How much does a session bring in under LAMal?

Under Tarif 581, the provisional rate is CHF 2.58 per minute of billable session time — about CHF 129 for a 50-minute session, uniform across all cantons.

What charges reduce a self-employed therapist's income?

Practice rent, professional insurance, continuing education, software and supplies, plus AHV/IV/EO social contributions (up to about 10% of net self-employed income). Occupational pension (2nd pillar) is optional; pillar 3a (up to 20% of income, capped at CHF 36,288/year in 2026 without a pension fund) is the main tax-privileged saving vehicle.

Why do generic salary websites get Swiss figures wrong?

Most ranking pages are foreign sites that quote employee salaries or convert foreign data. A self-employed practitioner's income depends on the LAMal rate, occupancy, practice costs and Swiss social contributions — which is what this calculator models.

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How much does a self-employed psychologist really earn in Switzerland?

By Anne T. T. · Published August 3, 2026 · Interactive calculator

Search results for this question are dominated by generic salary sites — often foreign — quoting employee figures that have little to do with the reality of a self-employed practice in Switzerland. The honest answer: it depends on your occupancy, your rates and your costs. Rather than an average, here is a calculator built on Swiss realities: the LAMal rate of CHF 2.58/min (Tarif 581), practice costs, AHV/IV/EO contributions and no-shows.

Your net income, calculated

Adjust the inputs to your situation. Default values reflect a typical part-to-full-time LAMal practice.

Sessions / weekPrice / session (CHF)LAMal ref.: ~CHF 129 for 50 min (2.58/min)Working weeks / yearNo-show rate (%)Practice rent / month (CHF)Other costs / month (CHF)Insurance, training, software, supplies…

Annual turnover (after no-shows)

CHF 97'060

Practice costs (rent + expenses)

− CHF 18'000

AHV/IV/EO contributions (~10%)

− CHF 7'906

Net income before tax

i.e. per month : CHF 5'929

CHF 71'154 / year

Simplified estimate before income tax. AHV/IV/EO approximated at the self-employed maximum rate (~10%) — excluding the minimum contribution, the degressive scale for lower incomes and fund-specific admin fees; occupational pension (2nd pillar) is optional for the self-employed and not included; pillar 3a contributions (up to 20% of income, capped at CHF 36,288/year in 2026 without a pension fund) are tax-deductible but not deducted here.

The levers that actually move your income

Occupancy: the jump from 15 to 22 sessions/week changes everything — marketing and referral flows matter more than rates. See how to attract patients.
No-shows : at 10%, a 20-session week loses the equivalent of 2 sessions — a clear cancellation policy recovers most of it. Billing no-shows guide.
Admin time: unbilled hours are the hidden cost — notes, invoices, reminders. Voice dictation: 1h/day saved.
Tariff evolution: the definitive 2027 tariff will reset the LAMal baseline. Follow the 2027 tracker.

This calculator gives a pre-tax estimate. For deductions (pillar 3a, professional expenses) and VAT questions, see our accounting guide for self-employed therapists.

FAQ

Is CHF 129/session the maximum I can charge?

Under LAMal (Tarif 581), tariff protection applies — no supplement may be billed to the patient. Outside LAMal, rates are free (self-payers; in practice many complementary reimbursements rely on the Tarif 590 structure): see how to set your consultation rates.

Do these figures apply to ASCA/RME therapists too?

The structure is the same (turnover − costs − AHV), but rates are free under Tarif 590 and reimbursement depends on the patient's complementary insurance — see ASCA/RME reimbursements.

Spend your hours on sessions, not admin

Therago handles compliant invoicing (590/581/582/312), reminders, notes and accounting — the unbilled hours this calculator doesn't show.

Try Therago free