Accountant Average Salary in Zurich 2024
How much money does a person working as Accountant make in Zurich?
LOW
52,900
CHF AVERAGE
99,900
CHF HIGH
152,000
CHF
A person working as Accountant in Zurich typically earns around 99,900 CHF. Salaries range from 52,900 CHF (lowest) to 152,000 CHF (highest).
Salary Variance
This is the average salary including housing, transport, and other benefits. Accountant salaries in Zurich vary drastically based on experience, skills, gender, or location. Below you will find a detailed breakdown based on many different criteria.
Accountant Pay Scale and Salaries in Zurich
Salary Structure and Pay Scale Comparison
89,700 CHF or more
80,100 to 89,700 CHF
59,000 CHF or less
59,000 to 80,100 CHF
 52,900 CHF |
90,000 CHF |
152,000 CHF |
Median Salary, maximum and minimum salary, minimum wage, starting salary, and the salary range
Salary Range, Minimum Wage, and Starting Salary
Salaries for the position Accountant in Zurich range from 52,900 CHF (starting salary) to 152,000 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 90,000 CHF, half of the professionals who work as Accountant in Zurich 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 Accountant in Zurich earn less than 75,000 CHF, while 75% earn more. Similarly, the chart shows that 75% earn less than 102,000 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 Accountant in Zurich compared to simply calculating the average. The majority of reported salaries, approximately 65%, fall within the range of 59,000 CHF to 80,100 CHF. About 20% of salaries are below the 59,000 CHF mark, while 10% fall within the range of 80,100 CHF to 89,700 CHF. Only 5% of individuals have salaries exceeding 89,700 CHF.
Salary Comparison by Years of Experience / Accountant / Zurich
How do experience and age affect pay?
| 0 - 2 Years | 60,800 CHF | |
| 2 - 5 Years | +23% | 74,700 CHF |
| 5 - 10 Years | +42% | 106,000 CHF |
| 10 - 15 Years | +17% | 124,000 CHF |
| 15 - 20 Years | +10% | 136,000 CHF |
| 20+ Years | +6% | 144,000 CHF |
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 Accountant and this is what we found.
Employees with less than two years of experience earn approximately 60,800 CHF.
While someone with an experience level between two and five years is expected to earn 74,700 CHF, 23% more than someone with less than two year's experience.
Moving forward, an experience level between five and ten years lands a salary of 106,000 CHF, 42% 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 124,000 CHF, 17% 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 136,000 CHF, 10% more than someone with ten to fifteen years of experience.
Lastly, employees with more than twenty years of professional experience get a salary of 144,000 CHF, 6% more than people with fifteen to twenty years of experience.
Typical Salary Progress for Most Careers
Salary Comparison By Education / Accountant / Zurich
How do education levels affect salaries?
Displayed below is the average salary variance between different education levels of professionals working as Accountant.
| High School | 73,700 CHF | |
| Certificate or Diploma | +13% | 83,600 CHF |
| Bachelor's Degree | +31% | 109,000 CHF |
| Master's Degree | +32% | 144,000 CHF |
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 Accountant in order to make a comparison.
Level 1: High School
Employees at this education level have an average salary of 73,700 CHF.
Level 2: Certificate or Diploma
At this level, the average salary becomes 83,600 CHF, 13% more than the previous level.
Level 3: Bachelor's Degree
At this level, the average salary becomes 109,000 CHF, 31% more than the previous level.
Level 4: Master's Degree
At this level, the average salary becomes 144,000 CHF, 32% 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 / Accountant / Zurich
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 Accountant in Switzerland, the average difference between the salary of male and female employees is 4%.
| Male | 92,800 CHF | |
| Female | -4% | 89,100 CHF |
Salary Comparison By Gender in Switzerland for all Careers
Average Annual Salary Increment Percentage / Accountant / Zurich
How much are annual salary increments in Zurich for individuals working as Accountant? How often do employees get salary raises?
Individuals working as Accountant in Switzerland are likely to observe a salary increase of approximately % every months. The national average annual increment for all professions combined is 9% granted to employees every 15 months.
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
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 / Accountant / Switzerland
How much and how often are bonuses being awarded?
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100% of surveyed staff reported that they haven't received any bonuses or incentives in the previous year while % said that they received at least one form of monetary bonus.
Those who got bonuses reported rates ranging from % to % of their annual salary.
| Received Bonus | % | |
| No Bonus | 100% |
Types of Bonuses Considered
Individual Performance-Based BonusesThe most standard form of bonus, where the employee is awarded based on their exceptional performance.
Company Performance BonusesOccasionally, 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 BonusesGranted upon achieving an important goal or milestone.
Holiday / End of Year BonusesThese 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.
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 / Accountant / Zurich
48 CHF per hourThe average hourly wage (pay per hour) for individuals working as Accountant in Zurich is 48 CHF.This is the rate they get paid for every worked hour.
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 Accountant in Zurich is 25 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 |
| Accounting and Finance |  -100% | |
| Account Examiner | 74,100 CHF | -26% |
| Account Executive | 125,000 CHF |  +25% |
| Accountant | 99,900 CHF | +0% |
| Accounting Analyst | 126,000 CHF | +26% |
| Accounting Assistant | 79,000 CHF | -21% |
| Accounting Associate | 74,400 CHF | -26% |
| Accounting Clerk | 60,200 CHF | -40% |
| Accounting Coordinator | 88,900 CHF | -11% |
| Accounting Head | 198,000 CHF | +98% |
| Accounting Manager | 203,000 CHF | +100% |
| Accounting Officer | 76,700 CHF | -23% |
| Accounting Specialist | 142,000 CHF | +42% |
| Accounting Supervisor | 132,000 CHF | +32% |
| Accounting Technician | 66,600 CHF | -33% |
| Accounting Unit Controller | 173,000 CHF | +73% |
| Accounts Executive | 126,000 CHF | +26% |
| Accounts Officer | 75,000 CHF | -25% |
| Accounts Payable and Receivable Specialist | 103,000 CHF | +3% |
| Accounts Payable Assistant | 83,500 CHF | -16% |
| Accounts Payable Associate | 95,100 CHF | -5% |
| Accounts Payable Clerk | 71,900 CHF | -28% |
| Accounts Payable Manager | 193,000 CHF | +93% |
| Accounts Receivable Administrator | 149,000 CHF | +49% |
| Accounts Receivable Clerk | 73,500 CHF | -26% |
| Accounts Receivable Financial Analyst | 137,000 CHF | +37% |
| Accounts Receivable Manager | 194,000 CHF | +94% |
| Accounts Receivable Team Leader | 152,000 CHF | +52% |
| Algorithmic Trading Specialist | 179,000 CHF | +79% |
| Assistant Accountant | 78,500 CHF | -21% |
| Assistant Accounting Manager | 188,000 CHF | +88% |
| Assistant Auditor | 98,100 CHF | -2% |
| Assistant Corporate Controller | 130,000 CHF | +30% |
| Assistant Finance Manager | 208,000 CHF | +110% |
| Assistant Financial Controller | 142,000 CHF | +42% |
| Audit Director | 228,000 CHF | +130% |
| Audit Supervisor | 174,000 CHF | +74% |
| Auditing Clerk | 75,000 CHF | -25% |
| Auditing Manager | 208,000 CHF | +110% |
| Billing Clerk | 77,500 CHF | -22% |
| Billing Coordinator | 93,500 CHF | -6% |
| Billing Specialist | 101,000 CHF | +1% |
| Billing Supervisor | 158,000 CHF | +58% |
| Bookkeeper | 68,600 CHF | -31% |
| Bookkeeping Specialist | 90,900 CHF | -9% |
| Budget Analyst | 164,000 CHF | +64% |
| Budget Manager | 199,000 CHF | +99% |
| Business Support Analyst | 111,000 CHF | +11% |
| Capital Markets Associate | 155,000 CHF | +55% |
| Cash Flow Analyst | 147,000 CHF | +47% |
| Cash Management Manager | 195,000 CHF | +95% |
| Cash Management Officer | 114,000 CHF | +14% |
| Cashbook Clerk | 70,700 CHF | -29% |
| Chartered Accountant | 128,000 CHF | +28% |
| Chief Accountant | 148,000 CHF | +48% |
| Chief Financial Technology Officer | 215,000 CHF | +120% |
| Collections Clerk | 58,900 CHF | -41% |
| Collections Representative | 89,800 CHF | -10% |
| Collections Specialist | 98,200 CHF | -2% |
| Corporate Controller | 164,000 CHF | +64% |
| Corporate Treasurer | 184,000 CHF | +84% |
| Cost Accountant | 99,300 CHF | -1% |
| Cost Accounting Manager | 194,000 CHF | +94% |
| Cost Accounting Supervisor | 153,000 CHF | +53% |
| Cost Analyst | 157,000 CHF | +57% |
| Credit and Collection Manager | 193,000 CHF | +93% |
| Credit and Collection Staff | 75,600 CHF | -24% |
| Credit and Loans Officer | 72,000 CHF | -28% |
| Credit Controller | 143,000 CHF | +43% |
| Credit Manager | 210,000 CHF | +110% |
| Debt Adviser | 167,000 CHF | +67% |
| Debt Collector | 82,400 CHF | -17% |
| Debtors Clerk | 68,600 CHF | -31% |
| Debtors Controller | 76,700 CHF | -23% |
| Deputy CFO | 270,000 CHF | +170% |
| Deputy Head of Finance | 276,000 CHF | +180% |
| Derivative Trader | 164,000 CHF | +64% |
| Director of Finance | 303,000 CHF | +200% |
| E-commerce Accountant | 99,800 CHF | -0% |
| Economist | 226,000 CHF | +130% |
| Equity Analyst | 181,000 CHF | +81% |
| Escrow Assistant | 90,800 CHF | -9% |
| Executive Accountant | 114,000 CHF | +14% |
| External Auditor | 141,000 CHF | +41% |
| Finance Administrator | 112,000 CHF | +12% |
| Finance Analyst | 173,000 CHF | +73% |
| Finance Associate | 84,600 CHF | -15% |
| Finance Data Analyst | 168,000 CHF | +68% |
| Finance Director | 290,000 CHF | +190% |
| Finance Executive | 214,000 CHF | +110% |
| Finance Licensing Clerk | 72,700 CHF | -27% |
| Finance Licensing Manager | 194,000 CHF | +94% |
| Finance Licensing Specialist | 111,000 CHF | +11% |
| Finance Manager | 279,000 CHF | +180% |
| Finance Officer | 97,200 CHF | -3% |
| Finance President | 280,000 CHF | +180% |
| Finance Relationship Manager | 240,000 CHF | +140% |
| Finance Release Analyst | 120,000 CHF | +20% |
| Finance Specialist | 166,000 CHF | +66% |
| Finance Team Leader | 222,000 CHF | +120% |
| Financial Accountant | 103,000 CHF | +3% |
| Financial Actuary | 145,000 CHF | +45% |
| Financial Administrator | 170,000 CHF | +70% |
| Financial Advisor | 184,000 CHF | +84% |
| Financial Analyst | 178,000 CHF | +78% |
| Financial Applications Specialist | 131,000 CHF | +31% |
| Financial Assistant | 77,000 CHF | -23% |
| Financial Associate | 98,100 CHF | -2% |
| Financial Claims Analyst | 137,000 CHF | +37% |
| Financial Claims Manager | 184,000 CHF | +84% |
| Financial Claims Supervisor | 172,000 CHF | +72% |
| Financial Clerk | 73,500 CHF | -26% |
| Financial Commercial Analyst | 148,000 CHF | +48% |
| Financial Compliance Analyst | 154,000 CHF | +54% |
| Financial Compliance Officer | 150,000 CHF | +50% |
| Financial Consultant | 135,000 CHF | +35% |
| Financial Controller | 154,000 CHF | +54% |
| Financial Coordinator | 92,200 CHF | -8% |
| Financial Customer Service Manager | 186,000 CHF | +86% |
| Financial Data Scientist | 179,000 CHF | +79% |
| Financial Dealer and Broker | 106,000 CHF | +6% |
| Financial Director | 299,000 CHF | +200% |
| Financial Encoder | 87,700 CHF | -12% |
| Financial Manager | 265,000 CHF | +170% |
| Financial Modelling Analyst | 174,000 CHF | +74% |
| Financial Operations Manager | 253,000 CHF | +150% |
| Financial Policy Analyst | 152,000 CHF | +52% |
| Financial Project Manager | 201,000 CHF | +100% |
| Financial Quantitative Analyst | 167,000 CHF | +67% |
| Financial Reporting Consultant | 145,000 CHF | +45% |
| Financial Reporting Manager | 188,000 CHF | +88% |
| Financial Section Head | 181,000 CHF | +81% |
| Financial Services Manager | 263,000 CHF | +160% |
| Financial Services Sales Agent | 110,000 CHF | +10% |
| Financial Technology Consultant | 154,000 CHF | +54% |
| Financial Wellness Coach | 204,000 CHF | +100% |
| FinTech Analyst | 173,000 CHF | +73% |
| Fixed Assets Administrator | 103,000 CHF | +3% |
| Forensic Accountant | 121,000 CHF | +21% |
| Fraud Detection Supervisor | 127,000 CHF | +27% |
| Fraud Prevention Manager | 212,000 CHF | +110% |
| Fund Accountant | 90,900 CHF | -9% |
| Grants Coordinator | 76,600 CHF | -23% |
| Green Finance Analyst | 147,000 CHF | +47% |
| Group Financial Manager | 289,000 CHF | +190% |
| Internal Auditor | 137,000 CHF | +37% |
| Internal Control Adviser | 162,000 CHF | +62% |
| Internal Control Officer | 90,600 CHF | -9% |
| International Tax Director | 238,000 CHF | +140% |
| Inventory Accountant | 106,000 CHF | +6% |
| Investment Advisor | 258,000 CHF | +160% |
| Investment Analyst | 192,000 CHF | +92% |
| Investment Associate | 159,000 CHF | +59% |
| Investment Broker | 165,000 CHF | +65% |
| Investment Fund Manager | 214,000 CHF | +110% |
| Investment Operations Manager | 222,000 CHF | +120% |
| Investment Underwriter | 82,500 CHF | -17% |
| Investor | 127,000 CHF | +27% |
| Investor Relations Manager | 201,000 CHF | +100% |
| KYC Team Leader | 200,000 CHF | +100% |
| Loan Processor | 84,800 CHF | -15% |
| Management Accountant | 108,000 CHF | +8% |
| Management Economist | 232,000 CHF | +130% |
| Paymaster | 82,500 CHF | -17% |
| Payroll Administrator | 137,000 CHF | +37% |
| Payroll Benefits Coordinator | 106,000 CHF | +6% |
| Payroll Billing Manager | 177,000 CHF | +77% |
| Payroll Clerk | 82,800 CHF | -17% |
| Payroll Manager | 176,000 CHF | +76% |
| Payroll Officer | 85,100 CHF | -15% |
| Payroll Specialist | 103,000 CHF | +3% |
| Payroll Supervisor | 124,000 CHF | +24% |
| Pensions Administrator | 106,000 CHF | +6% |
| Personal Financial Advisor | 141,000 CHF | +41% |
| Pricing Analyst | 159,000 CHF | +59% |
| Private Equity Analyst | 172,000 CHF | +72% |
| Project Accountant | 110,000 CHF | +10% |
| Proposal Development Coordinator | 88,700 CHF | -11% |
| Quantitative Trader | 142,000 CHF | +42% |
| Receivables Accountant | 93,000 CHF | -7% |
| Regulatory Accountant | 108,000 CHF | +8% |
| Retirement Plan Analyst | 164,000 CHF | +64% |
| Revenue Management Specialist | 172,000 CHF | +72% |
| Revenue Recognition Analyst | 177,000 CHF | +77% |
| Risk Management Director | 244,000 CHF | +140% |
| Risk Management Supervisor | 203,000 CHF | +100% |
| Staff Accountant | 90,700 CHF | -9% |
| Tax Accountant | 97,500 CHF | -2% |
| Tax Administrator | 108,000 CHF | +8% |
| Tax Advisor | 154,000 CHF | +54% |
| Tax Analyst | 156,000 CHF | +56% |
| Tax Associate | 88,500 CHF | -11% |
| Tax Consultant | 164,000 CHF | +64% |
| Tax Director | 241,000 CHF | +140% |
| Tax Examiner | 106,000 CHF | +6% |
| Tax Manager | 212,000 CHF | +110% |
| Tax Research Manager | 194,000 CHF | +94% |
| Teller | 57,100 CHF | -43% |
| Treasury Accountant | 104,000 CHF | +4% |
| Treasury Analyst | 166,000 CHF | +66% |
| Underwriter | 68,300 CHF | -32% |
| Underwriting Assistant | 64,900 CHF | -35% |
| Vice President of Finance | 282,000 CHF | +180% |
Salary Comparison By City
| City | Average Salary |
| Zurich | 99,900 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 |
Salary Statistics and Calculation Guide
What is considered to be a good and competitive salary for the job title Accountant in Zurich?
A good and competitive compensation would range anywhere between 90,000 CHF and 102,000 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 Accountant in Zurich ranges from 52,900 CHF to 75,000 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
