Base Salaries & Increases
Base salaries in financial services are trending upward compared to our 2025 survey results, and so is the proportion receiving pay rises, reflecting both growing competition for talent and the natural effect of inflation. The practical implication for employers is that doing nothing on compensation is a decision in itself. Professionals who have not seen a meaningful increase in a year or more are increasingly benchmarking themselves against the market - and acting on it. Firms that get ahead of this proactively will spend less on replacing top performers or reactive counter offers later. Explore Selby Jennings’ catalog of compensation guides for current salary and bonus benchmarks across key sectors and finance hubs, or speak to our team to benchmark against your roles, locations, and competitors.
QUESTION 3
What is your current annual base salary in USD? (Not including benefits, on-target earnings, bonuses, or any other monetary contributions)
Under $100k
$100-149k
$150-199k
$200-249k
$250-299k
$300-349k
$350- 399k
$400k+
QUESTION 4
Has your base salary changed in the last year?
Increased
Decreased
No change
QUESTION 5
If your base salary increased, by how much?
1-5%
6-10%
11-15%
16-20%
20-21%
30%+
“Salaries are going up, and I’d expect them to keep going up. The market is becoming more competitive and companies are slowly having to bid up for the best people. We saw in 2022 what it looks like when that goes too far in one direction - right now we’re on a more sustainable upward curve, but if you’re not moving on comp, you’re falling behind.”
Ben Hodzic, Managing Director - Selby Jennings USA
Sectors most likely to have received a salary increase:
Insurance & Actuarial
Financial Technology
Accounting & Finance
QUESTION 6
How do you believe your current base salary compares to the wider industry for similar roles?
Much higher
Slightly higher
About the same
Slightly lower
Much lower
“The feeling of being underpaid is natural, but it’s worth taking seriously rather than brushing off. My advice to anyone who genuinely thinks they might be below market is to reach out to a recruiter, find out what the real benchmark is for your role and experience, and make sure you’re validating it with someone who actually has that data - not just going off what you heard somewhere.”
Ben Hodzic, Managing Director - Selby Jennings USA
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