Salary by experience
View as table
| Experience | Salary (CHF) |
|---|---|
| 0-2 yrs | CHF 78'000 |
| 3-5 yrs | CHF 79'650 |
| 6-8 yrs | CHF 86'637 |
| 9-11 yrs | CHF 91'000 |
| 12-21 yrs | CHF 97'000 |
| 21+ yrs | CHF 110'000 |
Top HR
Swiss professionsCulture & Media
Fotojournalist/in
You document current events with a camera for media outlets and agencies.
01 · Overview
What this profession is about
Fotojournalist/in document people and events for print, online, and television.
You document people and current events for newspapers, magazines, and online media. You combine technical know-how with journalistic insight to tell authentic visual stories. Your daily work requires flexibility, quick decisions, and a constant search for the decisive moment. You often work independently, but you always follow editorial guidelines.
FieldCulture & Media
Education pathSpecialisation / Professional Function
IndustryAudiovisual Media
Swissdoc 0.811.1.0
02 · Salary
What you can earn
✓ Exact salary match
Salaries reflect Swiss market data. Range covers entry to senior. Salary reference based on Journaliste. Based on 379 observations, updated 7 months ago.
Salary trend
+4% over decadeView as table
| Period | Salary (CHF) |
|---|---|
| 2014-2016 | CHF 86'500 |
| 2017-2019 | CHF 83'200 |
| 2020-2022 | CHF 95'775 |
| 2023-2025 | CHF 90'186 |
Top earning cantons
View as table
| Canton | Salary | Obs. |
|---|---|---|
| Vaud | CHF 102'261 | 30 |
| Basel-Stadt | CHF 96'000 | 15 |
| Berne | CHF 91'000 | 25 |
| Zurich | CHF 91'000 | 125 |
| Aargau | CHF 89'050 | 16 |
| Geneva | CHF 73'800 | 30 |
Top paying industries
View as table
| Industry | Salary | Obs. |
|---|---|---|
| Banking / Financial institutions | CHF 135'000 | 5 |
| Information technology / Telecom | CHF 95'000 | 13 |
| Media / Printing / Publishing | CHF 89'250 | 261 |
| Public administration / Associations | CHF 85'500 | 8 |
| Service sector in general | CHF 78'000 | 27 |
| Health care / Social services | CHF 67'916 | 6 |
03 · Pathway
How to enter and grow
Swiss training pathway available in the full profile
- 🎓 Fotojournalist/in
Official education path
You enter the field through specialized degree programs or further training in photography and journalism.
Typical training path
Fotojournalist/in
Prerequisites
- Visual and journalistic flair, strong interest in media, above-average general knowledge, communication and team skills, and resilience
Requirements
- Visual and journalistic flair
- Strong interest in media
- Above-average general knowledge
- Communication and team skills
- Resilience
04 · Skills & fit
What it takes
Required skills
- Visual intuition
- Journalistic flair
- Interest in media
- Team skills
- Resilience
Personality fit
- Swiss career path
- Career transition
- Professional growth
05 · Daily reality
What the work feels like
Typical day
You stand on location with your camera and wait for the right light to capture an important event. You quickly adjust your settings while capturing the mood of the people.
- You photograph people and document current events for various media formats.
- You work closely with photo editors and photo agencies.
- You plan your assignments and choose suitable subjects.
- You edit the photos afterwards for publication.
- You research background information to place the images journalistically.
- You make quick decisions on location under time pressure.
Working conditions
You mainly work in newsrooms, photo agencies, or as a freelance professional. You are often on the move at events, in studios, or on location assignments.
Where to learn
- MAZ - Die Schweizer JournalistenschuleMurbacherstrasse 3, 6003 Luzern
Strengths
- Visual intuition
- Journalistic flair
- Interest in media
- Team skills
- Resilience
Trade-offs
- Time pressure
- Unpredictable assignments
- Physical strain
- Emotional strain
06 · Similar
