Wage after completion of the UAS degree program "Physiotherapy Bachelor (UAS)"
The Bachelor's degree in Physiotherapy UAS certifies that you have the professional competence to carry out physiotherapy treatments independently. This will enable you to find employment in a physiotherapy facility and aspire to a position in the medical management of a clinic. You can also set up your own physiotherapy practice.
Criteria for wages
You can calculate your salary prospects using figures from the Federal Statistical Office. Your personal salary prospects depend on various criteria such as the region, your employer, your previous training, your professional experience and your age. However, you can calculate your potential salary increase using the "Salarium" salary calculator. We have calculated an example for you to show you how it works.
A 26-year-old trained medical practice assistant works in the secretarial department of a large acute hospital in the Aarau region, where she earns around CHF 5,558 per month. She then decides to study for a bachelor's degree in physiotherapy. After completing her studies, she is 30 years old and gets a job in the same hospital in the therapy department, takes on the relevant tasks and thus moves up into a different, higher salary bracket. Her monthly salary is now CHF 7,175, which corresponds to aWage increase ofCHF 1'617 orcorresponds to around 22.5 %.
Click on the "Calculate salary" button at Source and enter the following data:
- Region: Select your region / place of work (in the example Northwestern Switzerland)
- Sector: Select "86 Healthcare"
- Occupational group: Enter "Physiotherapist UAS" and Salarium will suggest the corresponding occupational group: 22 Specialists in health professions (previously no. 32)
- Position in the company: without management function
- Hours per week: 42
- Education: University of Applied Sciences (previously completed vocational training)
- Age: Your estimated age after completing the continuing education, further training (in the example 30, previously 26)
- Years of service: Your number of years of service (0 in the example)
- Company size: In the example 50 and more employees
- 12/13 monthly salary: 12 monthly salaries
- Special payments: No
- Monthly/hourly wage: Monthly wage
Source:"Federal Statistical Office, FSO"
Note: This example calculation is based on Salarium data (end of 2024). A list of other salary calculator tools is availablehere.
Please 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.
Example of a physiotherapist UAS with a Bachelor's degree: CHF 577,000 more salary until retirement
Jan works as a commercial clerk in the complaints department of an electrical wholesaler in Bern. Although he is able to interact with people on a daily basis and benefit from his good communication skills, the contact often takes place over the phone and is associated with problems, anger and dissatisfaction on his part. At the age of 23, he wants to fundamentally change his life. He wants to work as a physiotherapist in direct contact with people in order to tackle their health problems together, promote their rehabilitation and maintain their mobility. In this way, he can actively contribute to preventive healthcare together with his patients. To be able to work professionally as a physiotherapist, Jan would like to complete a Bachelor's degree in physiotherapy at a University of Applied Sciences. To this end, he was able to successfully complete his declaration of aptitude thanks to his Federal Vocational Baccalaureate and then started his two-month nursing internship, where he demonstrated a high sense of responsibility. He was enthusiastic about working as a physiotherapist and began his UAS studies full of anticipation. His pronounced manual dexterity and enjoyment of practical work were also an advantage for him in his later internships as a physiotherapist. At the age of 28, Jan was finally able to start his new career in physiotherapy as a qualified physiotherapist in a rehabilitation clinic.
Financial benefits of the Bachelor's degree program in Physiotherapy UAS
After his degree in physiotherapy, Jan will receive CHF 1,769 more per month than before and will therefore have at least CHF 577,000 more at his disposal by the time he retires than if he had not studied.
As this theoretical calculation does not take into account any further salary increases, promotions or interest on savings, the salary can still increase significantly.
UAS degree course in physiotherapy: CHF 273,878
- 4 years of full-time study, integrated internships
- Admission costs (registration, aptitude test, enrollment): CHF 550
- Tuition costs (tuition fees, semester fees and other costs): CHF 9,000
- Loss of earnings during the four years of full-time study: CHF 289,328 (4 x 13 x CHF 5,564)
- Internship wages during training: CHF 25,000
- Total training costs: CHF 273,878 (training costs plus lost wages minus internship wages = CHF 550 + CHF 9,000 + CHF 289,328 - CHF 25,000)
Difference in salary and return calculation: CHF 577,011
- Difference in salary between the position as a businessman and the position as a physiotherapist: CHF 7,333 - CHF 5,564 = CHF 1,769 per month and CHF 22,997 per year (13 x CHF 1,769 = CHF 22,997)
- He recoups the total training costs of CHF 273,878 in 11.9 years with his higher salary as a physiotherapist (CHF 273,878 / CHF 22,997 per year = 11.9 years)
- Over the remaining 37 years until retirement (28 to 65), this additional income will add up to CHF 850,889 (37 x CHF 22,997 = CHF 850,889)
- If the training costs are deducted from this additional income, an additional sum of around CHF 577,011 remains at his disposal(CHF 850'889 - CHF 273'878= CHF 577'011)
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 for Federal VET Diploma merchantswith Federal Vocational Baccalaureate before Bachelor's degree: CHF 5,564
- Region: Espace Mittelland
- Industry: 46 Wholesale
- Occupational group: 41 General office and secretarial 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: with 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 5'564
Calculationsafter the Bachelor's degree: CHF 7,333
- Region: Espace Mittelland
- Industry: 86 Healthcare
- Occupational group: 22 Academic and allied health professions
- Position in the company: Level 5 without management function
- Hours per week: 42 hours
- Education: University of Applied Sciences (UAS)
- Age: 28 years
- Years of service: not specified
- Company size: with 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 7'333
(All figures as at November 2022)
Find an educational institute that offers the UAS physiotherapist course here:
