Wage increase after completing the "Counselor in the psychosocial field (AFPE)" counselor training course
TheSalary of graduates of an Advanced Federal Professional Examination (AFPE)- such as a counselor in the psychosocial field -increases after continuing education, further trainingusually. Mostly also due to a management position and assumption of more responsible tasks after the consultant training with a federal diploma.
You can calculate your salary opportunities with just a few clicks using the federal government's salary calculator. This will give you an idea of the salary increase you could expect after completing the "Counselor in the psychosocial field (AFPE)" course.
Criteria such as the industry, region and the specific employer as well as your personal characteristics such as education, professional experience and age play a decisive role in calculating consultant training. We would be happy to show you the calculation using an example.
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 (e.g. 86 Healthcare)
- Step 3: Enter the following for professional group: 34. legal, social, cultural and related professionals
- Step 4: Position in the company - Select "Without management function"
- Step 5: Weekly hours 42
- Step 6: Training: Higher vocational training
- Step 7: Enter your age (e.g. 27 years)
- Step 8: Enter further optional information (if available and desired)
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.
The example salary of a consultant in the psychosocial field in our calculation is CHF 6,942. Now go back to the point "Position in the company" and select "Level 3+4 lower management", which results in a new average salary of CHF 7,509. If the management level after the consultant training even increases to "Level 1+2 upper and middle management", the salary is even CHF 8,8613.
Please note:The calculation is intended as an example of a counselor in the psychosocial field (AFPE). As mentioned above, the salary after the counselor training depends on various factors and sometimes varies greatly.
Example of a counselor in the psychosocial field with a federal diploma: CHF 941,000 more salary until retirement
Sandra works as a specialist in psychiatric nursing and care in psychiatric nursing at a private clinic in Sarnen. The 23-year-old enjoys caring for and looking after people with mental impairments. Sandra helps clients to organize their daily lives and deal with the effects of their personal illness. In everyday life, she demonstrates a high sense of responsibility, empathy, resilience and communication skills. Sandra recognizes and promotes the clients' resources in order to strengthen their independence. She helps to draw up, develop and evaluate the respective care plan. In the daily care process, Sandra documents the care work and formulates suggestions for adjustments. She also manages the relationship with relatives competently and professionally. She is convinced that she can use artistic means to support her work in psychiatric care in a meaningful way. Sandra would like to deepen her knowledge in the psychosocial field and take on a leadership role. To this end, she is attending the AFPE course for counselors in the psychosocial field. With this federal diploma in the psychosocial field, Sandra can focus on and solve problems in personal discussions with people seeking advice. This can involve individual, couple, family or group counseling. Sandra can help in stressful life situations, crises or conflicts. To do this, she asks about the personal life situation, evaluates it in detail and weighs it up. From this, Sandra derives the appropriate approach and main objectives in order to develop a structured counseling plan in terms of content and time. In the counseling process after building trust, she adapts to the client in a situational, individual and creative way. By encouraging personal responsibility and supporting the client's efforts, Sandra works with them to develop their patterns of behavior and experience, thereby improving their personal well-being. She uses different counseling approaches such as person-centered, body- or process-oriented methods. Sandra has increased her salary as well as her market value through her counselor training and Advanced Federal Professional Examination (AFPE). She has also gained numerous new opportunities for further development, such as running her own practice or gaining access to a Bachelor's degree at a University of Applied Sciences.
Financial benefits of counselor training Counselor in the psychosocial field
As a consultant in the psychosocial field, Sandra will receive CHF 1,921 more per month than before the consultant training and will therefore have at least CHF 941,000 more at her disposal by the time she retires than if she had not taken this continuing education, Advanced Federal Professional Examination (AFPE).
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 in psychosocial counseling AFPE: CHF 4,490
- 11 months, part-time
- School fees, documents: CHF 2,580 minus CHF 1,290 federal contribution = CHF 1,290
- Examination fee: CHF 3'200
- Total training costs: CHF 4'490
Difference in salary and return calculation: CHF 940,642
- Difference in salary between the position as a specialist in psychiatric nursing and care and the position as a counselor in the psychosocial field: CHF 7,961 - CHF 6,040 = CHF 1,921 per month and CHF 23,052 per year (12 x CHF 1,921 = CHF 23,052)
- She recoups the entire cost of the counselor training of CHF 4,490 in just under 3 months with her higher salary as a counselor in the psychosocial field (CHF 4,490/ CHF 1,921 per month = 2.6 months)
- In the remaining 41 years until their retirement (24 to 65), this additional income will add up to CHF 945,132 (41 x CHF 23,052 = CHF 945,132)
- If we deduct the costs of the consultant training from this additional income, this leaves an additional sum of around CHF 940,642 available to the company(CHF 945'132 - CHF 4'490 = CHF 940'642)
The training costs correspond to an average of the courses offered in German-speaking Switzerland.
Wages were calculated in the federal wage calculator www.salarium.ch with the following settings:
Calculations Specialist in psychiatric nursing and carewith Federal Professional Examination (AFPE): CHF 6,040
- Region: Central Switzerland
- Industry: 86 Healthcare
- Occupational group: 32 Healthcare assistants
- Position in the company: Level 5 without management function
- Hours per week: 42 hours
- Education: Higher vocational training
- Age: 23 years
- Years of service: not specified
- Company size: 50 and more 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 6'040
Calculations after the consultant trainingwith Advanced Federal Professional Examination (AFPE) in psychosocial counseling: CHF 7,961
- Region: Central Switzerland
- Industry: 86 Healthcare
- Professional group: 26 Lawyers, social scientists and cultural professions
- Position in the company: Level 1+2 Upper and middle management
- Hours per week: 42 hours
- Education: Higher vocational training
- Age: 24 years
- Years of service: not specified
- Company size: 50 and more 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 7'961
(All figures as at November 2022)
Find here an educational institute that offers the course Counselor in the psychosocial field (AFPE):
To the offers "Counselor training (cert.)" and "Counselor in the psychosocial field (AFPE)"
