What does the finance and accounting hiring market look like?
Finance and accounting leaders are moving aggressively on hiring in the second half of 2026. Nearly three-quarters (74%) plan to increase permanent headcount, and 63% expect to engage more contract talent.
The urgency makes sense when you consider that 61% of hiring managers in finance and accounting say finding skilled professionals is more challenging than it was a year ago. The tension between strong hiring intent and limited access to candidates with specialized skills suggests competition for finance and accounting professionals will remain elevated in the second half of the year.
How skills shortages are affecting teams
The impact of talent gaps in finance and accounting is severe. 75% of leaders say skills shortages have caused project delays in the past year, the highest rate across all professional fields surveyed. 62% report that projects have been canceled entirely.
The initiatives most affected are tied to modernization and operational performance:
AI and automation technologies implementation: cited by 46% of respondentsFinancial planning and forecasting: 45%Building team capabilities and talent pipelines: 44%Data accessibility, completeness and security: 39%ERP and financial systems upgrades: 37%
What job posting trends show
Robert Half’s analysis of job posting activity shows that demand for finance and accounting talent remained strong in 2025. Employers in the U.S. posted 819,300 finance and accounting jobs, many of them tied to core operations, compliance and analytical support.
Accounting roles made up the largest share, with more than 231,000 postings concentrated in general accounting positions such as staff accountants, senior accountants and accounting managers. Demand for accounting operations roles, including bookkeepers, accounts payable (AP) specialists and accounts receivable (AR) specialists, was also strong as organizations focus on maintaining accuracy and control in their day-to-day financial processes.
Finance hiring followed a similar pattern. Employers posted 181,600 finance jobs in 2025, with business analysts and financial analysts accounting for more than half of those roles. That concentration reflects the growing need for data-driven insight as leaders manage cost pressures and plan for growth.
Industry data shows where demand was strongest. Year-on-year job growth was strong in financial services (38,800) and healthcare (20,100). Manufacturing and distribution and wholesale trade also saw notable gains, posting 27,000 and 11,300 finance and accounting roles, respectively.
What unemployment rates suggest about the competition for skilled talent
Unemployment data reinforces how limited the available talent pool remains for many finance and accounting roles. Based on the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the following roles were among those with Q1 unemployment rates well below the national rate of 4.3% for May 2026:
Accountants and auditors: 1.0%Financial and investment analysts: 1.2%Payroll clerks: 1.2%Financial managers:1.8%Compliance officers: 3.1%
What finance and accounting skills are in demand?
In 2026, finance and accounting leaders are prioritizing skills that improve forecasting accuracy, strengthen controls and support data-driven decisions. They’re placing greater value on analytical and tech-enabled capabilities than on narrowly scoped, task-based work. As AI becomes more embedded across workflows, leaders are also emphasizing human skills needed to keep work accurate and compliant, such as critical thinking and problem solving.
Here are some highlights from Robert Half’s Demand for Skilled Talent report and job posting analysis.
Finance and accounting technical capabilities employers value most
Audit and financial controlsBilling processesCash managementData and business analyticsData cleansing and visualizationFinancial analysisInternal accounting controlsPayroll management
Software proficiencies in high demand
Microsoft D365Oracle NetSuiteMicrosoft Power BI
