UK accountants world's top earners
Britain's accountants are the world's highest earners with an average annual income of Pounds 83,142, new research has revealed.
A new study of 26 countries found that excluding bonuses, share options and pensions British accountants took home an average basic salary of Pounds 50,000 ($71,000), a rise of ($3,600) on last year.
But, with pressure to recruit and retain the most talented employees, share options and other incentive packages are increasingly common practice taking an average annual salary to Pounds 83,142 ($117,771).
Compared to their European counterparts, UK accountants earned almost one and a half times more, according to the Worldwide Total Remuneration Survey by Towers Perrin.
Damian Carnell, principal in Towers Perrin executive compensation practice, said: ‘Compensation and benefits packages that were once only familiar to executives are becoming increasingly available in some meaningful way to other employees within the organisation.’
Other key findings showed that UK chief executive officers are the second highest paid of the study’s European countries with a total package of Pounds 471,956 ($668,526). Beaten only by Belgium CEOs who earned a total package of Pounds 491,844 ($696,697).
CEOs in the US continue to earn almost double anywhere else in the world with total packages of Pounds 1,364,335 ($1,932,580).
The report looked at manufacturing companies with sales revenues of $500m.