Wage increase after completion of the "Retail Trade Specialist" course
Completing the Federal Professional Examination as a retail trade specialist opens up the following opportunitiesNew management and special tasks, which are reflected in a noticeable salary increase- an investment in your continuing education, further training that pays off both professionally and financially.
Criteria such as industry, region, employer, education, professional experience and age play a decisive role in the development of the salary. We are happy to help you with the calculation with an example retail specialist salary.
Example calculation for retail specialist salary
A 25-year-old retail trade specialist in continuing education, further training earns around CHF 4,408 per month in the retail trade sector in the Zurich area. After passing the Federal Professional Examination as a retail trade specialist, he takes on specialist tasks and is promoted to a higher pay grade.His salary thus increases to CHF 4,941 - and even to CHF 5,563 if he is a manager.
Calculate your salary opportunities with just a few clicks using the federal salary calculator. This will give you an idea of how much you can earn after completing the course leading to the Federal Certificate of Competence in Retail Specialist.
Click below on "Salarium - statistical wage calculator" (at source) and then on the "Calculate wages" button:
- Step 1: Enter your region / place of work (e.g. Zurich)
- Step 2: Enter your industry (47 Retail trade)
- Step 3: Enter the occupational group (52 sales staff)
- Step 4: Position in the company - select "Without management function"
- Step 5: Weekly hours 42
- Step 6: Training: Completed vocational training
- Step 7: Enter your age (e.g. 25 years)
- Step 8: Enter further optional information (if available and desired)
The basic salary in our calculation is CHF 4,408. To calculate the salary with the completed continuing education, further training as a retail specialist, go back to the "Training" section and select "Higher vocational training / College of Higher Education". This gives you a new average salary of CHF 4,941. As many graduates move into a lower or middle management position after completing the course, you can enter "Lower management" under "Position in company". This results in an average salary of CHF 5,563.
Note: The calculation is intended as an example and is always a rounded figure. As mentioned above, the salary depends on various factors and sometimes varies greatly.
Source:"Federal Statistical Office, FSO"
Note: This sample calculation refers to the data from Salarium (end of 2024). You can find informationhere. A list of other payroll calculator tools is availablehere.
Example retail specialist with Federal Diploma of Higher Education: CHF 1.06 million more salary until retirement
Florian works as a retail specialist in an organic grocery store in Küssnacht. He is 23 years old and likes to advise customers on choosing the right products from the wide range to suit their specific dietary needs and requirements. Florian himself is gluten intolerant and has a wheat allergy. Organic food is important to him for health reasons and because it is sustainable. He enjoys direct contact with people and has a flair for organic food trends. He uses his creativity to showcase products for promotions and seasonal exhibitions and his window displays are well received by customers. They also attract new customers to the organic store. Florian also actively supports his store manager with product procurement and sales evaluations. His dream is to run his own organic grocery store. To achieve this, Florian started his continuing education, further training to become a retail specialist with a federal certificate. The Federal Professional Examination in Retail will provide him with sound theoretical knowledge and practical skills in procurement, logistics, sales, management, leadership and marketing. This will secure him a challenging management position in the retail sector, better prospects on the job market and higher earning potential.
Financial benefits of continuing education, further training as a retail specialist
As a retail specialist, Florian will receive CHF 2,248 more per month than before and will therefore have at least CHF 1.06 million more at his disposal by the time he retires than if he had not done any continuing education, further training.
As this theoretical calculation does not take into account any further salary increases, promotions or interest on savings, the salary can still increase significantly.
Continuing education, further training retail specialist FPE: CHF 12'595.20
- 18 months part-time
- Loss of salary due to a reduced workload of 90%: 18 x CHF 426.4 = CHF 7,675.2
- School fees, documents: CHF 7,740 minus CHF 3,870 federal contribution = CHF 3,870
- Exam fee: CHF 1'050
- Total training costs: CHF 12'595.20
Salary difference and return calculation: CHF 1,066,445
- Difference in salary between the position of Federal VET Diploma retail specialist and the position of retail specialist: CHF 6,512 - CHF 4,264 = CHF 2,248 per month and CHF 26,976 per year (12 x CHF 2,248 = CHF 26,976)
- He recoups the total training costs of CHF 16,260 with the higher salary as a retail specialist in around 6 months (CHF 12,595.20 / CHF 2,248 per month = 5.6 months)
- In the remaining 40 years until his retirement (25 to 65), this additional income will add up to CHF 1,079,040 (40 x CHF 26,976 = CHF 1,079,040)
- If the training costs are deducted from this additional income, an additional sum of around CHF 1,066,445 remains at his disposal(CHF 1'079'040 - CHF 12'595.20= CHF 1'066'444.8)
The training costs correspond to an average of the courses offered in German-speaking Switzerland.
The wages were calculated in the federal wage calculatorwww.salarium.chwith the following settings:
Calculations as a retail trade specialist Federal VET Diplomabefore the Federal Professional Examination: CHF 4'264
- Region: Central Switzerland
- Sector: 47 Retail trade
- Occupational group: 52 Sales staff
- Position in the company: Level 5 without management function
- Hours per week: 42 hours
- Education: Completed vocational training
- Age: 23 years
- Years of service: not specified
- Company size: less than 20 employees
- 12/13 monthly salary: 13 monthly salary (converted pro rata to 12 salaries)
- Special payments: no
- Monthly / hourly wage: Monthly wage
- Result:Central value (median) ofCHF 4'264
Calculationsafter the Federal Professional Examination "Retail Trade Specialist": CHF 6,512
- Region: Central Switzerland
- Sector: 47 Retail trade
- Occupational group: 52 Sales staff
- Position in the company: Level 1 + 2 Upper and middle management
- Hours per week: 42 hours
- Education: Higher vocational training, College of Higher Education
- Age: 25 years
- Years of service: not specified
- Company size: less than 20 employees
- 12/13 monthly salary: 13 monthly salary (converted pro rata to 12 salaries)
- Special payments: no
- Monthly / hourly wage: Monthly wage
- Result:Central value (median) ofCHF 6'512
(All figures as at October 2022)
Find an educational institution that offers the "Retail trade specialist" course here:
