Salary Increase Percentage Calculator
A raise is easiest to judge as a percentage, because that is how raises are offered, compared and benchmarked against inflation. This calculator turns two salary figures into the percentage increase between them using the standard percentage-change formula: subtract the old salary from the new salary, divide by the old salary, and multiply by 100. It also shows the plain dollar increase so you can see both the headline rate and the actual money. Dividing by the old salary is what makes it a percentage: it measures the raise relative to what you used to earn. Enter your own old and new salary to check the percentage of an offer, compare a raise against inflation, or work out whether a counteroffer keeps pace. The figures are gross, before tax, so the percentage is the headline raise rather than the change in take-home pay. Keep in mind that a raise only lifts your real buying power if it beats inflation, so a small percentage in a high-inflation year can be a cut in real terms. Every figure here is computed deterministically from the percentage-change formula, shown in full below, with a worked example that reconciles exactly to the calculator so you can follow each step.
The raise percentage is the change divided by the old salary, times 100: increase = (new - old) / old x 100. Going from $60,000 to $66,000 is a $6,000.00 raise, an increase of 10.00%.
Salary increase formula
Increase % = (new - old) / old x 100
old = previous salary ($)
new = current salary ($)
Dollar increase = new - old
The dollar increase is the difference between the two salaries; dividing by the old salary and multiplying by 100 expresses it as a percentage raise.
Worked example
A salary rising from 60,000 dollars to 66,000 dollars.
- Dollar increase = 66,000 - 60,000 = 6,000
- Divide by old salary: 6,000 / 60,000 = 0.10
- Increase = 0.10 x 100 = 10.00%
The raise is 10.00%, or 6,000 dollars. These are the calculator's default inputs, so the result above matches the widget exactly.
Raise percentages from a 60,000 salary
The same starting salary gives different percentages for different new salaries.
| New salary | Increase | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| $61,800 | $1,800.00 | 3.00% |
| $63,000 | $3,000.00 | 5.00% |
| $66,000 | $6,000.00 | 10.00% |
| $69,000 | $9,000.00 | 15.00% |
Wage and earnings standards: US Department of Labor (DOL).
Salary increase percentage calculator: frequently asked questions
How do I calculate a salary increase percentage?
Subtract the old salary from the new salary, divide the result by the old salary, and multiply by 100. Going from 60,000 to 66,000 dollars is a 6,000 increase; 6,000 divided by 60,000 is 0.10, which times 100 is a 10% raise.
Why divide by the old salary?
Percentage change always measures growth relative to the starting value. Dividing the dollar increase by the original salary expresses the raise as a fraction of what you used to earn, which is the standard way raises are quoted and compared.
Is this before or after tax?
It is based on the gross salary figures you enter, before tax. A 10% gross raise does not always mean 10% more take-home pay, because higher earnings can fall into a higher tax bracket and change deductions. Use gross figures for the headline percentage.
How do I find the new salary from a percentage?
Multiply the old salary by one plus the percentage as a decimal. A 10% raise on 60,000 is 60,000 times 1.10, which is 66,000. This calculator works the other way, from two salaries to the percentage, but the relationship is the same.
Does a cost-of-living raise count?
Yes, any change in salary can be expressed this way, including a cost-of-living adjustment. Bear in mind that a raise only increases your real buying power if it outpaces inflation; a 3% raise in a year of 4% inflation is a real-terms cut.
Official sources
- Wage, earnings and employment standards: US Department of Labor (DOL). As at 25 June 2026.
Reviewed by the CalculatorHub team, edited by James Graham, 25 June 2026. See our methodology. This is general information, not financial, tax, legal or investment advice.