Salary by experience
View as table
| Experience | Salary (CHF) |
|---|---|
| 0-2 yrs | CHF 76'300 |
| 3-5 yrs | CHF 75'320 |
| 6-8 yrs | CHF 78'000 |
| 9-11 yrs | CHF 81'516 |
| 12-21 yrs | CHF 90'000 |
| 21+ yrs | CHF 97'100 |
Top HR
Swiss professionsNature & Environment
Forstwart/in EFZ
You care for forests. You harvest wood responsibly.
01 · Overview
What this profession is about
Foresters care for forests. They cut trees according to plan. They implement nature conservation measures.
You are the guardians of the forests. You work outdoors in all weather. You cut trees according to precise plans. You care for young trees. You protect nature from pests. You master challenging tasks with chainsaws and heavy machinery. Your work secures the wood supply. It preserves our habitats for future generations.
FieldNature & Environment
Education pathVocational Training (Apprenticeship)
IndustryForestry
Swissdoc 0.120.6.0
02 · Salary
What you can earn
✓ Strong salary match
Salaries reflect Swiss market data. Range covers entry to senior. Salary reference based on Foreign Trade Expert. Based on 663 observations, updated 7 months ago.
Salary trend
+9% over decadeView as table
| Period | Salary (CHF) |
|---|---|
| 2014-2016 | CHF 80'600 |
| 2017-2019 | CHF 81'250 |
| 2020-2022 | CHF 82'368 |
| 2023-2025 | CHF 87'590 |
Top earning cantons
View as table
| Canton | Salary | Obs. |
|---|---|---|
| Zug | CHF 93'625 | 16 |
| Vaud | CHF 90'900 | 33 |
| St. Gallen | CHF 88'200 | 33 |
| Zurich | CHF 87'785 | 86 |
| Solothurn | CHF 86'501 | 20 |
| Fribourg | CHF 86'416 | 14 |
Top paying industries
View as table
| Industry | Salary | Obs. |
|---|---|---|
| Information technology / Telecom | CHF 93'000 | 5 |
| Chemicals / Pharmaceuticals | CHF 90'000 | 47 |
| Consumer / Luxury goods industry | CHF 90'000 | 46 |
| Utilities | CHF 88'400 | 7 |
| Public administration / Associations | CHF 88'400 | 5 |
| Medical Technology | CHF 87'216 | 26 |
03 · Pathway
How to enter and grow
- 🎓 Forstwart/in EFZ
- ⏱ 3 Jahre
Official education path
The training takes 3 years in a forest business. You attend vocational school once a week.
Typical training path
Forstwart/in EFZ
Curriculum
- Holz
- Ernten Verjüngen und Pflegen von Wald und Sonderstandorten
- Umsetzen von Massnahmen des Waldschutzes
- Erstellen und Unterhalten
- Forstlicher Bauwerke
- Bedienen und Unterhalten der Arbeitsmittel
- Einhalten der Vorschriften für Arbeitssicherheit, Gesundheits- und Umweltschutz
- Mitarbeiten bei betrieblichen Aufgaben
Prerequisites
- obligatorische Schule abgeschlossen
- ärztliche Voruntersuchung
Requirements
- Enjoyment of outdoor work
- Good observation skills for natural processes
- Sense of responsibility and good judgment (accident risk)
- Independence
- Good health for physically demanding work in wind and weather
- Technical understanding for working with machines and equipment
- 1Holz
- 2Ernten Verjüngen und Pflegen von Wald und Sonderstandorten
- 3Umsetzen von Massnahmen des Waldschutzes
- 4Erstellen und Unterhalten
- 5Forstlicher Bauwerke
- 6Bedienen und Unterhalten der Arbeitsmittel
- 7Einhalten der Vorschriften für Arbeitssicherheit, Gesundheits- und Umweltschutz
- 8Mitarbeiten bei betrieblichen Aufgaben
Where this can lead
Career changes are rare. A shortened apprenticeship as a gardener or fruit specialist is possible.
04 · Skills & fit
What it takes
Required skills
- Physical fitness
- Understanding of nature
- Awareness of safety
- Technical skill
- Independence
Personality fit
- Swiss career path
- Career transition
- Professional growth
05 · Daily reality
What the work feels like
Typical day
You stand at the cutting site. You prepare the chainsaw. You secure the surroundings. After cutting, you sort the wood. You transport it to the storage area with a tractor.
- You mark trees for cutting according to plan. You organize the cutting site.
- You determine the falling direction. You secure the area for safety.
- You operate chainsaws and machines. You cut and process the logs.
- You store the wood and calculate the volumes. You transport it with tractors.
- You care for forest edges and plant young trees. You support natural regeneration.
- You protect the forest from pests, fungi, and extreme weather.
- You build fences and maintain forest paths. You service the work equipment.
Working conditions
You work in the forest all year. You work in all weather conditions. You often work for public forest services, cantonal authorities, or private companies.
Where to learn
- OdA Wald Schweiz Hardernstr. 20Postfach 339, 3250 Lyss
Strengths
- Physical fitness
- Understanding of nature
- Awareness of safety
- Technical skill
- Independence
Trade-offs
- Dependence on weather
- Physical strain
- Risk factors
- Noise exposure
06 · Similar
