SDG indicator 8.5.1: Average hourly earnings of employees in Switzerland
Switzerland: SDG indicator 8.5.1: Average hourly earnings of employees was 48.11 in 2025. ▲ Rising
SDG indicator 8.5.1: Average hourly earnings of employees in Switzerland, 2000–2025
Source: International Labour Organization.
Analysis
In 2025, sdg indicator 8.5.1: average hourly earnings of employees in Switzerland stood at 48.11. That is the highest value across all 26 years on record.
That represents a change of up 2.7% on the previous year and up 15.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, sdg indicator 8.5.1: average hourly earnings of employees in Switzerland peaked at 48.11 in 2025 and was at its lowest, 33.63, in 2000.
That places Switzerland 38th out of 68 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 26 years of available data.
SDG indicator 8.5.1: Average hourly earnings of employees in Switzerland, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 33.63 | — |
| 2001 | 34.28 | +1.9% |
| 2002 | 35.43 | +3.4% |
| 2003 | 35.87 | +1.2% |
| 2004 | 35.19 | -1.9% |
| 2005 | 35.46 | +0.8% |
| 2006 | 35.36 | -0.3% |
| 2007 | 37.12 | +5.0% |
| 2008 | 37.81 | +1.9% |
| 2009 | 38.45 | +1.7% |
| 2010 | 38.12 | -0.9% |
| 2011 | 38.5 | +1.0% |
| 2012 | 39.2 | +1.8% |
| 2013 | 40.32 | +2.9% |
| 2014 | 41.97 | +4.1% |
| 2015 | 41.75 | -0.5% |
| 2016 | 40.8 | -2.3% |
| 2017 | 41.64 | +2.1% |
| 2018 | 42.52 | +2.1% |
| 2019 | 43.21 | +1.6% |
| 2020 | 46.76 | +8.2% |
| 2021 | 46.16 | -1.3% |
| 2022 | 45.12 | -2.3% |
| 2023 | 46.06 | +2.1% |
| 2024 | 46.84 | +1.7% |
| 2025 | 48.11 | +2.7% |
Switzerland compared with similar countries
- Switzerland's 48.11 is above the median for high income countries, which is 32.71, 1.5× the median. (23 countries reporting)
- Switzerland's 48.11 is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 21.67, 2.2× the median. (19 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 35.86 | 33.63 | 38.45 | 10 |
| 2010s | 40.8 | 38.12 | 43.21 | 10 |
| 2020s | 46.51 | 45.12 | 48.11 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Switzerland
More work & labour data for Switzerland
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual 0.0651 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth 0.0485 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth 0.0817 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -1.4 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 0.6452 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 8,038 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 1,842 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 4,568 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 4,558 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 9,126 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is sdg indicator 8.5.1: average hourly earnings of employees in Switzerland?
- Sdg indicator 8.5.1: average hourly earnings of employees in Switzerland was 48.11 in 2025, according to International Labour Organization.
- What is the highest sdg indicator 8.5.1: average hourly earnings of employees recorded in Switzerland?
- The highest recorded value was 48.11 in 2025.
- What is the lowest sdg indicator 8.5.1: average hourly earnings of employees recorded in Switzerland?
- The lowest recorded value was 33.63 in 2000.
- How does Switzerland rank for sdg indicator 8.5.1: average hourly earnings of employees?
- Switzerland ranks 38th out of 68 countries with data for 2025.
- Is sdg indicator 8.5.1: average hourly earnings of employees rising or falling in Switzerland?
- Over the last ten years it is up 15.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Switzerland data come from?
- The figures come from International Labour Organization, published as part of SDG indicator 8.5.1: Average hourly earnings of employees (previous ILO definition - ICLS13). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 26 observations, free to reuse under ILO Terms of Use (attribution required).
About this data
Data may differ from nationally reported figures and the Global SDG Indicators Database due to differences in sources and/or reference years. This indicator presents data by sex on employees' average hourly earnings. The concept of earnings, as applied in wage statistics, relates to gross remuneration in cash and in kind paid to employees, as a rule at regular intervals, for time worked or work done together with remuneration for time not worked, such as annual vacation, other type of paid leave or holidays. Earnings exclude employers' contributions in respect of their employees paid to social security and pension schemes and also the benefits received by employees under these schemes. Earnings also exclude severance and termination pay. Data are also disaggregated by occupation. Statistics on average hourly earnings by sex are the basis for the calculation of the gender pay gap. Data disaggregated by occupation are provided according to the latest version of the International Standard Classification of Occupations (ISCO). Data may have been regrouped from the national classifications, which may not be strictly compatible with ISCO. For more information, refer to the Labour Market-related SDG Indicators (ILOSDG) database description.