000 CHF | |
| Public Sector | +4% | 127,000 CHF |
Percentage increase and decrease are relative to the previous value
Salary Statistics and Calculation Guide
What is considered to be a good and competitive salary for the job title Pharmacist in Switzerland?
A good and competitive compensation would range anywhere between 149,000 CHF and 171,000 CHF. This is a very rough estimate. Experience and education play a very huge part in the final earnings.
Gross Salary (before tax) and Net Salary (after tax)
All salary and compensation figures displayed here are gross salary figures, that is the salary before tax deductions. Because taxes may differ across sectors and locations, it is difficult to accurately calculate the net salary after tax for every career.
Base / Basic Salary
The base salary for a careers like Pharmacist in Switzerland ranges from 78,400 CHF to 122,000 CHF. The base salary depends on many factors including experience and education. It is not easy to provide a figure with very little information, so take this range with a grain of salt.
What is the difference between the median and the average salary?
Both are indicators. If your salary is higher than both the average and the median then you are doing very well. If your salary is lower than both, then many people earn more than you and there is plenty of room for improvement. If your wage is between the average and the median, then things can be a bit complicated. We wrote a guide to explain all about the different scenarios. How to compare your salary
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