Labor Market Pulse · Finance · October 2026
Finance Labor Market Report: Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC MSA — October 2026
Augusta wages outrun inflation even as unemployment leads the state.
Augusta private-sector earnings rose 11.6% year-over-year to $1,321.49 against 3.4% regional inflation, even as the metro's 4.0% unemployment rate remains the highest among Georgia MSAs.
Free archive edition. Published by WageScape as sent to subscribers; data as of October 2026.
Key indicators
- Augusta private-sector wage growth: 11.6% — vs 3.4% regional inflation (Aug 2026)
- Augusta unemployment rate: 4.0% — Highest among GA metros; GA state rate 3.3%
- CFO turnover rate (national): 18.3% — Highest since pandemic; 37.5% hired externally
- Georgia initial jobless claims: 15,874 — 50-year low, first since April 1974
Key takeaways
Augusta wage growth is outpacing inflation by a wide margin.
Private-sector weekly earnings rose 11.6% year-over-year against 3.4% regional inflation, a gap far wider than the national pattern where real wages are roughly flat. Finance leaders budgeting flat-to-moderate merit pools may be underestimating retention risk in operational and support roles.
Entry and mid-level finance roles are absorbing the pressure.
Senior Accountant (+significant), Tax Specialist (+significant) and Billing Specialist (+significant) advertised pay are all rising sharply in Augusta, while Controller and FP&A Manager pay is flat or down. This divergence suggests the tightest competition is for execution-layer talent — a signal worth reflecting in promotion and internal equity reviews.
CFO turnover nationally raises succession stakes locally.
Projected 2026 CFO turnover of 18.3% and a 37.5% external hire rate nationally mean Augusta finance organizations should treat senior finance bench strength as a close-cycle risk as well as a recruiting metric. Vacancy during audit or close season carries outsized cost given how thin the local leadership pay growth has been to retain incumbents.
Georgia's record-tight labor force is a structural constraint.
State labor force and employment hit historic highs for a ninth consecutive month alongside a 50-year low in initial claims, while Augusta's own unemployment rate sits nearly a point above the state average. Recruitment timelines for finance and accounting talent should be planned assuming sustained scarcity rather than a seasonal tightening that will ease on its own.
Median advertised pay by role — Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC MSA
| Role | 25th percentile | Median advertised pay | 75th percentile | Metro trend | National median |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Controller | $97,027 | $97,028 | $97,028 | Stable | $115,420 |
| Senior Accountant | $76,673 | $83,459 | $84,240 | Significant increase | $87,731 |
| Financial Analyst | $90,000 | $96,391 | $100,628 | Moderate increase | $94,646 |
| Billing Specialist | $33,814 | $45,418 | $50,000 | Significant increase | $49,000 |
| Tax Specialist | $30,534 | $57,441 | $69,333 | Significant increase | $69,556 |
| Credit Analyst * | $53,840 | $67,800 | $76,165 | Moderate decline | $71,397 |
| FP&A Manager * | $107,481 | $118,411 | $130,606 | Moderate decline | $130,000 |
* State-level figure shown where metro postings were too few.
WageScape's median is calibrated to correct for spurious low-value postings (reported as the 60th percentile of raw advertised pay). Download: CSV · JSON
Local market conditions
Augusta-Richmond County's unemployment rate fell to 4.0% in September, with total jobs climbing to 253,800 and the labor force expanding for a ninth straight month, even as the metro's jobless rate remains the highest among Georgia MSAs and well above the statewide 3.3%. Private-sector weekly earnings jumped 11.6% year-over-year to $1,321.49 in August, a pace that appears to reflect acute competition for skilled talent, since metro wage growth is running well ahead of the 3.4% regional CPI gain.
What it means
Headcount cost planning in Augusta now has to account for a labor market where wage growth is outrunning inflation by a wide margin, even as the metro carries Georgia's highest unemployment rate — a combination that points to a skills mismatch for finance talent specifically. With Senior Accountant, Tax Specialist and Billing Specialist advertised pay all up significantly locally while Controller and FP&A Manager pay holds flat or softens, budget cycles should assume uneven cost pressure by role level. Consider reviewing headcount plans by job family, since entry-to-mid-level finance roles appear to be absorbing most of the local wage pressure this cycle.
Looking ahead
Worth watching: Augusta's unemployment rate sits roughly 0.7 points above Georgia's statewide figure despite record job and labor force growth — a gap that may reflect a skills mismatch. Watch whether local WARN activity (18 notices, 2,709 workers in the last 90 days statewide) touches finance or professional services employers.
Expected: National employment cost index growth of 3.4% with real compensation costs declining 0.4% suggests 2027 budget cycles may face less wage pressure than 2026's local 11.6% earnings jump implied. Reconcile national moderation signals against Augusta's outsized local wage growth before finalizing merit budgets.
Emerging pressure point: 70% of finance and accounting leaders nationally are increasing contract talent use in H2 2026, a shift that complicates fixed-cost forecasting and audit documentation trails. Track whether Augusta employers follow this pattern, particularly for close-cycle coverage in Controller and Senior Accountant functions.
Potential inflection point: October BLS metro-level data for Augusta was delayed by a reporting gap; November's release should clarify whether September's record streak continued or cooled. A reversal in labor force growth would materially change the wage-pressure narrative finance leaders are currently budgeting against.
Sources
- Augusta Business Daily — Augusta private-sector weekly earnings rose 11.6% year-over-year to $1,321.49
- Augusta Business Daily — Augusta unemployment fell to 4.0% in September, highest among GA metros
- Crist|Kolder Associates — CFO turnover projected at 18.3% in 2026, highest since pandemic
- Robert Half / AFP FP&A Forum — 70% of finance leaders increasing contract talent use in H2 2026
- Georgia Department of Labor — Georgia initial jobless claims fell to 15,874, lowest since April 1974
- Bureau of Labor Statistics — Employment cost index rose 3.4% over 12 months ended September
Methodology
Advertised pay from active employer job postings, not survey data. WageScape's median is calibrated to correct for spurious low-value postings: distribution analysis shows roughly the lowest 10% of raw values are erroneous entries, so the reported median is the 60th percentile of raw advertised pay. WageScape observes 98% of U.S. job openings daily.
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