Swiss employees remain at number one in the Top 20 European pay rankings

ZÜRICH, 30 January 2019 – Both graduates and middle managers in Switzerland remain the highest paid when compared to the Top 20 European economies, the Global 50 Renumeration Report from Willis Towers Watson revealed.

Switzerland is the country with the highest salaries within the Willis Towers Watson gross median salary ranking. When wages are adjusted downward as taxes and the cost-of-living are factored in, Swiss employees still have a higher buying power than all other Europeans, except at graduate level where relative buying power is in second place in the rankings (where Luxembourg just edges into number 1).

In its latest Global 50 Remuneration Planning Report, Willis Towers Watson - the global advisory, broking and solutions company - found that the typical middle manager in Switzerland earns a gross base salary of US$ 163’443 a year while an entry level professional makes US$ 88’498.

When those figures are adjusted for purchasing power parity (PPP), which takes buying power into account, Switzerland’s middle managers remain in first place for relative wealth, with a salary of US$ 97’609. Entry level professionals also enjoy the strong comparative position, sitting only just in second place with US$ 58’530 with Germany in third place for both employee categories.

Commenting on the overall European results, Stewart Dyer, Director, Global Data Services at Willis Towers Watson, Switzerland, said that: “while the relative positioning of pay in Switzerland remains at the top of our European rankings, over the last three years we have seen gross median salary levels from the General Industry market flatten or decline slightly in Switzerland.’

‘While we don’t expect to see Switzerland’s positioning in the rankings change rapidly, the gap between Switzerland and the rest of Europe will be a key area of interest.

The salary results Top 15 European economies

Background about the study

The Willis Towers Watson Global 50 Remuneration Planning Report is designed for multinationals that need reliable and consistent compensation, benefit and economic information. It contains the latest pay information for 50 positions across 60 countries globally. The 2018/2019 report is available to purchase in full.