Companies and jobs

SMEs make up over 99% of the companies and create two-thirds of the jobs in Switzerland. Here are the key statistics.

SMEs, i.e. companies with less than 250 employees, make up over 99% of commercial companies in Switzerland and create two-thirds of the jobs in the country. This is shown by the Structural Business Statistics (STATENT) of the Federal Statistical Office (FSO).

Number of companies and jobs according to size

Commercial companies in the primary, secondary and tertiary sectors in 2023.

Company size	Companies	Employees
1 employee	333,297	333,297
2 employees	84,241	168,482
3 - 4 employees	80,140	271,601
5 - 9 employees	64,274	417,910
10 - 19 employees	33,422	445,141
20 - 49 employees	19,054	570,251
50 - 99 employees	6,145	423,649
100 - 199 employees	3,027	417,184
200 - 249 employees	619	137,592
SME Subtotal (1-249)	624,219	3,185,107
250 - 499 employees	1,028	348,359
500 - 999 employees	448	313,770
More than 1,000 employees	338	971,147
Total companies	626,033	4,818,383
Micro-enterprises (1-9)	561,952	1,191,290
Small enterprises (10-49)	52,476	1,015,392
Medium-sized enterprises (50-249)	9,791	978,425
Large enterprises (250+)	1,814	1,633,276
Total companies	626,033	4,818,383

Sources: Structural Statistics of Enterprises STATENT, August 2025

Average number of employees per SME

The STATENT focuses on the three economic sectors:

The primary sector, which covers agriculture, forestry and fishing
The secondary sector, which covers extractive and manufacturing industries, production and distribution of electricity, gas and water, and construction
The tertiary sector, which covers services such as retail trade, wholesale trade, restaurants and even telecommunications

Here is the total number of SMEs (commercial enterprises with 1 to 249 employees) by sector in 2023:

	SME	Jobs
Primary sector	49,308	153,786
Secondary sector	91,482	770,824
Tertiary sector	483,429	2,260,497
Total	624,219	3,185,107

Sources: Structural Statistics of Enterprises STATENT, August 2025

Here is the average number of employees per SME in 2023:

Primary sector	3.1
Secondary sector	8.4
Tertiary sector	4.7
Total	5.1

Sources: Structural Statistics of Enterprises STATENT, August 2025

Number of SMEs and employees per region

Commercial enterprises with 1 to 249 employees in the primary, secondary and tertiary sectors in 2023.

	SME	Employees
Lake Geneva Region	123,288	580,495
Espace Mittelland	123,493	640,674
Northwest Switzerland	73,341	388,364
Zurich	108,871	584,468
Eastern Switzerland	85,594	448,788
Central Switzerland	73,894	384,519
Ticino	35,738	157,799
Total	624,219	3,185,107

Sources: Structural Statistics of Enterprises STATENT, August 2025

Number of SMEs and employees by legal structure

Commercial enterprises with 1 to 249 employees in the primary, secondary and tertiary sectors in 2023.

	SME	Employees
Foundation	1,649	69,270
Sole proprietorship	327,556	550,861
Simple partnership	8,056	33,614
General partnership	5,421	19,429
Limited partnership	520	2,649
Limited stock partnership	6	245
Corporation (SA)	122,519	1,674,750
Limited liability company (SARL)	140,948	611,036
Cooperative company	3,206	43,855
Association	12,228	124,924
Others	2,110	54,474
Total	624,219	3,185,107