Compensation for finance executives is looking healthier, with66% of those surveyed by Financial Executives Internationalreporting they got a raise this year, up from 43% in2010.

The average increase in executives' base salary was 3%, vs. 2.1%in 2010, according to FEI's fifth annual compensation survey. CFOsat public companies saw average raises of 4%, as did controllers,while chief accounting officers got 2% raises and treasurers sawincreases of 4.4%.

“Theoretically, the economy is picking up, and a company'ssituation is picking up a little, and compensation is picking up alittle bit,” says Bill Sinnett, director of research atFEI.

FEI surveyed more than 1,000 executives, almost half CFOs, frompublic and private companies.

CFOs at public companies reported an average base salary of$277,400 this year, down from $285,000 last year. Their total cashcompensation, including bonuses and long-term cash incentives, was$443,800, while their total compensation was $673,831.

CFOs at private companies had an average base salary of$206,900, vs. $204,800 in 2010, average total cash compensation of$287,382 and total compensation of $316,638.

The survey found that 75% of executives participate in adefined-contribution retirement plan with an employer match. Andwhile companies pressured by the mounting cost of health coverageare expected to shift more of those costs onto employees, 60% ofthe executive surveyed by FEI say they don't expect rising healthinsurance premiums or expenses to limit their compensation thisyear.

See more onthe FEI survey.