Overview
EPF/HES civil engineers in Switzerland earn between CHF 85,000 and 140,000 gross per year depending on experience, employer and canton. The shortage of senior profiles (project managers, BIM, structures) pushes salaries up.
By level
- EPF/HES graduate, entry-level: CHF 80,000–90,000
- 3–5 yrs: CHF 92,000–110,000
- Project manager (6–10 yrs): CHF 110,000–135,000
- Technical director: CHF 130,000–180,000
- Partner in design office: CHF 150,000–250,000+ (variable on shares)
By employer type
- Design office (Pini, Lombardi, BG, Emch+Berger, Stucky): CHF 90,000–130,000 median
- Contractor (Implenia, Marti, Frutiger, CSC): CHF 95,000–140,000
- Public sector (SBB/CFF, OFROU, cantons): CHF 95,000–130,000 + job security
- Property developers / managers (Swiss Prime Site, Mobimo): CHF 105,000–150,000
- International (infrastructure consulting): CHF 120,000–180,000 + travel
By canton (intermediate median)
- Zurich: CHF 110,000
- Geneva: CHF 105,000–115,000
- Vaud (Lausanne EPFL): CHF 105,000
- Bern (federal CFF/OFROU): CHF 100,000–115,000
- Basel: CHF 105,000
- Ticino: CHF 85,000–95,000
High-value specialities
- Concrete/steel structures (high-rise, bridges): +5–15%
- Geotechnics, engineering geology: +10%
- Hydraulics, water management: +5–10%
- BIM (Revit, ArchiCAD, Navisworks): +5–15%
- Site management (site engineer, works supervisor): +5–12%
CCT and perks
The civil engineering CCT (CN) sets minimum wages for workers and technicians, not for engineers. For management: individual negotiation. Common perks: company car (senior PM), phone/internet allowance, funded continuing education (CAS/MAS EPFL/HES).
Tips
- To boost salary 15–25%: switch from design office to general contractor or developer
- BIM and project management CAS/MAS at EPFL/HES are the most profitable
- swissengineering.ch publishes an annual official salary survey