Average Private Detective / Investigator Salary in Switzerland for 2024

In this article, we will look at the average Private Detective / Investigator salary for 2024 in Switzerland and how that compares to other countries and professions. We'll also look at interesting salary data points like median salary, 25th and 75th percentile salaries, salary amounts based on experience, bonus ranges and more!

The data in this article has been compiled using official government salary data, salary surveys, and other sources such as job postings which contain salary information.

All salary information is in the local currency, which is the Swiss franc. To keep things simple, we are using the CHF currency code instead of the currency symbol Fr..

How Much Does a Private Detective / Investigator Make in Switzerland?

A Private Detective / Investigator working in Switzerland will typically earn around 139,100 CHF per year, and this can range from the lowest average salary of about 66,200 CHF to the highest average salary of 216,300 CHF.

Average Annual Salary
139,100 CHF
Average Monthly Salary
11,591 CHF

Lowest Annual Salary
66,200 CHF
Lowest Monthly Salary
5,516 CHF

Highest Annual Salary
216,300 CHF
Highest Monthly Salary
18,025 CHF

These are average salaries for a Private Detective / Investigator in Switzerland and include benefits such as housing and transport. It's also possible for a Private Detective / Investigator to earn more or less than the average salaries shown above.

Private Detective / Investigator salaries will vary a lot based on your experience, location, skills, and gender. Keep reading below to research more data on each of these areas.

Distribution of Private Detective / Investigator Salaries in Switzerland

So we've looked at the average salaries a Private Detective / Investigator will earn in Switzerland. The next interesting data point is the distribution of salaries.

Salary ranges

We already know that a Private Detective / Investigator can earn between 66,200 CHF and 216,300 CHF on average in Switzerland. This is known as the range in statistics.

The difference between the maximum and minimum values is a good indicator of variability in salaries, and can be used by employers to figure out how much they can expect to pay, and for employees to know how much they can earn.

Median salary

The median salary for a Private Detective / Investigator in Switzerland is 141,000 CHF. This is the middle value in the distribution of salaries.

What this means is that approximately 50% of the population earn less than 141,000 CHF, and 50% of the population earn more than 141,000 CHF.

If you are earning more than the median salary, that's a good indicator that you are being paid well.

If you're not earning more than the median salary, your objective should be to increase your earnings to be at least as high as the median salary (which you can do by asking for a pay rise, looking for a better paying job, etc).

Percentiles

Percentiles are similar to the median salary, but instead of looking at the middle value, they look at the values in the top and bottom half of the distribution.

For the average Private Detective / Investigator salary in Switzerland, 25% of the population are earning less than 93,800 CHF while 75% of the population earn more than 93,800 CHF.

75% of the population earn less than 182,400 CHF, and 25% of the population earn more than 182,400 CHF.

Like the median salary, the 25th and 75th percentile salaries can be used to determine which quartile you fall into so that you know whether you are being paid well enough compared to others in your profession and location.

The difference between a median and an average salary

The median and average salary are both indicators you can use to see if you are being paid fairly based on the overall population.

  • If your salary is higher than the average and the median salary, you are earning well compared to others.
  • If your salary is lower than the average and the median salary, it could indicate you are not being paid well enough.
  • If you are somewhere in between then it's tricky to determine if you are being paid well enough and you might need to research more closely.

Private Detective / Investigator Salary by Experience Level in Switzerland

The most important factor in determining your salary after the specific profession is the number of years experience you have. It stands to reason that more years of experience will result in a higher wage.

We have researched the average private detective / investigator salary based on years of experience to give you an idea of how the average changes once you've worked for a certain amount of time.

  • 0 - 2 Years Experience. A Private Detective / Investigator in Switzerland that has less than two years of experience can expect to earn somewhere in the region of 78,700 CHF.
  • 2 - 5 Years Experience. With two to five years of experience the average Private Detective / Investigator salary would increase to 102,700 CHF.
  • 5 - 10 Years Experience. From five to ten years of experience as a Private Detective / Investigator, the average salary would be 140,200 CHF.
  • 10 - 15 Years Experience. Once you have more than ten years of experience the average salary reaches around 175,200 CHF.
  • 15 - 20 Years Experience. A Private Detective / Investigator with 15 to 20 years of experience can earn an average of 189,800 CHF.
  • 20+ Years Experience. For a Private Detective / Investigator with more than 20 years, the expected average salary increases to 199,700 CHF.

Average Salary by Experience Chart

0-2 Years
78,700 CHF
2-5 Years +29%
102,700 CHF
5-10 Years +38%
140,200 CHF
10-15 Years +24%
175,200 CHF
15-20 Years +7%
189,800 CHF
20+ Years +7%
199,700 CHF

Private Detective / Investigator Salary by Education Level in Switzerland

As well as experience in a job, your education plays a big role in how much you can earn. A lot of higher paying positions require a high level of education, but how much can a degree increase your salary?

In our research we have compared the salaries of employees in the same job and career level with different levels of education to see how much more you can earn at each education level.

The salary you can earn based on your education is very specific to both your location and the career path you choose.

In our research, we looked at the average salary for a Private Detective / Investigator in Switzerland based on the education level of the employees in order to find out whether a better education level would increase your salary.

  • High School. A Private Detective / Investigator in Switzerland with a high school education can earn an average salary of 98,300 CHF.

  • Certificate or Diploma. A Private Detective / Investigator in Switzerland with a certificate or diploma education can earn an average salary of 116,400 CHF.

  • Bachelor's Degree. A Private Detective / Investigator in Switzerland with a bachelor's degree education can earn an average salary of 152,700 CHF.

  • Master's Degree. A Private Detective / Investigator in Switzerland with a master's degree education can earn an average salary of 193,400 CHF.

Average Salary by Education Chart

High School
98,300 CHF
Certificate or Diploma +15%
116,400 CHF
Bachelor's Degree +35%
152,700 CHF
Master's Degree +26%
193,400 CHF

How Much is a Master's Degree or MBA Program?

The approximate cost of a master's degree or post-graduate program like an MBA in Switzerland is around 51,600 to 155,000 CHF and takes two years to complete.

As you can see above, there are financial benefits from reaching master's degree level, but don't expect to see much of a salary increase until you have completed the degree.

It's common for people to pursue an MBA or other post-graduate program in order to switch to a a job that pays more. On average, you can expect to earn around 10% more when switching to a new company.

Whether you decide to pursue a master's degree depends on many factors. If you are able to afford it, the numbers suggest that the return on investment is worth it and you could recover the costs in a few years from the salary increase you would receive.

Private Detective / Investigator Salary Compared by Gender

In the modern age, we know that there should never be a pay gap between men and women. Unfortunately, in many professions, there is still a significant difference between the salaries earned by men when compared to the salary of women in the same job.

In Switzerland, a male private detective / investigator will earn an average of 141,000 CHF, while a female private detective / investigator will earn around 134,700 CHF.

This means that a male private detective / investigator earns approximately 5% more than a female private detective / investigator for performing the same job.

Average Salary by Gender Chart in Switzerland

Male
141,000 CHF
Female -5%
134,700 CHF

Private Detective / Investigator Average Pay Raise in Switzerland

In many countries, an annual pay raise is often given to employees to reward their service with a salary increase.

From our research, we can see that the average pay raise for a Private Detective / Investigator in Switzerland is around 10% every 18 months.

The national average pay raise across all professions and industries in Switzerland is around 9% every 15 months.

In this case, we can see that the number of months between the average pay raise is higher than the typical 12 months.

To make the data more meaningful, we can calculate what the approximate annual pay raise would be using a simple formula:

Annual Increase = ( Increase Rate ÷ Months ) × 12

So for this example, it would be:

Annual Increase = ( 10 ÷ 18 ) × 12  = 7%

What this means is that a Private Detective / Investigator in Switzerland can expect to receive an average pay raise of around 7% every 12 months.

Annual Pay Raise by Industry in Switzerland for 2024

In the chart below, you can see the average annual pay raise percentages for each of the major industries in Switzerland.

You will see that companies in bigger and more lucrative industries tend to have the higher annual pay raises.

Banking
3%
Energy
6%
Information Technology
9%
Healthcare
3%
Travel
6%
Construction
9%
Education
3%

Private Detective / Investigator Bonus and Incentive Rates in Switzerland

Another part of your overall compensation in a job is how much bonus you receive. Some job roles will be more likely to pay a bonus than others and also more likely to have higher bonus rates.

Generally speaking, jobs that are more involved with direct revenue generation will receive higher bonuses based on the performance towards revenue goals.

A Private Detective / Investigator is a low bonus based job, with 33% of employees reporting at least one bonus in the last 12 months.

67% reported that they had not received any bonuses in the previous 12 months.

For the employees that did receive a bonus in the previous 12 months, the reported bonuses ranged from 0% to 4%.

Received Bonus
33%
No Bonus
67%

What are the Types of Bonus?

There are a number of difference types of bonus you can receive in a job. Including:

  • Individual performance bonus - This is a bonus that is awarded to an individual employee for general performance in the job. It's the most common type of bonus.
  • Company performance bonus - This is a bonus that is awarded to a company employees to share profit with the staff.
  • Goal based bonus - This is a bonus that is awarded to an individual employee (or a team) for achieving specific goals, objectives, or milestones.
  • Holiday bonus - This type of bonus is usually paid around the holidays, often the end of the year, and is a token of appreciation for the hard work throughout the year.

Government vs Private Sector Salaries

Another commonly asked question is whether you get paid a higher salary working in the public (government) sector or the private sector.

Public sector employees in Switzerland earn approximately 5% more than private sector employees in the same role.

Public Sector
127,700 CHF
Private Sector -5%
121,800 CHF

Salaries for Jobs Similar to a Private Detective / Investigator

In the table below, we have salary information for jobs that are similar to a Private Detective / Investigator in Switzerland.

Job Title Category Salary
Accreditation Coordinator Law Enforcement / Security / Fire 108,200 CHF
Accreditation Manager Law Enforcement / Security / Fire 156,200 CHF
Advocate Law Enforcement / Security / Fire 92,600 CHF
Armed Security Officer Law Enforcement / Security / Fire 92,100 CHF
Company Guard Law Enforcement / Security / Fire 43,800 CHF
Control Room Operator Law Enforcement / Security / Fire 37,900 CHF
Correctional Officer Law Enforcement / Security / Fire 68,200 CHF
Criminal Investigator Law Enforcement / Security / Fire 142,300 CHF
Facility Monitor Law Enforcement / Security / Fire 75,800 CHF
Fire Chief Law Enforcement / Security / Fire 138,700 CHF
Fire Dispatcher Law Enforcement / Security / Fire 66,200 CHF
Fire Education Specialist Law Enforcement / Security / Fire 115,600 CHF
Fire Extinguisher Technician Law Enforcement / Security / Fire 43,500 CHF
Fire Fighter Law Enforcement / Security / Fire 74,100 CHF
Fire Inspector Law Enforcement / Security / Fire 132,000 CHF
Fire Investigator Law Enforcement / Security / Fire 134,100 CHF
Fire Prevention Engineer Law Enforcement / Security / Fire 116,400 CHF
Fire Prevention Officer Law Enforcement / Security / Fire 100,300 CHF
Fire Protection Specialist Law Enforcement / Security / Fire 118,900 CHF
Forensic Investigator Law Enforcement / Security / Fire 119,700 CHF
Forensic Science Technician Law Enforcement / Security / Fire 127,700 CHF
Fraud and Forensic Specialist Law Enforcement / Security / Fire 140,200 CHF
Fraud Examiner Law Enforcement / Security / Fire 148,300 CHF
Grants Specialist Law Enforcement / Security / Fire 165,900 CHF
Intellectual Property Associate Law Enforcement / Security / Fire 124,500 CHF
Intelligence Research Specialist Law Enforcement / Security / Fire 206,100 CHF
Investigator Law Enforcement / Security / Fire 141,000 CHF
Jail Officer Law Enforcement / Security / Fire 59,100 CHF
Juvenile Probation Officer Law Enforcement / Security / Fire 92,400 CHF
Juvenile Supervision Officer Law Enforcement / Security / Fire 92,100 CHF
Lock-Smith Law Enforcement / Security / Fire 41,100 CHF
Parole Officer Law Enforcement / Security / Fire 66,900 CHF
Police Captain Law Enforcement / Security / Fire 158,900 CHF
Police Communications Officer Law Enforcement / Security / Fire 92,600 CHF
Police Officer Law Enforcement / Security / Fire 74,700 CHF
Police Patrol Officer Law Enforcement / Security / Fire 68,500 CHF
Prison Officer Law Enforcement / Security / Fire 59,000 CHF
Prisoner Custody Officer Law Enforcement / Security / Fire 47,200 CHF
Security Adviser Law Enforcement / Security / Fire 138,700 CHF
Security Guard Law Enforcement / Security / Fire 38,700 CHF
Security Management Specialist Law Enforcement / Security / Fire 189,800 CHF
Security Manager Law Enforcement / Security / Fire 200,600 CHF
Security Officer Law Enforcement / Security / Fire 42,300 CHF
Security Supervisor Law Enforcement / Security / Fire 111,700 CHF
Security Systems Installer Law Enforcement / Security / Fire 102,700 CHF
Security Technician Law Enforcement / Security / Fire 45,100 CHF
Surveillance Operator Law Enforcement / Security / Fire 51,400 CHF
Traffic Controller Law Enforcement / Security / Fire 74,100 CHF

Salary Comparison by City

If you want to compare salaries with different cities in Switzerland, you can use the links below to explore the data for each specific city we have researched.

City Average Salary
Basel 146,900 CHF
Bern 142,300 CHF
Biel 119,700 CHF
Geneve 151,800 CHF
Lausanne 148,300 CHF
Lugano 134,700 CHF
Luzern 141,000 CHF
St. Gallen 138,700 CHF
Winterthur 140,200 CHF
Zurich 153,800 CHF

Link To or Reference This Page

We spend a lot of time collecting, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site to be as useful to you as possible.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference World Salaries as the source. We appreciate your support!

  • "Average Private Detective / Investigator Salary in Switzerland for 2024". World Salaries. Accessed on March 28, 2024. https://worldsalaries.com/average-private-detective-investigator-salary-in-switzerland/.

  • "Average Private Detective / Investigator Salary in Switzerland for 2024". World Salaries, https://worldsalaries.com/average-private-detective-investigator-salary-in-switzerland/. Accessed 28 March, 2024

  • Average Private Detective / Investigator Salary in Switzerland for 2024. World Salaries. Retrieved from https://worldsalaries.com/average-private-detective-investigator-salary-in-switzerland/.