Wage increase after completion of the "Sales Manager" course
Graduating as a sales manager with a federal diploma is preparation for taking on a higher management role, sometimes at management level. This is often associated with significant salary increases.Experience shows that after training as a sales manager, you can earn salary increases of up to 30% or even more in the first two years after graduation.
Wage development criteria
In individual cases, the development of the salary depends on the specific point in time and other criteria such as industry, region, company or previous education, professional experience and age of the applicant. Calculate your individual chances with the help of a salary calculator.
We are happy to show you an example of the calculation for a sales manager. A 29-year-old sales manager in continuing, further training earns around CHF 8,841 per month in the wholesale sector in Eastern Switzerland. After passing the Federal Professional Examination as a sales manager, he takes on management tasks and is promoted to a higher salary group. This increases his salary to CHF 10,978.
Click on "Salarium - statistical wage calculator" under Source and then on the "Calculate wages" button:
- Step 1: Enter your region / place of work (e.g. Eastern Switzerland)
- Step 2: Enter your industry (e.g. 46 Wholesale)
- Step 3: Enter "11-14 managers" for the occupational group
- 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. 29 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 in our calculation is CHF 8,841.
Now go back to the item "Position in the company" and select "Upper and middle management", resulting in a new average salary of CHF 10,978.
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 sales manager with a federal diploma: CHF 562,000 more salary until retirement
26-year-old Maria works as a retail specialist in a fashion store for women's underwear in Sarnen. She loves giving personal advice to her customers and is delighted when they are happy with their choice of underwear. Customers appreciate her empathetic and patient manner and her knowledge of how to choose the right underwear for their body shape. Maria would soon like to take on a management role in women's fashion sales. She would like to gain the ability to manage a sales department professionally and develop sales concepts and sales strategies independently through continuing education, further training as a sales manager. By gaining a holistic understanding of leadership and additional sales knowledge, Maria can make a significant contribution to the success of the business in a sales manager role. After training as a sales manager with a federal diploma, she will have better salary prospects and development opportunities.
Financial benefits of continuing education, further training for sales managers
As a sales manager, Maria will receive CHF 1,369 more per month than before and will therefore have at least CHF 562,000 more at her disposal by the time she retires than if she had not taken this continuing education, further training and 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 Sales Manager AFPE: CHF 12,550
- 12 months part-time
- School fees, documents: CHF 17,550 minus CHF 8,400 federal contribution = CHF 9,150
- Examination fee: CHF 3'400
- Total training costs: CHF 12,550
Difference in salary and return calculation: CHF 562,430
- Difference in salary between the position as a retail specialist and the position as a sales manager: CHF 5,930 - CHF 4,561 = CHF 1,369 per month and CHF 16,428 per year (12 x CHF 1,369 = CHF 16,428)
- She recoups the entire sales manager training costs of CHF 12,550 in just over 9 months with her higher salary as a sales manager (CHF 12,550 / CHF 1,369 per month = 9.2 months)
- In the remaining 35 years until their retirement (27 to 65), this additional income will add up to CHF 574,980 (35 x CHF 16,428 = CHF 574,980)
- If the training costs are deducted from this additional income, an additional sum of around CHF 562,430 remains at her disposal(CHF 574'980 - CHF 12'550 = CHF 562'430)
The sales manager 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 with a federal certificate of competencebefore the Advanced Federal Professional Examination (AFPE): CHF 4,561
- 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: Higher vocational training
- 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 4'561
CalculationsAfter the Advanced Federal Professional Examination (AFPE) for sales managers: CHF 5,930
- 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
- Age: 27 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 5'930
(All figures as at October 2022)
Find an educational institute that offers the Sales Manager course here:
