Salary Guide 2026 · Accounting & Finance

What Accounting & Finance People Are Asking to Be Paid

Real numbers from 1,447 candidate questionnaires and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: pay by title, why people are looking, where they'll work, and the systems they know.

$95KTypical ask for a Senior Accountant
35%Are looking for growth. Only 4% named pay.
9%Will only work remote
Inside the guide

Typical Asks by Title

AP / AR / Billing$67K
Payroll$70K
Staff Accountant$70K
Bookkeeper$70K
Accounting Specialist$75K
Tax Senior / Staff$94.5K
Senior Accountant$95K
FP&A / Financial Analyst$98.5K
Audit (all levels)$110K
Tax Manager$120K
Accounting Manager$130K
Controller$150K
Director of Finance$172.5K
CFO / VP of Finance$215K

Desired base salary, median, from 805 candidates (January–October 2026). The guide also has the middle-half range and the lowest pay people say they'd accept.

  • Tax and audit: pay, tax software, CPA status and experience
  • Why accounting and finance people are looking, in their own words
  • Where they'll work: hybrid, in the office, or remote
  • The accounting systems they know, from QuickBooks to SAP and NetSuite
  • How often finance people leave, from BLS turnover data
  • Metro Atlanta pay from the BLS for comparison
  • Five ways to hire better this year

Only group totals are shown. No one's individual answers are in the guide.

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Cover of the Staff Financial Group Salary Guide 2026

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