Consultant Salary Figures for Finance and Accounting

Consultant Salary Figures for Finance and AccountingConsultant Salary Figures for Finance and AccountingAre you considering a career as a financial consultant? Leaving a full-time position isnt an easy decision to make. However, senior-level consulting comes with benefits of its own, including a consultant salary that usually matches or exceeds that of a similar full-time position.Trends suggest we may be entering a golden age for consultant jobs. Organizations are increasingly relying on interim professionals and consultants to supplement in-house staff during busy periods, fill gaps caused by employee turnover, evaluate workers for potential full-time hires, and spearhead strategic financial initiatives for projects such as systems conversions.Cash in on your skillsAs an in-demand, specialized interim professional, you can expect to earn a competitive consultant salary, especially if you work with a specialized staffing agency. Salaries for skilled accounting and business consultan ts are on the rise. This is especially true for senior-level finance professionals experienced in risk, compliance and technical accounting, or with expertise in reporting, financial analysis and internal auditing.Business systems consultants - such as business systems analysts - are also highly sought, as many organizations look to maximize efficiencies while monitoring costs. Many of these businesses seek to hire consultants with a financial or accounting background and expertise in enterprise resource planning (ERP) packages and corresponding software and applications.For advanced-level accounting, finance and business systems roles, a masters degree in business administration often goes hand-in-hand with a higher pay rate.Know what to expectBelow is a list of midpoint salaries for a number of senior-level positions in the United States. More detailed information is featured in the 2019 Robert Half Salary Guide for Accounting and Finance Professionals. (Note Additional experien ce and in-demand certifications typically boost the amount of compensation for a senior-level consultant.)Chief financial officer $196,750Vice president of finance $180,250Director of finance $148,750Corporate controller $173,750Senior IT auditor $92,500Budget analyst $81,500Business analyst $88,500Business intelligence analyst $93,750Financial analyst $82,500Financial reporting $82,000General accountant $$77,750Cost accountant $78,750Tax accountant $87,250Your consultant salary will correlate to the size of the organization you work with, as well as your overall experience, certifications and graduate degrees. You can use the Robert Half Salary Calculator to refine the salary ranges for your local area and specific consulting position.With organizations looking to hire skilled consultants to help support key initiatives, its a good time to launch your consulting career. And whether you decide to pursue the consulting path on your own or work through a reputable staffing firm, youll likely find opportunities to earn just as much as - and perhaps, even mora - than you would in a full-time position.This post has been updated to reflect more current information. Tags