Salary by experience
View as table
| Experience | Salary (CHF) |
|---|---|
| 0-2 yrs | CHF 50'000 |
| 3-5 yrs | CHF 45'000 |
| 6-8 yrs | CHF 52'000 |
| 9-11 yrs | CHF 37'500 |
| 12-21 yrs | CHF 40'200 |
| 21+ yrs | CHF 32'143 |
Top HR
Swiss professionsCulture & Media
Kostümbildner/in
You design costumes and masks for stage and film
01 · Overview
What this profession is about
Kostümbildner/in shape visual characters for theatre and cinema. You work closely with directors and the workshop.
As Kostümbildner/in, you turn fabrics, colours and shapes into living characters. You design garments for stage and film that fit the production perfectly. You consider movement, body shapes and historical references. Your rough sketches become finished clothes in the workshop. This creates the visual foundation for every theatre or film production.
FieldCulture & Media
Education pathHigher Education Profession
IndustryFashion & Apparel
Swissdoc 0.825.22.0
02 · Salary
What you can earn
✓ Exact salary match
Salaries reflect Swiss market data. Range covers entry to senior. Salary reference based on Theaterschauspielerin. Based on 20 observations, updated 7 months ago.
Salary trend
-11% over decadeView as table
| Period | Salary (CHF) |
|---|---|
| 2014-2016 | CHF 52'000 |
| 2017-2019 | CHF 37'950 |
| 2020-2022 | CHF 29'000 |
| 2023-2025 | CHF 46'507 |
Top paying industries
View as table
| Industry | Salary | Obs. |
|---|---|---|
| Tourism / Travel / Recreation | CHF 50'400 | 5 |
03 · Pathway
How to enter and grow
Swiss training pathway available in the full profile
- 🎓 Bühnen- und Kostümbildner/in respektive Kostüm-Designer/in
Official education path
A specialised degree in stage or costume design provides the necessary artistic and technical foundations.
Typical training path
Bühnen- und Kostümbildner/in respektive Kostüm-Designer/in
Prerequisites
- Knowledge of cultural history, style and material science
- Practical skills
- Training in fashion or costume design as a basis
Requirements
- Vivid, constructive imagination
- Abstract and concrete thinking
- Sense for scenery
Where this can lead
You often start with assistant roles in theatre or film productions before taking on your own projects.
04 · Skills & fit
What it takes
Required skills
- Creative imagination
- Craftsmanship
- Team spirit
- Sense of stagecraft
- Flexibility
Personality fit
- Swiss career path
- Career transition
- Professional growth
05 · Daily reality
What the work feels like
Typical day
You sit at your drawing board and sketch initial designs for a new role. Then you check the fabric samples in the studio for their drape and colour.
- You design costumes and masks for theatre and film productions.
- You analyse scripts and directorial concepts carefully.
- You create quick sketches for the director and dramaturgy.
- You choose fabrics, colours and cuts for the actors.
- You coordinate the construction in the costume workshop.
- You adjust the garments to the actors' body measurements.
- You lead the entire costume department if needed.
Working conditions
You mainly work in theatres, opera houses, film studios or on freelance productions. You often move between your drawing board, studio and rehearsal stage.
Strengths
- Creative imagination
- Craftsmanship
- Team spirit
- Sense of stagecraft
- Flexibility
Trade-offs
- Project uncertainty
- Physical strain
- Creative competition
- Time pressure
06 · Similar
