The Accountant Shortage Will Persist in 2026: Here’s How to Compete for Skilled Talent

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By Steve Saah, Executive Director of Finance and Accounting Permanent Placement, Robert Half

Whether you’re leading a corporate finance function or guiding a public accounting practice, you likely grapple with staffing challenges driven by the ongoing and worsening accountant shortage. And with unemployment continuing to trend near historic lows and the demand for skilled finance and accounting professionals only rising, competition for talent has never been more intense—and it’s changing how many employers recruit, retain and reward their teams.

Finance leaders across corporate and public accounting environments are navigating persistent gaps in tax, audit and core accounting roles while also trying to keep up with regulatory complexity, evolving reporting demands and growing expectations for more strategic, advisory work. Many also face stiff competition for candidates from employers prepared to offer top pay, flexibility and career development opportunities—factors that increasingly influence where in-demand professionals choose to work.

The 2026 Salary Guide From Robert Half reports that salaries for many public accounting positions are climbing faster than pay in the broader finance field, signaling how aggressively firms are working to stay competitive. And while many employers on the corporate side can still offer higher total compensation for many roles, they can’t afford to overlook how these shifts may impact their 2026 hiring strategies.

Together with insights from Robert Half’s latest Demand for Skilled Talent report, this year’s Salary Guide reveals a market where employers are reevaluating compensation strategies, strengthening their value propositions and leaning on flexible staffing models to close critical gaps. Understanding these trends—especially how pay expectations and the accountant shortage intersect—is essential for building resilient teams and protecting the integrity of financial reporting.

2026 Accountant Shortage: Strategies to Hire Skilled Talent

A labor market defined by the accountant shortage
More trends in accounting: Competing on total compensation, not just salary
What finance leaders can do to succeed at talent recruiting and retention in the year ahead

A labor market defined by the accountant shortage

Unemployment among accounting professionals continues to hover near historic lows of between 1% and 2%. In other words, nearly all skilled accounting professionals active in the labor market are already employed. According to Robert Half’s Demand for Skilled Talent report, 62% of finance and accounting leaders are facing challenges hiring and retaining accountants.

Recruiting in this environment isn’t just about finding talent available for hire—quite often, it’s about convincing them to leave another opportunity for yours. Offering competitive compensation plays a significant role here, of course. Robert Half’s 2026 Salary Guide projects that the average starting salaries for tax, audit and assurance roles—some of the hottest jobs in public accounting—will rise 3.7% year over year, well above the 2.1% average increase expected for roles across the profession.

Starting compensation for tax professionals outside of corporate accounting is projected to rise 2.2% year over year—a reflection of companies’ efforts to secure the talent needed to keep pace with regulatory and reporting demands. At the same time, specialized skills are driving premiums: 87% of finance leaders surveyed for the 2026 Salary Guide said they typically offer higher salaries to candidates with expertise in financial reporting, data analytics, financial modeling and ERP software.

It’s likely these and other specialized skills will only gain value in the labor market as more organizations, from large enterprises to public accounting firms, expand their services and pursue technology modernization projects, including financial system upgrades. Ninety-five percent of finance and accounting leaders say their teams will be involved in a major digital transformation initiative over the next 2 years, according to our Salary Guide research.

More trends in accounting: Competing on total compensation, not just salary

Robert Half’s 2026 Salary Guide notes that 80% of finance and accounting leaders are concerned about keeping pace with candidates’ compensation expectations, underscoring the pressure they feel to stay competitive. Even so, for many of today’s accounting professionals, base salary is only part of the equation when weighing a job offer. Perks and benefits and the broader employee experience, from work flexibility to company culture, are also key considerations.

Finance leaders surveyed for our Salary Guide predict that the most effective compensation strategies for 2026 will include raising starting salaries, adding new benefits such as wellness stipends or enhanced leave, and including salary ranges in job descriptions. These steps not only help to streamline the hiring process but also signal to candidates that the organization understands what they value.

Bonuses—whether performance, retention or sign-on— are another lever that finance leaders can use strategically to recognize contributions, keep staff engaged through busy periods or secure top hires. And in a tight market, less common offerings like student loan repayment assistance, employer-sponsored childcare or lifestyle spending accounts can help differentiate offers and influence decisions when candidates are evaluating competing opportunities. Recent changes, such as the reclassification of CPAs as non-professionals, may also affect student loan programs—though the long-term impacts on the profession remain unclear.

Still, total compensation goes beyond dollars. Today’s in-demand professionals also want flexibility, balance and opportunities to grow their careers. For finance and accounting leaders in both corporate and public accounting settings, that means looking beyond paychecks to the full employee experience.

Hybrid and remote work options remain highly valued, as do transparent pay practices and meaningful accounting professional development. A supportive company culture is equally critical in a field where employee burnout is common. Recent Robert Half research reinforces this point: Of the 73% of workers planning to stay in their current roles for the near term, many cite flexibility as the key reason, followed by positive company culture and manager relationships, professional fulfillment, and compensation.

What finance leaders can do to succeed at talent recruiting and retention in the year ahead

With the accountant shortage and other hiring pressures in the industry unlikely to ease anytime soon, finance leaders need practical ways to stay competitive. Here are a few strategies to help you strengthen your recruiting and retention efforts so you can meet your staffing goals in the year ahead:

Benchmark accountant salaries for 2026 carefully against industry and local market data to help ensure offers remain competitive.

Prioritize career conversations with your staff to discuss growth opportunities and career pathing to help reinforce loyalty and engagement.

Track metrics beyond employee turnover, including job satisfaction levels and skills progression and make swift adjustments to related strategies as needed.

Hire for potential, not just technical skills, to expand your talent pool and build resilient, future-ready teams.

Leverage contract talent to support the year-end close, busy season workloads, client service continuity and more.

That last point is critical. When trying to hire on your own, hiring for permanent roles in finance and accounting takes 7 weeks, on average, according to Robert Half’s research. So, it’s no surprise that 70% of finance leaders are responding with plans to increase their use of contract talent. This staffing approach provides quick access to specialized expertise and faster staffing of critical roles, among other benefits.

For both corporate finance teams and public accounting practices, contract talent can be a strategic extension of core staff—backfilling employees on leave, covering peak workload periods and bringing proven best practices from other organizations. Just as important, a flexible staffing strategy can help accounting professionals maintain a better work-life balance, which is critical for driving retention.

Need to hire skilled talent for your finance and accounting teams? Whether you’re seeking permanent or contract talent to work in corporate or public accounting roles, Robert Half is here to help.

Follow Steve Saah on LinkedIn.

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