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Salary, Scholarships and Finances

2012 Starting Salaries Projected to Rise 3.4%

William Frierson AvatarWilliam Frierson
November 4, 2011


If you are in certain career fields, such as technology, you could see an increase in your starting salary in 2012.

The newly released 2012 Salary Guides from Robert Half International show U.S. starting salaries will increase an average of 3.4 percent next year. Technology positions are projected to see the largest gains among all fields researched, with an anticipated 4.5 percent increase in base compensation. Accounting and finance professionals can expect starting salaries to rise an average of 3.5 percent, according to the research.

“Businesses seek professionals who can help them enhance their technology and accounting infrastructures,” said Max Messmer, chairman and CEO of Robert Half International. “For many firms, the question isn’t whether to implement improvements but how quickly they can find the talent to do so.”

Check out an overview of hiring trends in the fields covered by the Salary Guides:

Accounting and Finance 

The 2012 research forecasts an average starting salary increase of 3.5 percent for accounting and finance positions. Companies are hiring professionals who can identify and support growth opportunities, such as financial analysts and business systems analysts. Tax accountants who can help firms navigate complex corporate tax laws also are in demand.

Technology 

Overall, base compensation for information technology (IT) professionals is expected to increase 4.5 percent in the coming year. Systems and networking engineers are in particularly strong demand as businesses look to expand their capabilities and transition to cloud computing. Mobile applications developers also are seeing demand for their services, given the proliferation of mobile devices.

Creative and Marketing

Professionals in creative fields can expect average starting salary gains of 3.5 percent in 2012, the research suggests. Those with interactive skills, such as user experience (UX) designers, are especially sought after as firms look to improve their web presence and transition many of their marketing programs online.

Legal

In the legal field, starting salaries are anticipated to rise 1.9 percent, on average, in the coming year. Lawyers with four to nine years of experience in high-growth practice areas — such as litigation, labor and employment, real estate, and corporate law — are seeing greater demand, the research shows.

Administrative and Office Support

Overall starting salaries for administrative professionals are expected to rise 3.4 percent in 2012. Companies that had streamlined support staff are now adding experienced executive and administrative assistants who can increase efficiencies, support key company projects and provide excellent customer service. Growth in the healthcare industry also is fueling demand for administrative personnel with experience in this sector.

For more information on starting salaries and positions that are in demand, see http://www.rhi.com/SalaryGuides.

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