Wage gap UST 2024: fall to 15.7% in Switzerland

Context

In a nutshell

• UST 2024 wage gap: 15.7%, down from 16.2% in 2022
• In the private sector 17.2% (2022: 17.5%); in the public sector 12.8% (2022: 13.8%)
• Unexplained component: 6.5% (640 CHF gross monthly), from 7.0% (657 CHF)
• Financial and insurance: gap of 30.6%, unexplained component 1,506 CHF

Key facts

• What: Gross wage gap between women and men in Switzerland
• When: Data 2024, published today; comparison with 2022, 2020 and 2018
• Where: Switzerland, with private and public sector articulation
• Who: Federal Statistical Office (FSO); Keystone-ATS news agency
• Total amount: 15.7% (2024) versus 16.2% (2022)
• Private sector: 17.2% (2024) versus 17.5% (2022), 19.5% (2020), 19.6% (2018)
• Public sector: 12.8% (2024) versus 13.8% (2022), 15.1% (2020), 18.1% (2018)
• Unexplained component: 6.5% (2024) equal to CHF 640 gross/month, compared to 7.0% and CHF 657 (2022)

The wage gap between women and men in Switzerland continues to narrow: in 2024 it stood at 15.7%, down from 16.2% in 2022. This is what emerges from the latest report published by the Federal Statistical Office (FSO), taken from the Keystone-ATS news agency. The photograph taken at the end of 2024 confirms a dynamic of progressive compression of the pay differences between the sexes, which nevertheless remain significant in both the private and public sectors.

The comparison between private and public

The gap remains more marked in the sector

Operational details

Unexplained Component: What Remains 'Without Justification'

The FSO report examines the portion of the pay gap that cannot be traced back to observable structural factors. In 2024, this component stood at 6.5% of salary, equivalent to 640 gross francs per month. Two years earlier it was 7.0%, amounting to 657 francs. The reduction cuts across both major sectors: in the private sector the unexplained part was 6.7%, i.e. 644 francs per month, compared with 7.2% and 653 francs in 2022; in the public sector it was 5.9%, or 574 francs per month on average, versus 6.7% and 623 francs in 2022. This is the share that, according to the FSO definition, cannot be statistically attributed to differences in education, seniority, or hierarchical position.

Where the Gap Is Widest

The differences are particularly evident in specific sectors. The unexplained component amounted to 191 francs in accommodation and food services, 606 francs in retail, 829 francs in the manufacture of machinery and equipment, and 1,506 francs in financial and insurance activities. The latter figure is roughly 2.4 times higher than that of the manufacturing sector and almost eight times higher than that of accommodation and food services. For workers in the financial and insurance sector, the residual gap is therefore the largest in absolute value.

Company Size, Hierarchy, Age

More generally, the unexplained component of the pay gap is more pronounced in small businesses. It also tends to increase with hierarchical level: the higher you climb within a company, the larger the gap. The difference also widens as the age of employees increases. Finally, the FSO found differences based on marital status. Among unmarried employees, the unexplained component of the pay gap was 2.7% in 2024, compared with 2.8% in 2022. Among married individuals it reached 8.1%, versus 8.8% in 2022.

Implications for Those Working in Switzerland

For those employed in Switzerland, this figure fits into a labour market context in which pay differences are also measured against the cost of living and pension contributions. An unexplained component of 640 gross francs per month has a direct impact on AVS/LPP contributions paid, on the calculation of future pensions, and on the capacity to save. Those earning higher salaries — for example in the financial and insurance sector, where the unexplained component exceeds 1,500 francs — suffer the most significant absolute loss, even if in percentage terms the public sector remains the one with the historically highest structural share.

'Before and After' Scenario

Between 2022 and 2024 the reduction was 0.5 percentage points in the overall figure (from 16.2% to 15.7%), 0.3 points in the private sector (from 17.5% to 17.2%), and 1.0 point in the public sector (from 13.8% to 12.8%). The overall gap between the private and public sectors remains wide (4.4 percentage points in 2024), but the public sector has reduced the gap more markedly than the private sector. Want to simulate the impact on your payslip? Use the Frontaliere Ticino salary calculator.

Useful planning tools

To estimate your pension strategy, use the pension planner and the pillar 3 simulator.

Key points

What the FSO report says (and what it doesn't say)

The report published today by the Federal Statistical Office captures the gross wage gap between women and men in 2024, broken down by sector, occupational category, company size, hierarchical level, age, and marital status. The central figure is 15.7% overall, down from 16.2% in 2022. The unexplained component, amounting to 6.5% and 640 CHF gross per month, is the portion that statistically cannot be attributed to education, years of service, or hierarchical position.

What to do concretely about your salary

For those working in Switzerland, the FSO report is a useful reference point to assess your own pay position and to start a dialogue with your employer. Here is an operational four-step procedure, based exclusively on the report's data and on verified contextual information.

1. Compare your occupational category. The report indicates the gap by sector: accommodation and food services 7.9%, retail trade 16.9%, manufacture of machinery and equipment 17.2%, financial and insurance activities 30.6%. If you work in one of these sectors, you have an immediate benchmark. 2. Isolate the 'unexplained' portion. For the sectors mentioned, the report provides absolute values: 191 CHF in accommodation and food services, 606 CHF in retail trade, 829 CHF in the manufacture of machinery and equipment, 1,506 CHF in financial and insurance activities. These are gross CHF per month that cannot be attributed to structural differences. 3. Cross-reference the data with contributions. A wage difference of 640 CHF gross per month also affects OASI/DI/IC contributions (5.3% employee share) and unemployment/short-time work rates (1.1% up to the ceiling), as well as the coordinated salary basis LPP for occupational pension provision. Check the pension impact with our tools. 4. Assess the company context. The report notes that the unexplained component is more pronounced in small businesses, increases with hierarchical level, and becomes more marked with age and among married staff (8.1%) compared to unmarried staff (2.7%).

Where to find the data and how to use it

The full report is published by the FSO and covered by Keystone-ATS. For those who want to simulate the effect of a wage difference on net salary and contributions, the Frontaliere Ticino salary calculator is available, allowing you to enter gross amounts and compare scenarios. Open the salary calculator. If you want to learn more about the topic of tax filing in relation to employment income, consult the tax return guide.

Newsletter and updates

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Source: swissinfo.ch