- Employers are increasing pay for specialized skills, while candidates are negotiating with confidence and considering in-office work.
- Total compensation, including benefits and perks, plays a meaningful role in career decisions.
Global talent solutions and business consulting firm Robert Half released the 2026 Salary Guide, an essential tool for employers and job seekers. As one of the original sources for salary data, the guide provides insights on key compensation trends, benefits and perks, and projected starting salaries for hundreds of roles across 7 professional fields nationwide.
Experience the full interactive Multichannel News Release here: https://www.multivu.com/robert-half/9211552-en-robert-half-2026-salary-guide
The company’s latest guide finds that many employers are offering higher salaries to candidates with specialized skills, while most job seekers—despite a competitive market—are confident negotiating compensation packages.
The Value of Specialized Skills
While overall salary growth has moderated, 84% of hiring managers say they will offer higher salaries to candidates who possess in-demand skills. According to the guide, roles in the following areas are projected to experience higher-than-average starting salary gains:
- Artificial intelligence, machine learning and data science (4.1%)
- Public accounting, tax, audit and assurance (3.7%)
- Content strategy, digital project management and marketing analytics (3.3%)
- Customer support and healthcare administration (3.0%)
- Legal contract management (2.7%)
- Compensation and benefits (2.4%)
“Specialized skills are the currency of today’s job market,” said Dawn Fay, operational president of Robert Half. “To attract and retain in-demand talent, employers must provide competitive pay along with meaningful benefits and perks or risk losing top candidates if their offers don’t measure up.”
Meanwhile, 88% of professionals said they feel confident negotiating salary offers, though some admit to challenges around knowing what is negotiable (41%), being able to justify requests (36%) and determining their market value (29%).
“A thoughtful approach to salary negotiations is critical,” said Fay. “It starts with knowing your value, doing the research and clarifying your priorities—so you can confidently ask for the compensation package you desire.”
Total Compensation Takes Center Stage
With 74% of employers concerned about meeting candidates’ salary expectations, competitive perks, benefits and other incentives are becoming increasingly important. The research shows that half (50%) of hiring managers expect adding new benefits and perks will be an effective recruiting strategy in 2026, while workers revealed which offerings would prompt them to switch employers—assuming base pay remained the same:
- Financial incentives (53%)
- Work-life balance perks (51%)
- Retirement planning (42%)
- Health and wellness offerings (39%)
“While offering a competitive salary is imperative, it shouldn’t be the only consideration,” Fay added. “Employers who embrace both monetary and non-monetary perks and benefits will stand out to candidates who are evaluating offers.”
Pay Tradeoffs for In-Office Work
While remote work remains a powerful recruitment tool, some professionals may be willing to work fully on-site if the pay is right. According to the 2026 Salary Guide, 66% of candidates would agree to work in-person full-time for a higher salary, with most (60%) requiring a 10% or more increase to do so.
To access the full guide and explore salary data and trends by profession and location, visit the 2026 Salary Guide From Robert Half.
