Healthcare workers are the backbone of every health system, yet many face heavy workloads, staff shortages and the question of whether their pay and working conditions truly reflect the work they do.
How do you rate your own working environment? Are you satisfied with your pay, opportunities for advancement, how work is organised and the relationships within your team?
👉 We invite you to share your experience from practice. Your opinion matters. You can share it on our Zdravstveni delavci Slovenija Facebook page.
Healthcare pay: large differences between countries
Salaries for healthcare workers vary widely around the world. While the United States and Switzerland lead on earnings, many European countries offer a better work–life balance, more social security and, as a rule, a far smaller financial burden during studies.
🇺🇸 United States
- the largest private healthcare market in the world,
- specialists often earn more than USD 600,000 a year,
- neurosurgeons and orthopaedic surgeons can exceed USD 700,000,
- experienced nurses working overtime can reach USD 150,000–250,000 a year.
🇨🇭 Switzerland
- one of the highest levels of purchasing power in the world,
- a chronic shortage of healthcare staff,
- highly competitive pay for doctors and nurses,
- good German or French is normally required.
🇪🇺 European Union
Although pay is generally lower than in the US, many healthcare workers point to:
- better social security,
- more annual leave,
- more strictly regulated working hours,
- a better balance between work and private life.
The Balkans
South-eastern European countries still face:
- the lowest pay in Europe,
- a marked outflow of healthcare staff to Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Scandinavia,
- a growing role for private healthcare, where pay is often considerably higher than in the public sector.
Pay comparison by region (annual gross ranges)
| Profession | 🇺🇸 USA | 🇨🇭 Switzerland | 🇪🇺 Western EU | 🇸🇮 Slovenia | 🌍 Balkans |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Medical specialist | $400k–750k | CHF 180k–350k | €90k–250k | €45k–120k | €15k–90k |
| Family doctor | $250k–320k | CHF 140k–220k | €70k–140k | €40k–80k | €12k–60k |
| Nurse | $75k–140k | CHF 85k–120k | €35k–70k | €22k–40k | €8k–32k |
| Physiotherapist | $75k–120k | CHF 80k–110k | €35k–65k | €31k–40k | €10k–25k |
| Speech therapist | $70k–110k | CHF 75k–110k | €35k–60k | €30k–42k | €9k–22k |
| Psychologist | $85k–160k | CHF 90k–150k | €45k–90k | €32k–55k | €10k–28k |
| Clinical psychologist | $110k–220k | CHF 120k–180k | €60k–120k | €40k–70k | €15k–35k |
| Dietitian | $65k–95k | CHF 70k–100k | €30k–55k | €30k–40k | €8k–20k |
| Care assistant | $35k–60k | CHF 55k–80k | €24k–40k | €22k–30k | €7k–16k |
| Paramedic | $45k–80k | CHF 70k–100k | €30k–55k | €28k–40k | €9k–22k |
Top 10 best-paid healthcare professions (2025–2026, USA)
| # | Profession | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Neurosurgeon | USD 700,000–750,000 |
| 2 | Thoracic surgeon | USD 650,000–700,000 |
| 3 | Orthopaedic surgeon | USD 600,000–680,000 |
| 4 | Plastic surgeon | USD 550,000–620,000 |
| 5 | Cardiologist | USD 500,000–590,000 |
| 6 | Interventional radiologist | USD 500,000–570,000 |
| 7 | Gastroenterologist | USD 500,000–570,000 |
| 8 | Anaesthesiologist | USD 450,000–520,000 |
| 9 | Dermatologist | USD 450,000–510,000 |
| 10 | CRNA (nurse anaesthetist) | USD 230,000–265,000 |
Where is the balance between pay and quality of life best?
The highest salary does not always mean the greatest satisfaction. The best balance between income and quality of life is often found in:
- 🥇 Switzerland – the highest purchasing power
- 🥈 Norway – excellent working conditions and less burnout
- 🥉 The Netherlands – a very well organised health system
- 🇩🇪 Germany – many job opportunities and competitive pay
- 🇸🇪 Sweden – among the best systems for work–life balance
- 🇺🇸 USA – the highest earnings, but also more administration, longer hours and more stress.
What do the latest trends show?
According to the WHO, OECD and the European Commission, the shortage of healthcare staff will be one of the biggest challenges for European health systems over the next decade. In 2025 the WHO therefore launched the Nursing Action project together with the European Commission, aimed at improving the recruitment and retention of nurses across EU countries.
The most significant trends for 2025–2026 include:
- a marked shortage of nurses across Europe,
- more intensive recruitment of healthcare staff from the Western Balkans,
- the rapid spread of telemedicine and digital solutions,
- the use of artificial intelligence mainly to reduce administrative work and support diagnostics and the organisation of work – not as a replacement for healthcare staff,
- specialists remain among the best-paid professions in the world,
- pay in the Balkans is rising, but more slowly than in Western Europe.
Slovenia faces a major workforce challenge
Between 2026 and 2030, Slovenian healthcare will come under growing pressure because of:
- an ageing population,
- the retirement of a large share of healthcare staff,
- a shortage of nurses,
- growing demand for long-term care,
- staff moving abroad or into the private sector.
Experts expect healthcare professions to remain among those in shortest supply until 2035. The OECD also notes that Slovenia still has fewer doctors per head of population than the EU average, which is why the country is introducing incentives for family medicine, scholarships and measures to strengthen primary care.
The greatest need will be for: nurses, nursing technicians, family doctors, emergency physicians, anaesthesiologists, psychiatrists, radiologists, physiotherapists, paramedics, care assistants, speech therapists and psychologists.
Did you know? The OECD and the European Commission estimate that European healthcare is short of roughly 1.2 million doctors, nurses and midwives, and in many EU countries more than a third of doctors are over 55. Countries are therefore investing more in better working conditions, staff retention and the digitalisation of health services.
We would like to hear from you
💬 How satisfied are you with the working conditions, pay and relationships at your institution?
- What motivates you most at work?
- What would need to change?
- Would you choose a healthcare profession again today?
- Would you recommend working in Slovenia, or would you rather go abroad?
Share your experience in the comments. Your view from practice can help build a better understanding of the situation in healthcare – both in Slovenia and more widely across Europe.
