If you’re an employer, salary discussions are among the most important conversations you can have with potential hires. And for job seekers, it’s just as critical to understand the base compensation you deserve based on your skills, experience and certifications. But a competitive offer goes further than salary—benefits, perks and other rewards are what ensure both employers and candidates feel confident about the offer.
One comprehensive resource for employers and job seekers that provides insight on the latest compensation trends is the Salary Guide From Robert Half. We’ve published this guide annually for more than 75 years. Since 1950, the Salary Guide has been a trusted source for employers, job seekers, industry associations, government agencies and educators across the U.S.
Inside the Salary Guide From Robert Half
Where our salary data comes from
The data in the guide is the result of a rigorous, multistep process we use to make sure our projections for starting salaries accurately reflect what’s happening in the marketplace. You can learn more about our process here.
To keep expectations clear, the numbers in the Salary Guide represent starting pay only. They do not include annual raises, bonuses, benefits or perks, which are covered separately in the guide’s Total Compensation section.
Salary projections are available for hundreds of roles in 7 professional fields:
Finance and accounting
Technology
Marketing and creative
Legal
Administrative and customer support
Healthcare
Human resources
How to use the Salary Guide
The Salary Guide is designed to be interactive and easy to navigate, giving you quick access to the compensation data that matters most. Here’s how employers and job seekers typically use it:
Search by job title and location. Enter a role and city into the Salary Calculator to see projected 2026 starting salaries for that position, along with access to a sample job description and salaries for related roles.
Browse by professional field. Use the job category drop-down menu to explore salaries by function and then drill down into the roles most relevant to your team or career. Each role is broken out into low, mid and high levels, helping you benchmark pay based on skills, certifications and experience.
Employers can use this information to set competitive offers and ensure their compensation strategies align with market expectations.
Salaries and trends by market
The Salary Guide makes it easy to explore projected 2026 starting salaries by role and location. National benchmarks provide a baseline, while local adjustments give employers and job seekers insight into how compensation varies across markets.
These differences reflect more than geography—they also account for cost of living, concentration of high-paying industries and availability of talent in each metro area. For employers, this means you can fine-tune offers to stay competitive in your market and reduce the risk of losing candidates to organizations that pay closer to local expectations.
In addition to viewing starting salaries by job title and city, you can also access job descriptions for every position featured in the guide. These pages go beyond salary data to outline the core responsibilities, required skills and qualifications that employers typically look for in each role.
Total Compensation: Benefits and perks that matter most
To attract candidates with the specialized, critical skills their teams need, employers must clearly communicate the full value of working for their company. In a market where salary growth has moderated, hiring managers have to emphasize what they offer beyond base pay. The Salary Guide From Robert Half shows that certain benefits and perks carry enough weight that some professionals would switch jobs for them, even without an increase in base salary, including:
Financial incentives (bonuses, stock options)
Work-life balance and remote work options (paid time off, hybrid work, nontraditional work hours)
Retirement planning (401(k), employer-matched plans)
Health and wellness offerings (extended health coverage)
Family and caregiving benefits (childcare assistance, paternity leave, in vitro fertilization (IVF))
On-site perks (fitness center, commuter benefits, meals)
Other incentives are increasingly common and help round out an overall package—such as dental and vision insurance, tuition reimbursement, employee discounts and even paid time off for volunteering. While not always decisive on their own, these incentives strengthen an employer’s value proposition and demonstrate attentiveness to employee needs.
A six-figure salary may spark interest—but in 2026, it’s the perks and benefits that can seal the deal. Professionals are drawn to employers whose offerings support their values, lifestyles and long-term goals. For organizations, that means treating incentives as a central part of the talent strategy. The strongest workplaces combine financial security with lifestyle-friendly benefits, sending a clear message that they value their people and are committed to helping them thrive both on and off the job.
One tool, many uses
Robert Half has published an annual Salary Guide for more than 75 years because it remains a valuable tool for employers and job seekers alike. The guide provides insights and numbers you can count on, whether you’re:
Determining the salary for a new role
Benchmarking the salaries, benefits and perks you offer
Creating staffing plans and budgets for the year ahead
Searching for a new job in your local market—or beyond
Launching a career, or considering a new professional path
Ready to get started?
Access the Guide
You can check out the latest Salary Guide right now on the Robert Half website.
