Salary increase after completing the "Social pedagogue (CHE)" degree program
The salary development of graduates of continuing education, further training as a social pedagogue (CHE) shows thanks to the College of Higher Education degreenormally a clear increase.With the federal government's salary calculator, you can calculate your personal salary opportunities with just a few clicks. This will give you an idea of how much you could earn after completing the CHE Social Pedagogy course.
Important salary criteria
Your personal salary opportunities as a Social Pedagogue (CHE) depend on various criteria such as the industry, the region, your employer, your previous training, your professional experience and your age.
We have calculated a case for you as an example: A 26-year-old care specialist earns around CHF 4,958 per month in the Zurich area. After completing the College of Higher Education in Social Pedagogy, her salary as a social pedagogue CHE increases significantly.
However, you can calculate the potential salary increase with the "Salarium" salary calculator. It works like this.
Click on "Salarium - statistical wage calculator" under Source and then on the "Calculate wages" button:
- Region: Select your region / place of work (Zurich in the example)
- Sector: 88 Social services
- Occupational group: Enter "Social pedagogue CHE" and Salarium will suggest the corresponding occupational group: 34 Legal, social, cultural and related professionals
- Position in the company: Level 5: Without management function
- Hours per week: 42
- Education: Higher vocational training, College of Higher Education
- Age: Your estimated age after completing the continuing education, further training (26 in the example)
- 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: 13 monthly salaries (converted pro rata to 12 salaries)
- Special payments: No
- Monthly/hourly wage: Monthly wage
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 in our calculation for a social pedagogue CHE is CHF 6,041 per month.
Note: The figures you get here are statistical averages. This means that your actual future salary may differ slightly - but you can get an idea of where it will be.
Example of a social pedagogue with a federally recognized diploma: CHF 1.16 million more salary until retirement
23-year-old Michelle works as a Federal VET Diploma childcare specialist at a daycare center in Thun. She enjoys looking after the children in everyday situations and helping them with their homework. Together with other childcare professionals, Michelle creates a structured daily routine for the children, accompanies them during the day and promotes their holistic development. Her patience, high resilience and strong sense of responsibility are well received by parents and supervisors. The children also love Michelle and her even-tempered and upbeat manner. She would like to deepen her knowledge of social pedagogy by training as a social pedagogue CHE and take over the management of a daycare center. After completing the federally recognized diploma, Michelle will be able to take on the management role and work closely with childcare professionals, parents and other authorities. The CHE diploma in social pedagogy provides in-depth specialist knowledge, leadership skills and business management knowledge. After training as a social pedagogue, Michelle can also imagine entering the field of family support after a few years of experience as a daycare center manager. The continuing education, further training has definitely given her good opportunities for further development in the field of social pedagogy and better earning potential.
Financial benefits of continuing education, further training as a social pedagogue
As a project manager, Michelle will receive CHF 2,626 more per month than before and will therefore have at least CHF 1.16 million more at her disposal by the time she retires than if she had not completed this continuing education, further training (CHE).
As no further salary increases, promotions or interest on savings are taken into account in this theoretical calculation for "Social pedagogue (CHE)", the salary can still increase significantly.
Continuing education, further training as a social pedagogue CHE: CHF 66,210
- 3 years, part-time with integrated internships
- No training costs in accordance with the HFSV agreement (costs covered by the canton where you have lived and worked for at least 2 years)
- Fee for studies, lessons, teaching materials and registration: CHF 11,100
- Loss of earnings during the two years of full-time study: CHF 142,812 (3 x 12 x CHF 3,967)
- Internship salary: CHF 87,702 (3 x CHF 29,234 - 60% workload)
- Total training costs: CHF 66,210 (costs of social pedagogue training plus loss of wages minus internship wages = CHF 11,100 + CHF 142,812 - CHF 87,702)
Salary difference and return on investment calculation Social pedagogue (CHE): CHF 1,163,000
- Difference in salary between the position of Federal VET Diploma care specialist and the position of CHE social pedagogue: CHF 6,593 - CHF 3,967 = CHF 2,626 per month and CHF 31,512 per year (12 x CHF 2,626 = CHF 31,512)
- She recoups the total training costs of CHF 66,210 in just over two years with her higher salary as a social pedagogue CHE (CHF 66,210 / CHF 2,626 per month = 25.2 months)
- In the remaining 39 years until their retirement (26 to 65), this additional income will add up to CHF 1,228,968 (39 x CHF 31,512 = CHF 1,228,968)
- If the training costs are deducted from this additional income, an additional sum of around CHF 1,163,000 remains at her disposal(CHF 1'228'968 - CHF 66'210 = CHF 1'162'758)
The costs for social pedagogue training correspond to an average of the social pedagogue (CHE) courses offered in German-speaking Switzerland.
The wages were calculated in the federal wage calculatorwww.salarium.chwith the following settings:
Calculations as a care specialist Federal VET Diplomabefore the College of Higher Education: CHF 3,967
- Region: Espace Mittelland
- Sector: 88 Social services (excluding nursing homes)
- Occupational group: 53 care professions
- 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: 13 monthly wages
- Result:Central value (median) ofCHF 3'967
Calculationsafter the CHE degree in social pedagogy: CHF 6,593
- Region: Espace Mittelland
- Sector: 88 Social services (excluding nursing homes)
- 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: College of Higher Education
- Age: 26 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 6'593
(All figures as at November 2022)
Find an educational institution that offers the "Social pedagogue (CHE)" course here:
