Labor Market Pulse · Finance · October 2026
Finance Labor Market Report: Utica-Rome, NY MSA — October 2026
Utica Controller pay surges while entry-level finance roles soften.
Metro Controller pay climbed to $106,895 and Tax Specialist pay to $75,000, even as Credit Analyst pay fell to $73,548 amid a national CFO turnover rate of 18.3%.
Free archive edition. Published by WageScape as sent to subscribers; data as of October 2026.
Key indicators
- Oneida County unemployment: 4.3% — Matches NY state rate, below 4.1% national
- Controller advertised pay (metro): $106,895 — Up significantly; national median $115,420
- CFO turnover rate (national): 18.3% — Highest since pandemic, Crist|Kolder 2026
- NYC finance sector employment: -5,800 jobs — September 2026, signals downstate softening
Key takeaways
Controller pay is pulling away from the rest of the finance ladder.
Metro Controller advertised pay rose significantly to $106,895 while Financial Analyst pay slipped and Credit Analyst pay dropped significantly to $73,548. Widening spread between leadership and staff-level roles suggests budget pressure is concentrating at retention of senior finance talent, consistent with the 18.3% national CFO turnover rate cited by Crist|Kolder.
Tax Specialist demand looks like the metro's standout signal.
Metro Tax Specialist pay climbed significantly to $75,000, outpacing the national median of $69,556. Combine that with New York's upward revision to finance-sector bonus projections (7.3%) and it points to employers positioning ahead of year-end tax and compliance workload.
Credit and billing roles are softening while leadership roles tighten.
Credit Analyst pay fell significantly and Billing Specialist pay fell moderately in the metro, even as national figures for both held stable. Local softening in transactional finance roles may reflect reduced hiring urgency even as broader NY private-sector job growth remains negative.
Contract staffing trend raises audit-readiness and cost questions alike.
70% of finance and accounting leaders nationally are increasing contract talent use in H2 2026, a shift that can leave documentation and segregation-of-duties gaps during close and audit cycles. Metro Controllers relying on contractors to fill the gap left by tightening senior-level supply should weigh control-environment risk alongside the cost savings.
Median advertised pay by role — Utica-Rome, NY MSA
| Role | 25th percentile | Median advertised pay | 75th percentile | Metro trend | National median |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Controller | $51,386 | $106,895 | $120,000 | Significant increase | $115,420 |
| Senior Accountant | $77,870 | $87,731 | $91,830 | Stable | $87,731 |
| Financial Analyst | $72,313 | $94,718 | $102,823 | Moderate decline | $94,646 |
| Billing Specialist | $39,300 | $46,415 | $57,608 | Moderate decline | $49,000 |
| Tax Specialist | $50,898 | $75,000 | $94,015 | Significant increase | $69,556 |
| Credit Analyst | $65,000 | $73,548 | $97,500 | Significant decline | $71,397 |
| FP&A Manager | $108,950 | $131,666 | $136,732 | Moderate increase | $130,000 |
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
Oneida County's unemployment rate held at 4.3% in August, tracking New York State's 4.3% reading and running tighter than the labor force slack building in NYC's finance sector, where employment fell 5,800 jobs in September amid trading and corporate banking cuts at major banks. Utica's labor market stays anchored by healthcare, manufacturing and education demand, leaving metro Finance employers relatively insulated from the bonus-driven turnover and hiring-freeze dynamics playing out in New York City amid the securities-industry volatility reshaping downstate finance hiring.
What it means
Metro Finance leaders are operating in a market where Controller pay has moved up significantly (metro median $106,895) while Financial Analyst and Credit Analyst advertised pay have both declined, suggesting employers are concentrating compensation investment at the leadership layer. That bifurcation mirrors the national pattern — 85% of CFOs report finance talent shortages while 70% of finance leaders lean more heavily on contract talent — meaning Utica employers may need to compete for senior finance talent against a national pool even as entry- and mid-level roles soften locally. Consider reviewing whether current Controller and FP&A Manager compensation structures reflect this national tightening, using the national benchmarks alongside softer local Analyst-level pay trends when assessing the whole function.
Looking ahead
Expected: New York's finance/insurance bonus pool is projected up 7.3%, a figure that typically flows into year-end retention planning. Metro Finance leaders should expect this NYC-driven benchmark to shape candidate expectations even for roles based in Utica-Rome.
Emerging pressure point: CFO external hiring rates have climbed to 37.5% nationally, raising vacancy risk during close and audit windows. Watch whether Utica-area Controller and FP&A Manager searches extend longer than usual as competition for proven leaders intensifies.
Worth watching: Oneida County unemployment has ticked up roughly a point over the past year even as it stays below the national rate, a slow drift that could ease hiring pressure on transactional finance roles like Billing Specialist and Credit Analyst in coming months.
Potential inflection point: NYC private-sector employment remains down 16,300 jobs year-to-date, concentrated in white-collar functions including financial activities. If downstate finance layoffs continue, Utica employers may see an uptick in experienced finance candidates willing to relocate or work remote for regional roles.
Sources
- New York State Department of Labor — Oneida County unemployment rate held at 4.3% in August 2026
- NYC Economic Development Corporation — NYC Finance employment declined 5,800 jobs in September 2026
- MAVI — 85% of surveyed CFOs report finance talent shortages
- Robert Half / AFP FP&A Forum — 70% of finance and accounting leaders increasing contract talent use
- Crist|Kolder Associates — CFO turnover projected at 18.3% in 2026, highest since pandemic
- New York State Comptroller — NY finance/insurance bonus projections revised upward to 7.3%
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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