2025 Finance and Accounting Salary Guide

We understand the challenges of today’s finance and accounting landscape. Skills shortages still persist, saving costs is top of mind and technological advancements are coming quicker than businesses can keep up with.

That’s why we have curated the 2025 Robert Half Finance and Accounting Salary Guide to arm you with the knowledge and confidence to make the right employment decisions. Whether you're a hiring manager looking to attract top finance talent or an accounting jobseeker hoping to find your next role, this guide provides valuable insights and Australian salary benchmarks based on Robert Half’s placement data to help the decision-making process.

The hiring market for finance and accounting staff is slowly heating up again with one third (34%) of firms planning to hire extra finance talent on a permanent basis and 33% opting to increase the number of contractors in their team in 2025. Fixed-term contracts have become popular to secure headcount faster with the option to flex up or down if needed.

Finance and accounting market update

Professionals in accounting, payroll and controlling are most in demand, with skills in financial analysis, business partnering, business intelligence tools and month-end management of most interest to employers. With finance talent shortages across the board, healthcare, financial services, retail in the east and mining services in Western Australia are among the sectors with the highest hiring intentions.

Hiring roadblocks faced by employers

Employers often create their own hiring roadblocks by failing to meet salary demands, offer hybrid work options or consider alternative staffing approaches. Organisations need to be strategic about the best way to sell their business to candidates by highlighting career development opportunities and their unique company culture. For many, these missteps carry immediate and long-term consequences, including missing out on top candidates, widening skills gaps, and increasing staff burnout and turnover.

The key to unlocking a salary rise for finance workers

Compensation remains a key priority for finance and accounting professionals. 34% are expecting pay increases to keep pace with the rising cost of living and 33% would look for a new job if their expectations aren’t met. Businesses admit workers have become more demanding, with 49% noting candidates are demanding more salary and 50% are wanting more perks and benefits. With tight budgets, 29% of firms say they will award pay rises based on the same criteria for all employees. Beyond salary, offering a compelling package of perks and benefits is crucial for securing and retaining skilled employees in a competitive market.

Automation is a hot topic in the finance and accounting world, with 31% of firms encouraging their staff to explore generative AI tools for the enhancement of day-to-day routine tasks and to improve productivity. Also, 49% of finance leaders are already planning for internal generative AI upskilling programs, while 46% are introducing AI mentorship programs to ensure their employees don’t fall behind the AI curve.

of finance workers believe learning and enhancing AI skills related to their role is necessary for future career success of finance workers believe learning and enhancing AI skills related to their role is necessary for future career success

of finance employees are using generative AI tools (almost) every workday of finance employees are using generative AI tools (almost) every workday

Return-to-office mandates have not been welcomed by all finance and accounting workers. Today's professionals value workplace flexibility so highly that they're often willing to prioritise a hybrid work model over higher pay when considering a job change. But as businesses attempt to restore higher levels of office attendance for productivity and company culture, flexible work options that allow for ad hoc amended start and finish times are a strategic option to offer when hybrid work is not viable.

of finance workers want more remote working options in 2025 of finance workers want more remote working options in 2025

of finance workers will look for a new job if they don’t get remote working options of finance workers will look for a new job if they don’t get remote working options

In-demand permanent roles in finance and accounting

Financial Controller

FP&A Manager/ Business Partner

Finance Manager

Financial Accountant

Management Accountant

Assistant Accountant

AP/AR Officer

In-demand contract roles in finance and accounting

Financial/Management Accountant

Functional areas within finance and accounting in which businesses are most likely to hire

Accounting operations

Payroll

Controlling

Financial Planning and Analysis (FP&A)

In-demand technical skills in finance and accounting

Interpretation of accounting standards (IFRS, AASB 15/16/17)

Microsoft Excel (advanced)

Business intelligence tools (TM1, Power BI and Tableau)

Financial analysis

Month-end management

Transactional accounting experience

ERP

In-demand soft skills in finance and accounting

Communication skills

Change management

Business partnering skills

Stakeholder management/influencing skills

Leadership skills

Proactive problem-solving skills

How much should I earn or pay?

In-demand certifications and degrees in finance and accounting

CA/CPA

ACCA/CIMA

CTA/CFA

MBA

Top industries hiring for finance and accounting talent

Healthcare

Financial services

Retail

Mining/mining services

Not-for-profit/health services

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The salaries listed in the Salary Guide from Robert Half are the result of a rigorous, multistep process to ensure our projections accurately reflect the marketplace. They are based on actual compensation for professionals Robert Half has matched with employers across Australia as well as third-party job posting data that we use to independently validate the salary ranges.

The salaries listed in the salary tables represent gross yearly salaries. They do not include bonuses, benefits or superannuation. We report salaries in three percentiles, recognising that professionals join companies at varied experience levels.

The non-salary data presented in this Salary Guide is derived from an online survey conducted by an independent research firm commissioned by Robert Half in November 2024. The survey gathered responses from 500 hiring managers and 1,000 full-time office workers in finance, accounting, business support, and IT and technology. Respondents are drawn from a sample of SMEs to large private, publicly-listed and public sector organisations across Australia.