Starting salaries in public accounting are projected to increase an average of 8.9% next year, with roles in tax services expected to see an average increase of 8.4% in 2025 and roles in audit and assurance expected to rise by an average of 9.5%, according to a CPA Practice Advisor analysis of public accounting pay data provided by specialized staffing firm Robert Half.
Robert Half’s salary guide for 2025 was released on Oct. 7, featuring starting salary projections for a variety of positions in accounting and finance. In the public accounting category, Robert Half provides projected 2025 starting salaries for eight positions: four in tax services and four in audit and assurance services.
One significant trend Robert Half highlights is that firms are rewarding new staff with higher pay to work in the office for most or all of the workweek versus working remotely.
“Starting salaries are rising primarily for high-demand roles in areas such as accounting operations, financial analysis, and general accounting,” Robert Half said. “For jobs that can be done remotely, 65% of managers are willing to increase starting salaries for new hires to work in the office full or part time. Of those, 55% are offering workers up to 20% more pay to come in four to five days a week.”
CPA Practice Advisor analyzed starting salary projections from Robert Half’s 2024 and 2025 salary guides to determine how much average starting base pay is expected to increase next year for each of the eight positions featured. The results were:
Tax services
- Senior manager: 10.8%
- Manager: 5.5%
- Senior tax associate: 8.5%
- Tax associate: 9%
Overall average increase: 8.4%
Audit and assurance services
- Senior manager: 17.8%
- Manager: 3%
- Senior associate: 13%
- Associate: 4.2%
Overall average increase: 9.5%
Average increase of both tax services and audit/assurance services: 8.9%
In its annual salary guide, Robert Half provides starting pay ranges by percentile, based on a candidate’s experience. For the 2025 salary guide, there are three salary percentiles with the following descriptions:
- 25th percentile: The candidate is new to the role and building the needed skills, experience, and autonomy.
- 50th percentile: The candidate has the experience to perform core responsibilities without direct supervision and is comfortable with the role’s processes and subject matter.
- 75th percentile: The candidate delivers value beyond the stated job duties, has advanced qualifications and experience, and is ready for the next career level.
Below are the projected starting salaries in public accounting for 2025, according to Robert Half (25th/50th/75th):
| Senior Manager, Tax Services | $136,000 | $175,500 | $217,250 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manager of Tax Services | $99,500 | $117,500 | $137,750 |
| Senior Tax Associate | $72,750 | $90,000 | $101,750 |
| Tax Associate | $57,250 | $70,250 | $82,250 |
| Senior Manager, Audit/Assurance Services | $136,000 | $175,500 | $217,250 |
| Manager, Audit/Assurance Services | $92,750 | $109,500 | $128,500 |
| Senior Associate, Audit/Assurance Services | $68,000 | $80,500 | $91,500 |
| Associate, Audit/Assurance Services | $51,250 | $62,750 | $72,500 |
Below are the starting salaries for each of the eight public accounting roles in the 2025 salary guide, listed by percentile, compared with 2024’s starting salary projections from Robert Half (2024 -> 2025) so we can see how big the starting pay increases are expected to be by position and by percentile (in parenthesis):
Senior manager, tax services
- 25th percentile: $124,500 -> $136,000 (9.2%)
- 50th percentile: $159,500 -> $175,500 (10%)
- 75th percentile: $192,000 -> $217,250 (13.1%)
Manager, tax services
- 25th percentile: $92,750 -> $99,500 (7.3%)
- 50th percentile: $112,750 -> $117,500 (4.2%)
- 75th percentile: $131,000 -> $137,750 (5.1%)
Senior tax associate
- 25th percentile: $67,250 -> $72,750 (8.2%)
- 50th percentile: $83,250 -> $90,000 (8.1%)
- 75th percentile: $93,250 -> $101,750 (9.1%)
Tax associate
- 25th percentile: $52,750 -> $57,250 (8.5%)
- 50th percentile: $64,750 -> $70,250 (8.5%)
- 75th percentile: $74,750 -> $82,250 (10%)
Senior manager, audit and assurance services
- 25th percentile: $121,500 -> $136,000 (11.9%)
- 50th percentile: $150,250 -> $175,500 (16.8%)
- 75th percentile: $174,250 -> $217,250 (24.7%)
Manager, audit and assurance services
- 25th percentile: $90,000 -> $92,750 (3%)
- 50th percentile: $106,250 -> $109,500 (3%)
- 75th percentile: $124,750 -> $128,500 (3%)
Senior associate, audit and assurance services
- 25th percentile: $57,750 -> $68,000 (17.7%)
- 50th percentile: $72,750 -> $80,500 (10.6%)
- 75th percentile: $82,750 -> $91,500 (10.6%)
Associate, audit and assurance services
- 25th percentile: $49,000 -> $51,250 (4.6%)
- 50th percentile: $60,500 -> $62,750 (3.7%)
- 75th percentile: $69,500 -> $72,500 (4.3%)
“The accountant shortage not only continues—it’s worsening. Professionals are overtasked, and many leave public accounting for a better work-life balance. To alleviate workloads and stress, firms are hiring for permanent roles and bringing in contract professionals during seasonal peaks,” Robert Half said. “To boost their hiring efforts, companies find they must raise salaries and offer flexible work options. Some managers assign light accounting duties to employees on other teams. This alleviates pressure on accounting staff, but it can drive up salaries across the firm.”
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Tags: Accounting, Firm Management, Payroll, Staffing
