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.
Employers report that specialized skills command a premium salary.
The top U.S. cities where employers are offering higher-than-planned starting salaries to candidates.
The roles by specialization that are seeing above average starting salary gains.
Aside from healthcare, workers cited the following benefits are influencing career decisions.
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:
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.
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