Salary benchmarks and trends in Finance and Accounting

The growing demand for finance and accounting professionals is driven by a mix of digital transformation projects and traditional needs. However, companies often hinder their hiring efforts by not raising starting salaries to meet market demand, maintaining strict skills requirements, or not offering hybrid work options.

These missteps lead to immediate and long-term issues, such as losing talent to competitors, widening skills gaps, staff burnout, and high turnover. While finance and accounting firms are adopting AI and automation tools to boost efficiency, they still need teams with the right skills to effectively use these technologies.

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Enter your city to localize national average salaries. Starting salaries can vary greatly depending on a professional’s skills and experience, the company’s size, and demand for the role.

Accounting

Audit

Controlling

Treasury

Compliance

Consolidation

Tax

Management

Position title

25th Percentile

50th Percentile

75th Percentile

Accounting Clerk

72500

86500

104750

Accounts Payable/ Receivable

71500

86750

96750

General Ledger Accountant

95250

105750

120500

Accounting Manager

112250

122750

135500

25th Percentile

New to the role, with little or no experience; requires more than basic instruction or supervision to perform day-to-day duties

50th Percentile

Has the experience to consistently perform core responsibilities without direct supervision; comfortable with processes and subject matter associated with the role

75th Percentile

Value to the organization goes beyond the ability to perform normal job duties; has rare qualifications that enable unique contributions; ready for advancement

Hottest jobs in finance and accounting

Accountant

Controller

Head of Accounting

General Ledger Accountant

Compliance Associate

FP&A Specialist

Accounting Assistant (AR / AP)

Controller

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

Accounting

Financial Planning and Analysis (FP&A)

Controlling

Payroll

Top technical skills that are urgently sought after in finance and accounting

Data Analytics

Industry / Business Know How

Financial Analysis

Business Intelligence Tools

Industry / Business Know How

National Accounting Standard / Law

Business Intelligence Tools

Big Data

Top soft skills that are urgently sought after in finance and accounting

Leadership Skills

Critical Thinking Skills

Communication Skills

Problem-Solving Skills

Emotional Intelligence

Change Management Skills

Creative Thinking Skills

Critical Thinking Skills

How much should I pay or earn?

Hottest certifications and degrees in finance and accounting

Specialist Certificate in Finance ACS

MAS Master of Accounting

MBA

CAS

Top industries for finance and accounting specialists

Banking & Financial Services

Luxury Goods Industry

Medical Device

Energy

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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 Switzerland. The salaries listed in the salary tables represent starting compensation only, meaning pay for someone new to a company in the position listed. Our estimates do not include bonuses, benefits, or perks. We report salaries in percentiles and ranges, recognizing that professionals join companies at varied experience levels.

Non-salary data referenced in this Salary Guide is based on an online survey developed by Robert Half and conducted by an independent research firm. During June and July 2024 Robert Half commissioned research amongst 750 respondents using an online data collection methodology. The respondents represent 250 hiring managers from the employer side and 500 workers in finance and accounting, IT and technology, administrative and customer support, legal, and the financial services industry. Respondents are drawn from a sample of SMEs to large private, publicly listed, and public sector organizations across Switzerland.

Disclaimer The Salary Guide is solely for noncommercial use, and the copyright is the exclusive property of Robert Half. This guide cannot be reproduced or disseminated in any part without Robert Half’s written permission.