Swiss Engineering sees falling wages for engineers
Engineers and architects earn an average of CHF 112,000 per year, according to the latest salary survey by Swiss Engineering. According to the salary survey, salaries are slightly lower than in the previous year.
Be to adjust the wages good staff. (Image: depositphotos)
The results of the Swiss Engineering salary survey show that the salaries of engineers and architects are stagnating. The 4,858 participants in the Swiss Engineering salary survey earn an average of CHF 112,000, which is even slightly less than in the previous year (CHF 113,000).
Despite a proven shortage of engineers, employers seem unable to adjust wages to the scarce supply. That this has fatal consequences is shown in the recently published study by Swiss Engineering and economiesuisse on the subject of the shortage of engineers (dossierpolitik No. 5/2017). In it, engineers and architects cite salary in third place as the reason why they have turned to another field of work and no longer work in their learned profession.
Possible countermeasures on the part of employers and employees are outlined in the study.
Engineers and architects are "faithful
For many engineers and architects, the last job change was some time ago. 12 % of all respondents started a new job in 2016 or the current year, a further 18 % no more than four years ago. Yet not every job change leads to an improvement in income. Two-thirds earned more after their last change. One in four is currently thinking about a (new) career change.
Half of all survey respondents have never discussed a potential raise with their supervisor at their current job.
Good opportunities for graduates
Graduates find their first job very quickly after graduation, earning an average of CHF 80,700. However, the differences between the various sectors and disciplines are considerable. Architects, for example, can expect a significantly lower starting salary of CHF 66,000 on average. Computer engineers receive the highest starting salary at an average of CHF 88,000.
Startup employees assume wage losses
Those who work in a startup are obviously betting on the future and in some cases also accepting a drop in pay. More than a third of startup employees earn less than they did at their former job. At CHF 98,800, the median salary in startups is significantly lower than the overall mean of all salaries. 40 % of all startup employees are not satisfied with their current salary.
