Amid shifting economic conditions, finance and accounting leaders are directing their focus toward revenue-driving roles. At the same time, many seek candidates who have the specialized skills—especially in artificial intelligence—needed to guide strategic decision making and upgrade workflows and operational systems with the latest technologies.

Reaching agreement with in-demand candidates on compensation for roles in these and other critical areas is a common challenge. Meanwhile, a worsening accountant shortage is creating compliance issues for many firms and driving up salaries for the professionals needed to address these challenges.

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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 and revenue, and demand for the role. To reflect this variability, we report our compensation data in 3 levels: low, mid and high.

Accounting

Accounting Operations

Audit

Banking and Financial Markets

Banking and Financial Markets Operations

Compliance

Finance

Financial Services

Fund Accounting and Operations

Payroll

Public Accounting

Tax

Treasury

Job Title

Low

Mid

High

Chief Financial Officer

195500

269750

321750

Corporate Controller

152000

185000

213250

Divisional Controller

118750

161750

176250

Assistant Controller

94000

122500

142000

Plant Controller

111000

125000

136000

Director of Financial Reporting

129000

160750

184750

Senior Financial Reporting Accountant

90750

100750

111750

Financial Reporting Manager

111250

135500

159250

Financial Reporting Accountant

74250

85250

99250

Director of Accounting

126500

165000

183250

Cost Accounting Manager

98250

114750

127750

Senior Cost Accountant

83500

96250

106500

Cost Accountant

71750

79000

93000

Accounting Manager

96750

113000

127500

Senior Accountant

80000

94750

109000

Staff Accountant

61000

73750

87750

Entry-Level Staff Accountant

54750

62000

69000

Senior Accountant – Financial Services

85000

102750

114250

Accountant – Financial Services

72500

89250

103250

Entry-Level Accountant – Financial Services

61000

75000

87250

Forensic Accountant

86750

109750

123750

Property Accountant

70250

80500

94250

Procurement Manager

84000

114750

129250

Procurement Specialist

47750

61000

74500

Accounting Specialist

45000

50500

54750

Low

The candidate is new to the role or has limited experience and is building necessary skills.

Mid

The candidate has moderate experience in the role, meets most requirements or has equivalent transferable skills, and may also have relevant certifications.

High

The candidate has extensive experience and advanced skills for the role, and may also have specialized certifications.

2026 Finance and Accounting Compensation Trends

Year-over-year salary gains

+2.1%

projected average increase across finance and accounting roles

+3.7%

for public accounting roles in tax, audit and assurance due to regulatory complexity and demand for advisory services

+2.9%

for payroll positions due to compliance pressures and demand for professionals skilled in payroll technology

+2.2%

for tax professionals outside of public accounting due to growing regulatory complexity

The value of advanced skills

87% of finance and accounting leaders typically offer higher salaries to candidates with specialized skills than to those without them in the same role.

Financial reporting

Data analytics

Financial modeling

ERP software

Digital talent demand

As organizations modernize core systems like ERP, the need for tech-savvy finance and accounting professionals is growing fast. From automation to analytics, today’s teams need talent that can bridge finance and technology.

95% of finance and accounting leaders say their team will be involved in a major digital transformation initiative over the next 2 years.

These projects require professionals with strong skills in areas like AI, automation, cybersecurity, cloud engineering and data analytics.

Because demand and competition for these professionals is high, many companies are prepared to offer above-market pay to land top talent.

Managing pay expectations

80% of finance and accounting leaders express concern about keeping pace with candidates’ pay expectations. Many recognize they must prioritize strategies that address job seekers’ needs and streamline the hiring process.

Adding new benefits and perks

Increasing starting salaries

Including salary ranges in job descriptions

Demand for accountants with well-honed soft skills and expertise in areas like financial analysis, business technology and public accounting remains high.

Offering improved work-life balance—such as greater remote flexibility or more paid time off—can significantly improve an organization’s recruiting strategy.

standard

of finance and accounting leaders say they face challenges hiring for open accountant roles. of finance and accounting leaders say they face challenges hiring for open accountant roles.

standard

say the accountant shortage has led to delays or increased compliance risks. say the accountant shortage has led to delays or increased compliance risks.

The need for skilled contract talent

When budgets don’t allow hiring for new permanent roles, many organizations engage contract professionals to help close skills gaps and manage heavy workloads, and to serve as a trial period for potential future hires.

Bringing in contract talent can also help managers better allocate resources because they’re paying for specialized expertise only when it’s needed for specific projects.

Top certifications, industries, emerging roles

Candidates with in-demand certifications like those listed below can often command higher starting salaries, notably in sectors experiencing active hiring and strong demand for specialized skills.

Certified Financial Planner (CFP)

Certified Management Accountant (CMA)

Certified Payroll Professional (CPP)

Certified Public Accountant (CPA)

Certified Treasury Professional (CTP)

Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA)

Corporate Financial Planning and Analysis Certification (FPAC)

Many companies in the following industries are willing to pay more for the right combination of skills and experience. Likewise, these industries are providing greater opportunities for career advancement and salary growth.

Financial services

Healthcare

Manufacturing

Nonprofit

Below are a few finance and accounting positions gaining traction in 2026. As these and other new roles evolve and grow in demand, setting competitive salaries can be challenging—prompting 41% of leaders to turn to recruiters for guidance.

AI governance and risk officer: Oversees the ethical, legal and compliance implications of AI in finance functions, and develops frameworks for responsible AI use in financial decision making

Cognitive accountant: Uses AI to automate tasks, such as categorizing expenses and detecting anomalies, and gather real-time company financial data using natural language queries

Real-time financial data engineer: Designs infrastructure to process and analyze financial data streams, and supports agile forecasting and real-time performance management

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The salary benchmarks listed in the Salary Guide From Robert Half are the result of a rigorous, multistep process so that our projections accurately reflect the marketplace. 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 referenced in the Salary Guide is based on online surveys developed by Robert Half and conducted by an independent research firm. Respondents include hiring managers and workers from 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.