So far, there has been no evaluation of the 'STEM potential' (i.e., the potential to engage in science, technology, engineering, and/or mathematics professions) of Swiss students at the end of their compulsory education. In the current study we use data from the 2006 Programme for International Student Assessment study to assess the STEM potential of Swiss students, overall and in each canton, compared with international students. Our analysis shows that Swiss students and especially Swiss women have a high STEM potential compared to students in other countries. There were no major differences between regions. Our results lead us to conclude that national as opposed to regional factors are mainly responsible for the high STEM potential of Swiss students.