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711

Salary evolution (Mid-30 in 2026):

Year Salary Jobs Titles
2018 50’000 Legal internship + Unemployment benefit + Clerk
2019 50’000 Trainee lawyer + Unemployment benefit + Clerk
2020 50’000 Trainee lawyer + Unemployment benefit + Junior legal counsel
2021 45’000 Trainee lawyer + Unemployment benefit
2022 40’000 Trainee lawyer + DPO internship
2023 99’000 Legal Counsel (public sector)
2024 103’000 Legal Counsel (public sector)
2025 100’000 Legal Counsel (public sector) + Law Clerk (80% ; [Base salary 100%: 122k])
2026 100’000 Law Clerk 80% (Base salary 100%: 124k)

Still waiting to work at 100% because I hate working at 80%

7 Likes
712

Director?

713

I recently changed field and took a slight haircut. I am still not sure of my move, since before my days have been really chill, litle commute and lots of other benefits.
I now work in a small firm with the opportunity to take some owership. I somehow have the feeling i could have negotiated more and this makes me a bit angry at myself.

Year Income
2017 90k
2019-2023 140k
2023-2025 180k+ with lots of other benefits and amazing 2nd pillar
2026 160k

Well i hope the work and effort is going to be worth it in a couple of years.

2 Likes
714

This is netto. Lucky to have graduated and signed a job offer during the peak bubble in 2021 and survived.

2022: 163k

2023: 179k

2024: 199k

job switch

2025: 231k

7 Likes
715

Did you also include the variable (bonus) part of your compensation? I can imagine that more ownership in a small company could pay out doubly:

  • Possibility to influence the strategy
  • Some share of the revenue arriving in your pocket

I think you did well to choose a place with more potential. I hope it turns out favorably for you!

2 Likes
716

Mind sharing what industry? :slight_smile: never seen such numbers so short after graduation

1 Like
718

What is your job? That is an insane starting salary tbh

719

My guess: (US) tech

720

That’s a great starting salary. I remember my starting salary being 8x less. You’ll be FI in no time!

1 Like
721

Work as a software engineer. Was lucky to have competing offers during boom time.

2 Likes
722

By the way, total comp (incl. RSU vests during the year / bonus), or salary?

723

make hay while the sun shines!

724

Insane and inspiring

Mind sharing your age?

725

Update for 2026:

Salary structure changed and bonus got integrated into the base, which initially brought total compensation down to 142’500 CHF. Received a raise for 2026, now at 147’500 CHF.

2015–2017
Jahreslohn: 6’500 CHF (13x 500 CHF)
2017–2018
Jahreslohn: 65’000 CHF (13x 5’000 CHF)
2018–2021
Jahreslohn: 71’500 CHF (13x 5’500 CHF)
2021–2022
Jahreslohn: 91’000 CHF (13x 7’000 CHF)
2022–2024
Jahreslohn: 98’800 CHF (13x 7’600 CHF)
2024–2025
Jahreslohn: 144’950 CHF (130k base and 15k bonus)

2026 - now: Jahreslohn: 147‘500 CHF.

Team lead promotion didn’t happen as planned, but I stepped into a deputy role instead.

3 Likes
726

2026: 194k - same job, 14k bonus, 20k stock LTI, 3k raise

4 Likes
727

Update for 2026. Work in healthcare (pharma, biotech and med-tech) - Corporate Affairs/Corporate Comms/Corporate Marketing background.

  • 2019 - ~ CHF 120K (UK salary)
  • 2020 - CHF 215K (first year in CH) big Pharma
  • 2021 - CHF 258K (promotion)
  • 2022 - CHF 265K
  • 2023 - CHF 270K
  • 2024 - CHF 200K (re-org and laid off)
  • 2025 - CHF 140K (RAV and then started my own business)
  • 2026 - CHF 220K-250K (new job in medical devices)

Being laid off was rough (internal politics and BS played a role) but super happy in the new company and committed to start with a 50% savings rate and avoid lifestyle (re)inflation.

14 Likes
728

Good to see an example of where things go wrong, but you manage to recover.

5 Likes
729

Background: Software Engineer/Quant Developer, PhD in Computer Science

Period TC (in CHF) Increase Remark
2009 - 2014 51k standard PhD student salary at EPFL
2015 - 2019 91k 78% Swiss unicorn startup, no raises or bonuses
2019 - 2020 120k 31% Finance sector company, new job in a new company
2020 - 2021 110k -8.3% Finance sector company, had to find a new job due to a layoff
2022 115k + 1.5k 5.9% base raise + bonus
2023 123k + 2k 7.2% base raise + bonus
2024 126k + 3k 3.2% base raise + bonus
2025 128k -0.7% base raise

The current company in which I work announced that there won’t be any raises or bonuses for 2026. I am trying to find another job, but the tech job market is rough due to layoffs in the sector which started around late 2022 and are still ongoing. Most of the tech positions in Zurich outside of hedge funds, big tech, and some US startups have worse total compensation than my current one, so I would be taking a cut by joining them. And the companies that pay well either almost froze hiring or are hard to get into due to increased competition.

9 Likes
730

By the way, do you have a network and use it? I think after 10y+ of career that’s often how to land jobs (rather than applying to an open position).

3 Likes
731

I try to use my network as much as possible as it’s indeed the best way to find something. I always try to ask about open positions or for a referral from my network. Referral gives a bit of leverage that it can get the foot in the door to a interview process but it doesn’t help much when companies almost stop hiring and have no open positions.

1 Like