Finance and accounting salary benchmarks and trends

Name: Salary negotiations
Creator: Robert Half

2027 Salary Guide

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Specialized skills are becoming a key compensation differentiator in finance and accounting. As organizations invest in AI, automation, analytics and financial systems modernization, employers are offering more competitive salaries to attract professionals who can support these high-priority initiatives and drive business performance.

Professionals with expertise in AI, ERP platforms, data analytics, process automation, regulatory reporting and financial systems optimization may command higher pay, especially when those skills are in short supply. Employers also value candidates who can help implement and optimize AI solutions while maintaining financial oversight and compliance. Credentials such as the CPA can further enhance earning potential.

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The salaries below default to national averages. Select a job category and city to find figures for a specific market. Starting compensation can vary significantly based on a candidate’s skills, experience and certifications, as well as other factors including industry; company size, complexity or revenue; and demand for the role. To reflect this variability, we report our compensation data in 3 levels: low, mid and high.

Accounting

Controlling

Credit Management

Financial Management

Financial/Business Analysis

Internal Audit

Student jobs

Job Title

Low

Mid

High

AR/AP Accountant

38733

45112

52223

Accounting Clerk

41485

47853

55656

Assistant Controller

50672

58890

64668

Bookkeeper/Administrator

58541

65300

70349

AP/AR Team Lead

59386

67296

75205

Financial Accountant

63527

75754

90157

Accounting Manager

77190

86541

97092

Low

The candidate is new to the role or has limited experience and is still developing core skills.

Mid

The candidate has moderate experience in the role or one similar, meets most requirements, and may hold transferable skills or relevant certifications.

High

The candidate has extensive experience in the role, demonstrates advanced skills, and often brings specialized certifications or industry experience.

Finance and accounting compensation trends

Data at a glance

67%

of finance and accounting leaders are making more competitive offers, especially for business-critical roles with limited talent pools.

69%

are offering salaries above their planned range, citing the need to secure candidates with specialized skills as a top reason.

82%

are offering higher pay for relevant AI skills, with half offering more for AI-related expertise than for other tech skills.

Specialized skills commanding premiums

Professionals with the following skills may command higher pay:

Financial analysis

Budgeting and forecasting

Excel (Advanced)

Big data

ESG reporting

AI skills

National accounting standards

Financial modeling

Salary negotiations

Specialized finance and accounting professionals have greater leverage in salary negotiations as employers increasingly reward hard-to-find expertise with targeted pay premiums instead of broad salary increases.

72%

of managers are willing to negotiate base pay.

58%

say candidates frequently negotiate higher salaries based on specialized skills.

34%

of professionals struggle with knowing their market worth.

Rewards that prompt career moves

When base pay is similar, finance and accounting professionals weigh the full compensation package before deciding to accept a job offer or change employers. Top benefits and perks that influence a job change:

Financial

Bonuses, meal vouchers, commuting discounts, home office equipment allowance

Work‑life balance and flexibility

Hybrid work options, flexible work schedules, unpaid leave, sabbaticals/leaves of absence

Explore more total rewards insights

Roles, industries, certifications on the rise

Roles requiring specialized skills and technical expertise to support critical work are expected to have salary growth above the projected +1.8% average for finance and accounting positions.

+3.8% Financial Analyst

+3.7% Staff Accountant

+3.6% FP&A Manager

+3.3% Assistant Treasurer

+3.3% Procurement Specialist

+3.2% Payroll Specialist

Employers in these industries need skilled professionals to advance revenue recognition, digital transformation and complex reporting.

Manufacturing

Pharma and biosciences

Healthcare

Financial services

Certifications can justify higher pay when they validate technical expertise, compliance knowledge or leadership capability.

Certified Public Accountant (CPA)

Certified Financial Planner (CFP)

Certified Management Accountant (CMA)

Certified Payroll Professional (CPP)

Certified Treasury Professional (CTP)

Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA)

Corporate Financial Planning & Analysis Certification (FPAC)

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The salary benchmarks in the Salary Guide From Robert Half are the result of a rigorous, multistep process designed to reflect projected market trends for 2027. They are based on actual compensation for professionals Robert Half has matched with employers across the country and third-party job posting data from Textkernel that we use to independently validate the salary levels. Learn more about our methodology.

Non-salary data is based on online surveys developed by Robert Half and conducted by an independent research firm. Respondents include hiring managers and workers at small (10-99 employees), midsize (100-999 employees) and large (1,000-plus employees) private, publicly listed and public sector organizations across the United States.