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Finance and accounting salary benchmarks and trends

2027 Salary Guide

Get customized salary insights Job seekers: Explore opportunities and grow your career. This is not the final Salary Guide. Do not share this preview before September 10 to avoid distributing information that may change before launch. This draft version is intended for internal review and training purposes only.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. Hiring managers: Meet with us to get customized salary insights and guidance so you can build offers candidates say yes to.

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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 Accounting Operations Audit Banking and Financial Markets Banking and Financial Markets Operations Compliance Finance Financial Services Nonprofit Payroll Public Accounting Supply Chain Tax Treasury
Job Title Low Mid High Chief Financial Officer 215000 273250 326250 Corporate Controller 154500 187500 216250 Divisional Controller 124750 163750 178750 Assistant Controller 95500 124500 144250 Plant Controller 126500 139000 152000 Financial Reporting Director 130500 163000 187500 Financial Reporting Manager 112500 137250 161500 Financial Reporting Accountant 75750 87000 101250 Accounting Director 129750 168250 187750 Cost Accounting Manager 105000 116500 138000 Senior Cost Accountant 92000 98250 110000 Cost Accountant 77000 86000 97000 Accounting Manager 98250 115000 128500 Senior Accountant 81500 96750 111250 Revenue Accountant 80000 95000 108500 Staff Accountant 67000 76500 89500 Entry-Level Accountant 55750 63000 70000 Forensic Accountant 89250 111500 125250 Property Accountant 71750 82000 96250 SEC Financial Reporting Director 165250 182250 203500 SEC Financial Reporting Manager 125250 145000 167000 SEC Financial Reporting Analyst 92000 101500 118250 Regulatory Reporting Manager 106750 137000 153250 Senior Regulatory Reporting Accountant 83750 97000 109250 Regulatory Reporting Accountant 62750 74000 88250 Tax Preparer 41500 53750 60250 Accounting Specialist 45750 51500 55500
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

Accounting Organizations are paying more for high-impact skills tied to critical initiatives and to compete for in-demand talent. ERP system proficiency and data visualization skills continue to command increasing value in the market. Controllership Month-end close acceleration Regulatory reporting Technical accounting
Accounting Operations and Payroll Organizations are paying more for high-impact skills tied to critical initiatives and to compete for in-demand talent. ERP platform proficiency Multistate tax experience Workflow automation and process improvement
Finance Organizations are paying more for high-impact skills tied to critical initiatives and to compete for in-demand talent. ERP system proficiency and data visualization skills continue to command increasing value in the market. Data and business analytics Data readiness and fluency Forecasting Power BI and Tableau

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 incentives

Bonuses, profit-sharing programs, stock options

Work‑life balance and flexibility

Paid time off, hybrid or remote work options, flexible hours 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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Salaries and trends by profession

Get 2027 starting salaries and salary insights in our other professional fields. Technology Marketing and creative Legal Administrative and customer support Non-clinical healthcare Human resources
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.
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