Percentage Increase Calculator
Find the percentage change between two numbers — whether an increase or decrease. Useful for tracking price changes, salary raises, growth rates, and more.
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Formula
% Change = (New − Original) ÷ |Original| × 100
Subtract the original value from the new value to get the absolute change. Divide by the absolute value of the original (so the sign of the original doesn't affect direction). Multiply by 100 to convert to a percentage. A positive result is an increase; negative is a decrease.
How to use the Percentage Increase Calculator
- 1
Enter your original value
- 2
Enter your new value
- 3
Read your results instantly
Results update in real time as you type.
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Percentage increase vs. percentage decrease
The same formula handles both directions. If the new value is greater than the original, the result is positive (increase). If smaller, the result is negative (decrease). A 25% increase takes 100 to 125. A 25% decrease takes 125 back to 93.75 — not 100, because the base changed.
This asymmetry trips people up constantly: a 50% drop followed by a 50% gain does not return to the starting point — you end at 75% of the original.
Real-world uses for percentage change
Salary negotiations: if you're moving from $65,000 to $78,000, that's an 20% increase. Price tracking: if a stock drops from $240 to $186, that's a 22.5% decrease. Inflation: if groceries cost $450/month last year and $490 now, food inflation hit 8.9% for your household.
Growth rate reporting: companies often report year-over-year (YoY) percentage change to show whether they're growing or shrinking, and at what rate.
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The base matters enormously
Percentage change is always relative to the starting value. A $10 increase on a $20 item is a 50% increase. The same $10 increase on a $200 item is only 5%. This is why comparing percentage changes between items of different magnitudes can be misleading without context.
When evaluating claims about percentage change, always ask: percentage of what? The choice of base (start vs. end, previous year vs. five years ago) dramatically affects the perceived magnitude.
Tips & Insights
Don't average percentage changes
If revenue grew 50% one year and fell 50% the next, the average is 0% — but you ended up at 75% of where you started (100 × 1.5 × 0.5 = 75). Use CAGR or geometric mean for multi-period growth.
Percentage points ≠ percent change
An interest rate rising from 2% to 3% is a 1 percentage point increase, but a 50% increase in the rate. Politicians and journalists often conflate these — watch for which is being cited.
Worked Examples
Salary raise
Percentage increase: 12.5%. Absolute change: +$9,000. Use this to compare against inflation and industry benchmarks.
Stock price drop
Percentage change: −25%. Absolute change: −$85. The stock needs to recover 33.3% from current price to return to your purchase price (not just 25%).
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Frequently Asked Questions
How do I calculate percentage increase?
Subtract the original value from the new value, divide by the original value, then multiply by 100. For example, from 100 to 120 is a 20% increase.
Why do asymmetric percentages not cancel out?
A 50% increase followed by a 50% decrease doesn't return to the starting value because the second operation uses a different base. 100 × 1.5 = 150, then 150 × 0.5 = 75.
What is the difference between percentage change and percentage points?
Percentage points measure the arithmetic difference between two percentages (3% − 2% = 1 percentage point). Percentage change measures the relative change (3% is 50% more than 2%).
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