i think it’s also important to be in the right niche. it’s much easier to source certain profiles vs other specialized ones. i could also definitely go be a programmer/software dev/software eng but that would put me in competition with many more people as the skills required to go into those types of jobs are getting more widespread. in turn, that drives salary down, especially since startups will go for anyone, anywhere on the planet that fills the profile.
The hurray or nay date for all bankers is coming closer…
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Hello,
Sharing my salary evolution with a business school background.
Gross income numbers:
2012: € 32k - France, province. Private industry.
2013: € 32k
2014: € 33k
2015: € 34k
2016: € 48k - France, Paris: 1st job change. Private industry.
2017: € 110k - CH: 2nd job change. Private industry.
2018: chf 111k
2019: chf 112k
2020: chf 112k
2021: chf 135k - CH: 3rd job change. Public sector.
2022: chf 205k - CH: 4th job change. Public sector.
I am working in organizational / financial auditing (no big 4). The evolution in terms of pay and worklife balance has been going in the right direction over the years with decreasing travel and always reasonable working time (40h). A goal would be to adjust my working time to 80% in a couple of years. Hope it helps some readers to consider the public sector, especially those coming from business schools.
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Hi Fanfan,
In which year did you do your MBA?
Thanks!
Hello, I have not been involved in a MBA: I finished a business school master in 2010-11.
what were these 2 roles for “grades” (big4 speak)? Manager / Senior Manager promo in between?
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Finished my PhD end of last year, salary progression for ETH PhD at level 3:
2019: 58 k
2020: 62 k
2021: 65 k
2022: 65 k
For anyone interested, the salaries are publicly available here: Lohn | ETH Zürich
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2018: 52k (Legal internship, Clerk in a Court)
2019: 54k (Clerk in a Court, Lawyer internship)
2020: 55k (Lawyer internship, Junior Legal Counsel, Unemployement insurance)
2021: 45k (Unemployement insurance, Lawyer internship)
2022: 40k (Lawyer internship, DPO internship, Legal Counsel in the public sector)
2023: 97k (Legal Counsel in the public sector)
To summarize the year of 2022: a total mess about the financial part. A total success for the self-improvement and education. I’ve passed two CAS last year : a CAS in data protection and a CAS in Digital Finance Law. I’ve missed my bar exam and will try it again this year.
I’ve been a DPO for at least 5 months, it was an internship really great with very competent and friendly collegue. However, the Canton of Vaud should be ashamed about the salary: CHF 1’750.- for a full-time job. I would have earned more to be unemployed. But, it was a great opportunity so I don’t regret it. During the internship I’ve find my current job in Bern as a Legal Counsel… in tax matter (nothing to do with data protection haha).
I should earn no more than 97k this year, in public sector you don’t have bonuses, however, I have a great employer with a lot of benefit.
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My yearly gross salary, only the last ten years:
13: 135k (incl. Bonus)
14: 120k
15: 135k
16: 160k (incl. Bonus)
17: 145k
18: 150k
19: 165k
20: 190k
21: 210k
22: 220k
I worked my way up as a software developer to CTO. I could no longer stand behind the decisions the CEO made, so I left the company. Currently I work in a boring company in a boring position. All job offers are welcome 
PS: I rejected an offer from big G after I have read @MrRIP blog. Would have been useful for FIRE for sure.
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For a split second I’ve read your list as age and not year. 
My salary progression, as usual:
→ ______
Maybe I should get out and try to build a startup.
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2017: 50k (Paris)
2018: 53k (Paris/Berlin)
2019: 60k (Berlin)
2020: 81k (Berlin/Zurich)
2021: 112k (Zurich)
2022: 120k (Zurich)
Reduced from 100% to 90% towards the end of 2022 to free up time for private data science projects (highly recommending mlzoomcamp) and perhaps a certificate or two. Managing 120k again this year would be nice but we’ll see.
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You should try and take your chance with a crypto one !
Well done, even without Google!
I hope I didn’t contribute too much to the destruction of your FIRE Dreams 
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Male, 33 year old, Bsc in natural/environmental sciences, Msc in Business Administration
2007-2009 EFZ apprenticeship
2007: 4’500
2008: 10’200
2009: 667
2009-2010 Berufsmatura
2010: 14’000
Trainee
2011: 18’000
Bsc full time 2012
2012: 15’000
Bsc part time 2013-2014
2013: 25’000 40%
2014: 42’000 60%
Msc part time 2015-2017
2015: 60’000 80%
2016: 77’000 90%
Change of job
2017: 55’000 80% (4 months travelling)
2018: 73’000 80% (3 months travelling)
2019: 88’000 80%
Change of job
2020:114’500 100% (4k Bonus) + company car (cost me CHF 2600 p.a. all included (fuel only in CH)
2021: 120’000 100% (9k Bonus) + company car
2022: 125’000 100% (Bonus open) + company car
Change of job
outlook: 2023: 135’000 100% + company car 7 weeks holiday and option for 80% when our first born will arrive in May
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Thanks for sharing. Out of curiosity, how useful is your MBA being to your career and in what rough position are you working?
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I did a consecutive Master, so it was mostly an investment of time. The paper/title doesn’t mean anything and didn‘t getting any jobs since I am in a small industry and achievements are luckily more important. But I liked the insights I gained and it helps me in my job.
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Wow those are some (proportionally) big bonuses! Congrats!
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Hopefully they will last
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Total compensation went up 20k this year on my side. 150k now