Salary by experience
View as table
| Experience | Salary (CHF) |
|---|---|
| 0-2 yrs | CHF 75'450 |
| 3-5 yrs | CHF 131'040 |
| 6-8 yrs | CHF 75'000 |
| 9-11 yrs | CHF 81'625 |
| 12-21 yrs | CHF 81'600 |
| 21+ yrs | CHF 97'500 |
Top HR
Swiss professionsNature & Environment
Tierphysiotherapeut/in HFP
Physiotherapy for animals to reduce pain and improve movement.
01 · Overview
What this profession is about
You treat animals with physiotherapy. You plan therapies and advise owners on prevention.
You combine medical expertise with a deep understanding of animals. Your goal is to reduce pain and improve mobility long-term. You work in riding stables, at clients' homes, or in clinics. You analyse movements, apply special techniques, and work closely with veterinarians. Together you create individual treatment plans. You also train owners on how to prevent injuries.
FieldNature & Environment
Education pathContinuing Education Profession
IndustryAnimal Husbandry & Care
Swissdoc 0.140.24.0
02 · Salary
What you can earn
✓ Strong salary match
Salaries reflect Swiss market data. Range covers entry to senior. Salary reference based on Animation Specialist. Based on 197 observations, updated 7 months ago.
Salary trend
+77% over decadeView as table
| Period | Salary (CHF) |
|---|---|
| 2014-2016 | CHF 74'000 |
| 2017-2019 | CHF 75'000 |
| 2020-2022 | CHF 72'750 |
| 2023-2025 | CHF 131'040 |
Top earning cantons
View as table
| Canton | Salary | Obs. |
|---|---|---|
| Berne | CHF 240'000 | 81 |
| Aargau | CHF 80'950 | 12 |
| Zurich | CHF 75'037 | 36 |
Top paying industries
View as table
| Industry | Salary | Obs. |
|---|---|---|
| Banking / Financial institutions | CHF 240'000 | 78 |
| Agriculture / Forestry / Wood | CHF 100'000 | 5 |
| Information technology / Telecom | CHF 88'550 | 10 |
| Building trade / Real estate | CHF 77'500 | 12 |
| Service sector in general | CHF 75'000 | 14 |
| Media / Printing / Publishing | CHF 73'050 | 42 |
03 · Pathway
How to enter and grow
- 🎓 Tierphysiotherapeut/in mit eidg. Diplom
- ⏱ 2 Jahre, berufsbegleitend
Official education path
The part-time course lasts 2 years. It covers anatomical, biomechanical, and therapeutic basics.
Typical training path
Tierphysiotherapeut/in mit eidg. Diplom
Curriculum
- Verhalten
- Anatomie /
- Biomechanik
- Physiologie /
- Neurologie
- Befund /
- Behandlungstechniken /
- Pathologie
- Sattel /
- Reiten /
- Longieren
- Management /
- Führung /
- Selbstständige Berufsausübung
Prerequisites
- Bachelor in Physiotherapie, in Veterinärmedizin, in Medizin mit Zusatzausbildung in manueller Medizin or equivalent qualification
- At least 3 years of professional practice in one of the mentioned professional fields
Requirements
- Experience in and enjoyment of handling animals
- Strong sociability and communication skills
- Good observation skills
- Independent way of working
- 1Verhalten
- 2Anatomie /
- 3Biomechanik
- 4Physiologie /
- 5Neurologie
- 6Befund /
- 7Behandlungstechniken /
- 8Pathologie
- 9Sattel /
- 10Reiten /
- 11Longieren
- 12Management /
- 13Führung /
- 14Selbstständige Berufsausübung
Where this can lead
Career changers can enter if you have a degree in physiotherapy or veterinary medicine.
04 · Skills & fit
What it takes
Required skills
- Animal expertise
- Observation skills
- Communication
- Independence
Personality fit
- Swiss career path
- Career transition
- Professional growth
05 · Daily reality
What the work feels like
Typical day
You stand beside the animal. You analyse its posture and perform targeted massages. At the same time, you watch its reactions closely.
- You plan treatments based on the veterinarian's diagnosis and the owner's description.
- You analyse posture and movement to identify the problem accurately.
- You apply targeted massages, manual techniques, or devices like ultrasound.
- You discuss therapy goals and methods in detail with the owners.
- You document results regularly and adjust the therapy if needed.
- You show owners exercises for prevention. You also care for athletic animals.
- You handle administrative tasks and check the quality of treatments.
Working conditions
You often work in veterinary clinics, riding stables, or at clients' homes.
Where to learn
- Schweiz. Verband für Tierphysiotherapie (SVTPT)8162 Steinmaur
Strengths
- Animal expertise
- Observation skills
- Communication
- Independence
Trade-offs
- Physical strain
- Animal reactions
- Administrative effort
- Flexible hours
06 · Similar
