Good times for beancounters will continue to roll in next year because of the shortage of accountants and the demands of Sarbanes-Oxley

Salaries for finance specialists are set to increase 3.8 per cent, according to the 2007 Salary Guide from Robert Half International. But drill deeper and then you see the ones who will really rake it in.

The biggest winners are chief compliance officers with large companies. They can expect the largest percentage increase in base compensation of any position in 2007, with average starting salaries forecast to rise a whopping 14.4 percent, to between $132,500 and $181,250. internal audit managers in big companies will see base compensation in the range of $77,500 to $101,500, up 5.8 percent from 2006. Thank you Sarbanes-Oxley.

The shortage of accountants and a competitive environment will see starting salaries for senior manager and director positions at midsize firms climbing 7.6 percent, to between $82,000 and $120,000 annually. Entry-level professionals at small firms can anticipate a 5.1 percent increase in average starting salaries, to the range of $38,000 to $44,000 per year.

The big money spinners for beancounters will be in financial services, manufacturing and commercial real estate.

Just continuing the trend that has seen Sarbanes-Oxley becoming a licence to print money for accountants.