Accounting Salaries 2026
— What Australian Accountants Are Really Being Paid (And Why It’s Reshaping the Industry) —
If you’ve advertised for a new accountant, spoken to a recruiter, or even skimmed public practice forums this year, you’ll know the tone has shifted. Salaries aren’t just rising — they’re reshaping the way accounting firms operate, plan, resource and value themselves.
The 2025 market is unlike anything we’ve seen in the last decade. Salary expectations are being pushed from all sides and firms across Australia — from sole practitioners to mid-tier practices — are reassessing everything from team structure to service mix, advisory delivery, and succession planning.
With the December 2025 Charge Rates & Salaries Benchmarking Report releasing soon, here’s a broader look at the industry forces behind the movement, the shifts across role levels, and why salaries are becoming one of the biggest strategic factors in firm planning.
Why Accountant Salaries Are Increasing: The Industry Forces Behind 2025’s Shift
The salary conversation is no longer a simple supply-and-demand framework. Four structural forces are shaping the movement.
1. A persistent and widespread talent shortage
For years the sector has felt the pressure, but in 2025 it has become more structural than cyclical.
We’re seeing:
- fewer experienced accountants entering public practice
- younger accountants shifting into industry roles sooner
- more demand for advisory capability
- gaps at senior and manager levels previously filled through internal progression
The shortage is not evenly spread. Metro markets — especially in NSW, Victoria and Queensland — are seeing the sharpest upward pressure, but regional practices are not immune.
The key takeaway: this is not a short-term fluctuation.
2. A rethink of role structures inside firms
To compete in the current market, many firms are changing how they classify, promote and structure roles.
Common themes include:
- advancing intermediates into senior roles earlier
- shifting responsibilities downwards or upwards to match capability
- revisiting the traditional pyramid model
- relying more heavily on experienced contractors when gaps can’t be filled
- building advisory pods where pricing and capability align more closely
This reshaping is having a flow-on effect across the whole firm, including pricing, productivity expectations and management layers.
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June 2026 Charge Rates & Salaries Survey
Price range: $495 through $1,265 incl. GST This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page
ACCOUNTING CHARGED OUT RATES FOR 2026
3. Wage growth outpacing pricing changes
The gap between what firms pay and what they charge is widening — and that gap directly affects profitability, partner returns and long-term valuation.
This issue will be explored further in your charge-out rates blog, but from a trend perspective the message is clear:
Revenue models are under pressure because cost structures have shifted.
And this, in turn, is triggering the next major force.
4. Succession, leadership and valuation pressures
The rising salary environment is accelerating conversations around:
- future leaders
- equity pathways
- partner retirement timelines
- firm valuation models
- mergers and acquisitions
The next generation wants clarity.
Outgoing partners want value.
And the market is forcing both to meet in the middle.
Salaries are no longer just a cost line — they’re a strategic factor in whether a firm can grow, transition, or even remain profitable over the next five years.
Where Salary Movement Is Happening Across Role Levels
This is a directional overview; the full benchmarking report covers exact ranges, differences by state, location type, and practice type.
Graduates & Intermediates: Steady movement, rising expectations
This group brings moderate salary increases, but high expectation increases. Hybrid work, structured pathways and meaningful client exposure remain key differentiators.
They shape the pipeline, and turnover at this level increases pressure further up the chain.
Senior Accountants: The pressure point of 2025
No role illustrates the salary shift better than the senior accountant.
They are in short supply, high demand, and increasingly mobile.
Industry forces pushing senior salaries up include:
- elevated expectation of progression within 12–24 months
- increased advisory responsibility
- firms competing on flexibility and culture
- mid-year salary adjustments becoming normalised
This is the role most affected by national talent shortages.
Supervisors & Assistant Managers: The compression zone
Salary compression is appearing in firms where seniors have moved up faster than supervisors.
This has created a structural question:
Do we adjust supervisors upward, or recalibrate the senior role?
Many firms are rebuilding these layers entirely to maintain a clear and meaningful progression path.
Managers & Senior Managers: A shifting leadership cohort
Firms are reporting:
- the strongest year-on-year salary movement at this level
- greater expectations around hybrid leadership
- more demand for advisory capability
- greater difficulty replacing managers when they leave
- earlier discussions around equity participation
This role is heavily connected to succession, valuation and retention of key client relationships.
RETAINING STAFF
See the full 2026 charge-out rates insights accountants are relying on.
Want to know more? Book a 15-minute call with Michelle Knights and discover how she can help your practice improve its profitability with benchmarking.
How These Trends Are Reshaping the Industry
Here is where this blog stands apart from your practical “what to pay” post.
This is the macro lens — the structural changes unfolding across the profession.
1. Salary movement is redefining firm profitability
Partners are feeling margin pressure because revenue models haven’t adapted at the same pace as salaries.
Several firms are already shifting toward:
- differentiated pricing for advisory
- value-based approaches
- minimum fee thresholds
- revisiting ideal client profiles
2. Talent shortages are influencing mergers and acquisitions
We’re seeing buyers prioritise firms with:
- stable senior and manager cohorts
- efficient team structures
- sustainable salary-to-fee ratios
Salary stability and capability depth are now valuation factors.
3. The career pathway model is changing
The traditional accountant → senior → supervisor → manager → partner ladder is being replaced with:
- dual technical/advisory tracks
- leadership development tracks
- earlier mentoring and business development expectations
- hybrid team models
4. Succession is being pulled forward
Rising salaries accelerate the need for clarity in:
- equity pathways
- leadership transition
- partner workload distribution
- client ownership models
Firms without a succession strategy are feeling more pressure than ever.
Understand how benchmarking works — and why leading firms rely on it each year.
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December 2026 Charge Rates & Salaries Report
Price range: $396 through $1,295 incl. GST This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page
Why Benchmarking Matters Even More in 2026
A single number — a national average — tells you nothing meaningful.
What matters is:
- your state
- your region
- your size
- your service mix
- your team structure
- your ideal client base
This is why the December Charge Rates & Salaries Benchmarking Report is used as the reference point for:
- pricing decisions
- compensation planning
- succession modelling
- practice valuations
- workforce planning
- partner retirement strategies
It remains the most direct way to understand how your firm compares — and what’s changing in the market around you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Structural talent shortages, increased advisory demand, hybrid work expectations and succession pressures are all contributing to upward salary movement.
No. Salary movement varies significantly by state, location type and practice size. Our benchmarking report breaks this down in detail.
There is a national shortage of experienced seniors, particularly those capable of managing client groups and delivering advisory.
Higher salaries impact profitability, which affects EBITDA and valuation multiples. Capability depth and stability are now major valuation factors.
From the Rob Knights & Co Charge Rates & Salaries Benchmarking Report, released next week. A sample report is available on request.
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