📈 Math & Algebra

Percentage Increase Calculator

Find the percentage increase or decrease between two values, calculate a new value after a % change, or work backwards to find the original value — four modes, instant results.

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4 modes
Every % change calculation
Step-by-step
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📈 Percentage Increase Calculator

Choose a mode for your calculation — percentage change between two values, new value after a change, original value before a change, or B as a % of A.

Mode 1
% Change
From A to B — increase or decrease.
Mode 2
New value
After applying a % change.
Mode 3
Original value
Before a % was applied.
Mode 4
Difference %
B as a % of A.

What is the percentage increase or decrease from value A to value B?

What is the new value after increasing or decreasing by a percentage?

Use negative for decrease (e.g. −10)

What was the original value before a percentage increase or decrease was applied?

Use negative if it was a decrease

What percentage of value A is value B? (B as a % of A)

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How Do You Find the Percentage Increase Between Two Numbers?

You have two numbers and need to know the percentage change between them — whether that’s a price rise, a salary increase, a drop in costs, or an improvement in a metric. The formula is always the same: subtract the original from the new, divide by the original, multiply by 100. The sign tells you the direction — positive for increase, negative for decrease.

This percentage increase calculator does the calculation instantly with step-by-step working — so you can see exactly how the answer was reached, not just what it is.

Real Examples: Calculating Percentage Increase

Example 1 — salary increase

Salary rises from $65,000 to $71,500
Difference: $71,500 − $65,000$6,500
Formula: $6,500 ÷ $65,000 × 10010%
Percentage increase+10.00%

Example 2 — calculate sales increase percentage

Sales grew from $45,000 to $54,000
Difference: $54,000 − $45,000$9,000
Formula: $9,000 ÷ $45,000 × 10020%
Sales increase percentage+20.00%

Example 3 — find original price before a markup

Price is $120 after a 20% increase — what was the original?
Wrong way: $120 − 20% = $96 ✗incorrect
Correct: $120 ÷ 1.20$100.00
Original value$100.00
💡 Use Mode 3 (Original Value) for any reverse percentage — finding the pre-tax price, the pre-discount original, or the value before any markup was applied. Subtracting the percentage is always wrong for this calculation.

The Percentage Increase Formula — All Four Calculations

% Change = (New − Original) ÷ |Original| × 100 New Value = Original × (1 + % ÷ 100) Original Value = Current ÷ (1 + % ÷ 100) B as % of A = B ÷ A × 100

The percentage change formula uses the absolute value of the original (|Original|) so it works correctly for negative starting values too. A positive result is an increase; negative is a decrease.

How to Use This Percentage Increase Calculator

  • % Change mode — enter original and new value. Get the percentage increase or decrease with sign (+/−), absolute difference, and step-by-step working. Use this to figure out percentage increase between any two numbers.
  • New Value mode — enter original value and percentage change (use negative for decrease). Get the new value after applying that percentage. Use this to determine what a price or salary will be after a given % change.
  • Original Value mode — enter the current value and the percentage that was already applied. Get the original value before that change. Use this for reverse percentages — finding pre-tax, pre-markup, or pre-discount originals.
  • Difference % mode — enter base value A and comparison value B. Get B expressed as a percentage of A. Use this when comparing two independent figures.

Common Percentage Increase Mistakes

  • Percentage points vs percentage change: A rate rising from 10% to 15% is a 5 percentage point increase — but a 50% percentage change (5 ÷ 10 × 100). They answer different questions. This calculator shows the relative percentage change.
  • Adding and subtracting percentages directly: A 20% increase followed by a 20% decrease does NOT return to the original — it results in a 4% net loss. $100 × 1.20 = $120, then $120 × 0.80 = $96. Calculate each change against the correct base.
  • Using the wrong method for reverse percentage: To find the original price before a 20% markup, divide by 1.20 — NOT subtract 20%. $120 ÷ 1.20 = $100, not $120 − $24 = $96. Use Mode 3.
  • Confusing % of with % more than: 150 is 50% MORE than 100 — but 150% OF 100. These use different formulas. Use Mode 4 for “B as % of A” and Mode 1 for the change between them.
⚠️ Percentage change is not symmetrical. Going from 100 to 50 is a 50% decrease, but going from 50 back to 100 is a 100% increase — the same absolute distance, different percentages because the denominator changes. This is why a 50% stock market crash requires a 100% gain just to recover.

Increase, Decrease, and Percentage Points

A percentage increase compares the change with the original value, while percentage points describe the direct difference between two percentages. For example, moving from 20% to 25% is a 5-point increase but a 25% relative increase. Use the original value as the denominator for an increase and a zero or negative baseline with care, because the usual percentage formula may be undefined or misleading. State the baseline and unit whenever you share the result.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I calculate percentage increase?
Percentage increase = (New Value − Original Value) ÷ Original Value × 100. Example: price rises from $50 to $65 → (65 − 50) ÷ 50 × 100 = 30% increase. Enter 50 as original and 65 as new value in % Change mode above to get the result with full working.
How do I find the percent increase between two numbers?
Subtract the smaller (original) from the larger (new), divide by the original, multiply by 100. The result is the percentage increase. If the result is negative, the value decreased. Use % Change mode above — enter any two numbers and the calculator shows the direction, magnitude, and absolute difference instantly.
How do I figure out the percentage increase in sales?
Enter last period’s sales as Original Value (A) and this period’s sales as New Value (B) in % Change mode. The calculator shows the sales increase percentage with full working. Example: sales from $45,000 to $54,000 → ($54,000 − $45,000) ÷ $45,000 × 100 = 20% increase.
What is the percentage increase from 80 to 100?
(100 − 80) ÷ 80 × 100 = 20 ÷ 80 × 100 = 25% increase. Enter 80 as original and 100 as new value in % Change mode to verify with full step-by-step working.
How do I calculate the original price before a percentage increase?
Divide the current price by (1 + percentage ÷ 100). Example: product costs $120 after a 20% increase → original = $120 ÷ 1.20 = $100. Subtracting 20% would incorrectly give $96. Use Original Value mode — enter 120 as current value and 20 as the percentage applied.
What is the difference between percentage increase and percentage points?
Percentage points measure the arithmetic gap between two percentages. Percentage increase measures the relative change. A rate rising from 10% to 15% is a 5 percentage point increase — but a 50% percentage increase (5 ÷ 10 × 100). This calculator shows relative percentage change, not percentage point difference.
How do I determine percent increase for a salary negotiation?
Enter your current salary as Original Value (A) and your proposed salary as New Value (B) in % Change mode. The calculator shows the exact percentage increase being offered. Alternatively, enter your current salary and your target % increase in New Value mode to see what your new salary should be.
Is this percentage increase calculator free?
Yes — completely free, no registration required. All four modes run instantly in your browser and nothing you enter is stored or sent anywhere.
How do I calculate percentage increase and decrease?
Both use the same formula: ((New Value − Old Value) ÷ Old Value) × 100. If the result is positive, it’s a percentage increase. If negative, it’s a percentage decrease. Example: from 200 to 150 → ((150 − 200) ÷ 200) × 100 = −25%, so a 25% decrease. The calculator above handles percentage increase or decrease automatically and shows you which direction the change went.
How do I calculate an annual or yearly percentage increase?
For a single year, use the standard formula: ((End Value − Start Value) ÷ Start Value) × 100. For a yearly percentage increase compounded over multiple years, use: ((End Value ÷ Start Value) ^ (1 ÷ Years) − 1) × 100. For example, if revenue grew from $100,000 to $160,000 over 4 years, the annual percentage increase is ((160,000 ÷ 100,000) ^ 0.25 − 1) × 100 = 12.5% per year.
How do I calculate a pay or wage increase percentage?
Subtract your old salary from your new salary, divide by your old salary, then multiply by 100. Example: going from $55,000 to $60,500 → ($5,500 ÷ $55,000) × 100 = 10% pay increase. This works for hourly wages too — just use your hourly rate instead of annual salary. Use the percentage increase calculator above to check any wage increase percentage instantly.
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Quick formula reference
% increase(New−Old) ÷ Old × 100
New valueOriginal × (1 + % ÷ 100)
Original valueCurrent ÷ (1 + % ÷ 100)
B as % of AB ÷ A × 100
80→100+25%
100→80−20%
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