2026 salary surveys: How much are you and your employees worth?

The article is relevant to members in Australia and was current at the time of publication.

Competition for talent continues to place upward pressure on salaries across accounting and finance roles.

According to the 2026 Salary Guide from Robert Half, salaries range from around A$85,000 for an assistant accountant at the market midpoint to approximately A$135,000 for a senior management accountant. 

Public practices competing for talent against commercial organisations may therefore need to differentiate themselves through career opportunities, culture and flexibility rather than salary alone, says Lauren Haxby, Senior Practice Director – Finance and Accounting at Robert Half.

“Quality talent is definitely still hard to come by, especially at the senior end,” she says. 

“Organisations need to consider the whole candidate proposition outside the dollar value and lean into non-monetary benefits.”

According to Robert Half’s survey, employers reported that the most widely used benefits are hybrid work options (43 per cent), flexible work arrangements (34 per cent), mental health resources (24 per cent) and internal or external training (20 per cent).

“It’s about creating a compelling proposition within the business,” says Stuart Martin, Business Director and National Accounting & Finance Lead at Hays. 

“Candidates are taking a more holistic view of opportunities. While salary remains important, firms that can clearly demonstrate career progression, development, leadership exposure and flexibility are best placed to retain talent.”

The Hays Salary Guide FY26/27 found only 42 per cent of professionals were satisfied or very satisfied with their salary, despite average pay increases of around four per cent over the past year. Half of respondents felt underpaid, with many citing cost of living pressures.

Meanwhile, 42 per cent of employees said they have received little to no meaningful pay increase during the past 12 months.

Lower income workers have been particularly affected, with 62 per cent of those earning less than A$79,000 reporting little meaningful salary growth compared with 36 per cent of workers earning above A$80,000.

Benefits beyond salary

“What is clear is that people really do value training, flexibility, future opportunities, and direct access to leadership and development opportunities equally to salary,” Martin says. 

“When positioned effectively, these can be really powerful attractors for recruiting and retaining good candidates.” 

Career progression has become just as important as remuneration. 

Among professionals considering leaving a role, lack of future opportunities (36 per cent) and unclear promotion pathways (33 per cent) rank just behind salary and benefits (43 per cent) as the primary reasons for seeking a new position.

Haxby adds: “Firms that have real-life case studies of people who joined and progressed have something to shout about. Mentoring programs are also worth highlighting.”

For junior candidates, mental health resources, such as wellbeing days and access to an employee assistance program, are also attractive. 

Offering flexibility should be a given, she says, as many junior employees have never experienced a five-day working week and are not willing to do so. The Robert Half survey found that 29 per cent of candidates rejected offers because of insufficient flexible or remote work options.

“However, last year, we did see a push from having employees in the office three days a week to four days a week,” Haxby says. 

As many as 74 per cent of finance and accounting managers had adjusted salaries based on employees’ office attendance in the last two years, while 84 per cent said proximity to leadership increased compensation outcomes and career development.

Most sought-after employees 

Haxby says employers are increasingly seeking finance professionals who can strengthen organisational resilience during uncertain economic conditions.

Technical accounting expertise remains essential, but organisations are also looking for professionals with strategic thinking, systems knowledge and digital capability to help modernise finance functions and maintain compliance, she says.

Professionals with experience in financial control, transformation projects and technology adoption are particularly sought after.

“It’s very clear that if you’re not using artificial intelligence, you will be left behind in the workforce. Firms are looking for candidates who can use technology to implement improvements and efficiencies.”

Finally, she says, organisations that are trying to retain valuable employees need to be on the front foot.

“Don’t wait until you have a resignation; think about how you can retain people. While many firms attempt to make counter offers of money, we found that these incentives may work in the short-term but not for a sustained period.”