Percentage Increase Calculator: The Easy Way to Work Out Any Increase

What is percentage increase?

A percentage increase calculator makes this simple to work out. Percentage increase tells you how much something has grown over time. It always compares the growth with the starting value. Then it shows that growth as a percentage. So a rise from 100 to 125 is a 25% increase. The value grew by a quarter of its starting size.

You see percentage increases almost every day. Salaries, prices, and rent often rise this way. So do bills, savings, followers, and website traffic. In each case, the percentage increase calculator helps you compare fairly. After all, a $100 rise means little without the starting value.

Also, percentage increase works for almost any unit. You can measure money, weight, time, distance, or people. The unit cancels out, so only the percentage remains. In short, percentages make unlike things easy to compare.

The percentage increase formula

The percentage increase formula has only three steps. First, you find the difference between the two values. Next, you divide that difference by the original value. Finally, you multiply the answer by 100.

Percentage increase = ((New value − Original value) ÷ Original value) × 100

For example, take a value that rises from 80 to 100. The difference is 20, so you divide 20 by 80. That gives 0.25, and 0.25 times 100 is 25. So the percentage increase is 25%.

However, the new value can also be lower than the original. Then the result is negative, and the change is a decrease. This percentage increase calculator reports that decrease for you too. So one tool covers both directions of change.

How to use this percentage increase calculator

Using this percentage increase calculator takes under a minute.

1. Enter the original value in the first box.
2. Enter the new value in the second box.
3. Click the Calculate button to see the result.
4. Read the result as an increase, a decrease, or no change.

Also, you can reuse the tool as often as you like. Just change the numbers and calculate again. No sign-up, download, or fee is involved.

Worked examples

Worked examples make the formula much easier to trust. So here are three everyday cases, with each step shown.

Salary example: a pay rise

Say your salary rises from $50,000 to $54,000 a year. First, the difference is $4,000 in extra pay. Next, you divide $4,000 by the original $50,000 salary. That gives 0.08, which becomes 8% after you multiply by 100. So your pay rise is 8%, not just $4,000.

Price example: a jacket costs more

Now say a jacket rises from $80 to $100. The difference is $20, so you divide $20 by $80. That gives 0.25, which becomes a 25% increase. In other words, the jacket now costs a quarter more than before. That matches the quick test in the calculator above.

Rent example: a monthly rise

Rent works in exactly the same way. Say your rent rises from $1,200 to $1,320 a month. The difference is $120, so you divide $120 by $1,200. That gives 0.10, which becomes a 10% increase. So your rent has gone up by one tenth each month.

Percentage increase vs percentage points

People often mix up percentage increase and percentage points. However, the two ideas measure different things. A percentage point is the plain gap between two percentages. You subtract one rate from the other rate. So you do not divide by anything at all.

For example, say a savings rate rises from 5% to 7%. That is a rise of 2 percentage points. But the rate itself grew by 40%, because 2 divided by 5 is 0.40. Both statements are true, yet they answer different questions. Read more about percentage points on Wikipedia.

So check which measure a report is using. News stories about interest rates usually mean percentage points. Meanwhile, this percentage increase calculator always shows relative growth. That difference matters when you compare offers, rates, or results.

Common mistakes to avoid

Most wrong answers come from a few simple mistakes. So watch out for these common traps.

• Dividing by the new value. Always divide by the original value instead. The formula measures growth against where you started.
• Forgetting to multiply by 100. Without that step, you get a decimal like 0.25. With it, you get the clear answer of 25%.
• Mixing up the two values. Put the older value first and the newer value second. Swapping them gives you the wrong size of change.
• Calling percentage points a percent. A rise from 5% to 7% is 2 percentage points. It is a 40% increase, not a 2% increase.
• Rounding too early. Keep full numbers until the final step. Then round the result to one or two decimal places.
• Using the wrong starting point. Compare each change with the value before that change. Year-by-year growth needs a fresh base each year.

More Free Tools

Keep exploring with more free tools from Felful: try the Typing Speed Test, the Keyboard Tester, and the CPS Test. Each tool runs right in your browser, just like this one. So you can check a keyboard, test your speed, or count your clicks. New tools join the cluster over time, so check back often.

Frequently asked questions

How do you calculate a percentage increase?

Subtract the original value from the new value. Then divide the difference by the original value. Finally, multiply by 100 to get the percentage increase. Or enter both values in the calculator above, and it does each step for you.

How do I calculate the percentage change between two numbers?

Use the same formula, because percentage change covers both directions. A positive result means the value increased over time. A negative result means the value decreased instead. So percentage change is the wider term for both results.

How do you calculate a percentage raise?

Take your new salary and subtract your old salary. Then divide that raise by your old salary, and multiply by 100. For example, a rise from $50,000 to $54,000 is an 8% raise.

How do you calculate the percentage gain?

Percentage gain uses the same method as percentage increase. Subtract what you paid from what the asset is worth now. Then divide by what you paid, and multiply by 100. Investors use this for stocks, savings, and house prices.

What is the percentage increase if 250 is increased to 300?

The increase from 250 to 300 is 20%. The difference is 50, and 50 divided by 250 is 0.20. Then 0.20 times 100 gives you the final answer of 20%.

How do you calculate a 20% increase on a number?

This question asks you to raise a number by 20%. Multiply the number by 1.20 to get the new value. For example, $80 times 1.20 gives $96, after a 20% increase.

How do I calculate a 2.5% increase?

Multiply the number by 1.025 to add a 2.5% increase. For example, a $200 bill times 1.025 becomes $205. The same trick works for any percentage, so just change the decimal part.

How do you calculate percentage increase or decrease?

Always compare the new value with the original value. If the new value is higher, the result shows an increase. If the new value is lower, the result shows a decrease. This calculator labels each result for you automatically.

How do you calculate percentage increase in Excel?

Type the original value in one cell and the new value in another. Then use the formula =(New-Original)/Original in a third cell. Finally, format that cell as a percentage to read the result. For example, =(100-80)/80 gives 25%.

How do you calculate percentage increase year over year?

Compare this year's value with last year's value only. Subtract last year, divide by last year, and then multiply by 100. Repeat the process for each year, with a fresh base every time. That gives you yearly growth, step by step.

Can I use this calculator for money, salary, and house prices?

Yes, the percentage increase calculator works for any two values. Use it for pay, prices, rent, bills, or house values. Just keep both values in the same unit and the same currency. Then the percentage result stays fair and clear.