2027 Salary Guide From Robert Half finds employers are paying more for candidates with specialized skills

Surveyed managers cite specialized skills as the top reason for offering higher-than-planned salaries to attract new talent.

Rhea-AI Summary

Robert Half (RHI) released its 2027 Salary Guide, outlining projected starting salaries and survey findings on compensation across seven professional fields. Average salaries for new hires across those fields are projected to rise 1.9% in 2027, with selected roles expected to exceed that rate. The salary ranges cover base pay for new hires across experience levels.

Among surveyed managers, 57% report offering higher-than-planned salaries to attract talent, with specialized skills the top reason. For relevant artificial intelligence skills, 72% report increasing pay; 42% offer more for AI expertise than other technical skills. San Francisco, Denver and Seattle had the highest shares reporting higher-than-planned offers. Meanwhile, 96% of employers include salary ranges in job descriptions or plan to, and 60% say transparency helps attract higher-quality candidates.

Key Figures

Projected salary growth: 1.9% Higher-than-planned salaries: 57% Pay increases for AI skills: 72% +4 more

Projected salary growth

1.9%

Average salaries for new hires across seven specializations in 2027

Higher-than-planned salaries

57%

Managers offering higher-than-planned salaries to attract new talent

Pay increases for AI skills

72%

Managers increasing pay for relevant AI skills

AI expertise pay premium

42%

Managers saying AI expertise commands more pay than other technical skills

More competitive job offers

64%

Employers saying offers are more competitive than three years ago

Salary ranges in job descriptions

96%

Employers including salary ranges or planning to do so

Survey respondents

More than 2,000

Hiring managers, business leaders and employed workers across the United States

AI-generated analysis. How Rhea-AI works. Not financial advice.

See more from StockTitan in Google Search and AI answers. Adds StockTitan as a preferred source · opens Google

Add on Google Not now

• More than half of employers are offering higher-than-planned salaries to attract new hires
• San Francisco, Denver and Seattle lead U.S. cities in employers offering higher-than-planned salaries

MENLO PARK, Calif., Oct. 1, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Global talent solutions and business consulting firm Robert Half has released its 2027 Salary Guide, featuring projected salaries for hundreds of positions across 7 professional fields, along with compensation trends and hiring insights. The salary ranges reflect base salaries for new hires across all levels of experience.

 Experience the full interactive Multichannel News Release here: https://www.multivu.com/robert-half/9416751-en-robert-half-2027-salary-guide

Key findings from Robert Half's 2027 Salary Guide highlight how competition for talent with specialized skills is shaping compensation strategies:

• Workers with specialized skills command more pay: 57% of managers say they're offering higher-than-planned salaries to attract new talent, citing specialized skills as the top reason.
• AI fluency and expertise are driving higher salaries: 72% are increasing pay for relevant AI skills, with 42% offering more for AI-related expertise than other technical skills.
• Offers are more competitive: 64% say job offers are more competitive than they were 3 years ago.
• Salary transparency enhances hiring: 60% say pay transparency has helped attract higher-quality candidates.

AI-related skills command higher pay

Employers are factoring AI capabilities into salary offers. Nearly three-quarters of managers (72%) say they are increasing pay for relevant AI skills and 42% say AI expertise commands more than other technical skills. The findings highlight how a candidate's skills can influence pay within a given role.

"Compensation expectations are evolving as employers compete for talent with specialized and emerging skills," said Dawn Fay, operational president of Robert Half. "Our Salary Guide gives employers the market insight they need to make informed offers, move quickly on top candidates and build compensation strategies that support their business priorities."

Where salaries for new hires are increasing

Nationally, 57% of managers say they are offering higher-than-planned salaries to new hires. Among the U.S. cities where managers were surveyed, San Francisco, Denver and Seattle have the highest share of employers reporting this practice.

Rank	City	Employers offering higher- than-planned salaries to attract new talent
1	San Francisco	66 %
2	Denver	65 %
3	Seattle	64 %
4	Dallas	61 %
5	Minneapolis	60 %
6	Boston	59 %
7	Atlanta	57 %
8	Washington, D.C.	54 %
9	Los Angeles	52 %
10	Houston	50 %
11	New York	48 %
12	Chicago	47 %

Selected roles expected to outpace salary growth within their fields

The following roles are in demand, and salaries for them are projected to experience growth that exceeds the national average of 1.9% in 2027.

Specialization	Role
Technology	Business Intelligence Developer Data Scientist Cybersecurity Engineer
Finance and accounting	Financial Analyst Staff Accountant Financial Planning and Analysis Manager
Legal	Attorney, 4-9 Years' Experience Attorney, 2-3 Years' Experience In-House Counsel, 4-9 Years' Experience
Marketing and creative	Marketing Automation Specialist Marketing Analytics Specialist Digital Marketing Manager
Administrative and customer support	Executive Assistant Senior Administrative Assistant Senior Customer Service Representative

Salary transparency strengthens hiring outcomes

Most employers say pay transparency helps hiring and retention outcomes. 96% say they include salary ranges in job descriptions or plan to do so, citing the top benefits as:

• Attracting a higher-quality candidate pool—60%
• Improving employee retention—57%
• Strengthening salary negotiations—53%
• Reducing time-to-hire—34%

"Salary transparency and market-informed compensation strategies are critical hiring differentiators," Fay added. "When employers provide clarity around pay and align salaries with current market conditions, they are better positioned to attract talent, retain employees and streamline the hiring process."

Flexibility remains a top differentiator

While competitive compensation remains critical, workers continue to place a premium on flexibility when evaluating job opportunities. When asked which perks and benefits beyond healthcare would most influence their decisions, workers cited:

• Flexible work hours— 67%
• Commuter benefits—55%
• Hybrid work arrangements—51%
• Free or subsidized meals—51%
• 401(k) match—50%

Explore salary data and compensation trends by profession and location by visiting the 2027 Salary Guide From Robert Half.

About the 2027 Salary Guide From Robert Half

 Robert Half has been publishing salary forecasts for more than 75 years. Since 1950, the Salary Guide has served as a trusted source for employers, job seekers, government organizations, educational institutions and business leaders. The guide features salary benchmarks informed by market data and insights from Robert Half recruiters, along with survey findings from more than 2,000 hiring managers, business leaders and employed workers across the United States.

FAQ:

How much are salaries for new hires expected to increase in 2027?
Average salaries for new hires across the 7 specializations Robert Half serves are projected to rise 1.9% in 2027, with selected roles expected to see larger increases.

Why are organizations paying more for specialized skills?
Organizations are paying more for specialized skills because competition remains strong for professionals with expertise tied to business-critical priorities. In addition to salary, employers are evaluating total rewards strategies to remain competitive during candidate negotiations.

What are the benefits of salary transparency and benchmarking?
Salary transparency and benchmarking can help organizations attract higher-quality candidates, improve retention, strengthen salary negotiations and reduce time to hire.

About Robert Half
Robert Half (NYSE: RHI) is the world's first and largest specialized talent solutions and business consulting firm, connecting highly skilled job seekers with rewarding opportunities at great companies. We offer contract talent and full-time solutions in the fields of finance and accounting, technology, marketing and creative, legal, and administrative and customer support, and we also provide executive search services. Robert Half is the parent company of Protiviti^®, a global consulting firm that delivers internal audit, risk, business and technology consulting solutions. In the past 12 months, Robert Half, including Protiviti, has been named one of the Fortune^® Most Admired Companies™ and 100 Best Companies to Work For. Explore talent solutions, research and insights at roberthalf.com.

 

 

 

 

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/2027-salary-guide-from-robert-half-finds-employers-are-paying-more-for-candidates-with-specialized-skills-302895043.html

SOURCE Robert Half

FAQ

AI-generated questions and answers. How Rhea-AI works. Not financial advice.

How much does Robert Half project starting salaries will increase in 2027?

Average salaries for new hires across the seven specializations Robert Half serves are projected to rise 1.9% in 2027. Selected roles are expected to see larger increases. The guide's ranges reflect base salaries for new hires across all experience levels.

What does Robert Half's 2027 Salary Guide show about pay for AI skills?

72% of surveyed managers say they are increasing pay for relevant artificial intelligence skills. Separately, 42% say they offer more for AI-related expertise than for other technical skills.

What data supports Robert Half's 2027 Salary Guide?

The guide combines market data and Robert Half recruiter insights with survey findings from more than 2,000 hiring managers, business leaders and employed workers across the United States.