Pay Raise Calculator
Apply a percent or flat-dollar raise to see your new salary, or work backward from a target salary to find the raise you need. This salary increase calculator also shows what a raise is really worth once inflation is factored in.
Raise amount
$2,500.00 (5%)
New annual
$52,500.00
New monthly
$4,375.00
New per paycheck
$2,019.23
Real vs. nominal raise (cost-of-living adjusted)
See what your raise is worth after accounting for inflation, using the raise entered above.
Nominal raise
5%
Real raise
1.94%
Real raise ($, today's dollars)
$970.87
New salary in today's dollars
$50,970.87
How this pay raise calculator works
Apply a raise: a percent raise multiplies your current salary by that percentage to get the raise amount; a flat-dollar raise uses that amount directly. Either way, the raise amount is added to your current salary to get the new annual salary, which is then divided out to monthly and per-paycheck figures based on your pay frequency.
Reach a target salary: enter the salary you want to reach, and the calculator works backward to show both the flat-dollar and percentage raise that would get you there from your current salary. This is the same math behind a percent to goal calculator, just built specifically for salary numbers.
Real vs. nominal raise: a raise's percentage on paper, the nominal raise, isn't the same as what it's actually worth once inflation erodes purchasing power. The real raise divides your new salary's growth by the inflation rate to show what the raise is worth in today's dollars. A 5% raise during 3% inflation comes out to a real raise of roughly 1.9%, not 5%.
This is a gross-pay estimate before any taxes or deductions. For an estimate of actual take-home pay, see the paycheck calculator for your state. For more on what a cost-of-living adjustment is and who gets one automatically, see thecost-of-living raise guide.
How to calculate a pay raise or salary increase by hand
For a percentage raise, multiply your current salary by the raise percentage as a decimal, then add the result to your current salary. A $45,000 salary with a 6% raise gets a raise amount of $2,700, for a new salary of $47,700. Going the other direction, if you know both salaries and want the percentage, subtract the old salary from the new one, divide by the old salary, and multiply by 100, which is exactly what "Reach a target salary" mode above does automatically.
For the full breakdown, including flat-dollar raises, merit increases, back pay, and hourly wages, see the step-by-step guide to calculating a raise percentage.
What counts as a good raise
There's no single number that applies to everyone, since a fair raise depends on your industry, your company's budget for the year, and how your current pay compares to market rate. That said, standard annual merit raises in the US tend to fall somewhere between 3% and 4.5%, while a raise attached to a promotion or expanded role is usually higher, often landing between 8% and 15%. A cost-of-living adjustment on its own, without a performance or promotion component, often tracks closer to the inflation rate for that year.
The number that matters most isn't the raise percentage by itself, it's how that raise compares to inflation. A 4% raise sounds solid until you check it against a year where prices rose 5%, at which point the real value of that raise is actually negative. The real vs. nominal section built into the calculator above exists for exactly this reason: type in your raise and the current inflation rate, and see what you're actually gaining in today's dollars, not just on paper.
Frequently asked questions
About this calculator
What is a pay raise calculator?
A pay raise calculator, sometimes called a salary increase calculator or wage increase calculator, takes your current pay and a raise (a percent or a flat dollar amount) and works out your new annual salary, monthly pay, and per-paycheck amount. This one also runs in reverse, so you can enter a target salary and see the raise percentage or dollar amount needed to reach it.
What does the percent raise option do, versus the dollar option?
A percentage raise scales with your current salary, so the same 5% is worth more to a higher earner. A flat-dollar raise, like a $2,000 bump, adds the same amount no matter what the starting salary was. A $60,000 salary with a 4% raise adds $2,400 to reach $62,400; switch between the two modes above with the % raise and $ raise tabs.
Can this calculator work backward from a target salary?
Yes. Switch to "Reach a target salary" above, enter your current salary and the salary you want to hit, and it returns both the percentage raise and the flat-dollar raise required to get there. This is the same idea as a percent to goal calculator, just built specifically around salary numbers, and it is useful heading into a negotiation when you know the number you want but not yet the percentage that gets you there.
Is a wage increase calculator different from a salary raise calculator?
Not really. They solve the same math, just framed around hourly wages instead of annual salary. Convert your hourly wage to an annual figure (hourly rate times hours worked per year) and this calculator works for either case, since a percent or dollar raise is calculated the same way no matter how your pay is structured.
What is the difference between a nominal raise and a real raise?
The nominal raise is the percentage on paper, the number your employer tells you. The real raise accounts for inflation, showing what that raise is actually worth in purchasing power. A 5% raise during a year of 3% inflation is a real raise of roughly 1.9%, not 5%, since rising prices eat into most of the nominal increase. Enter your raise and an inflation rate in the real vs. nominal section above to see your own number.
Why did my raise not feel like a raise?
This is usually the gap between nominal and real pay growth. If your raise percentage was close to or below the inflation rate for that year, your pay went up on paper but your actual buying power stayed flat or even dropped. It is not just a feeling, the math backs it up, and the real vs. nominal section above will show you the exact number.
Is your raise good or normal?
What is a normal yearly raise?
Standard annual merit raises in the US tend to land somewhere between 3% and 4.5% for most employees, based on general compensation survey trends, though this varies by industry, company budget, and individual performance. A raise tied to a promotion is usually higher, often in the 8% to 15% range.
Is it normal to get a 5% raise every year?
A 5% raise is on the higher end of a typical annual merit increase and is generally considered a strong outcome rather than the norm. Getting 5% every single year would be unusual for most roles, since raises that size are more often tied to a strong performance year, a promotion, or a market correction to your pay.
How long is too long to go without a raise?
There is no fixed rule, but going more than two to three years with no raise at all, while your responsibilities or the cost of living keep climbing, is generally a reasonable point to start a conversation with your manager. Some employers apply small annual cost-of-living bumps by default, others only give raises tied to a formal review cycle, so it helps to know which policy applies to you before assuming something is wrong.
What is a realistic pay raise to ask for?
A realistic ask is usually somewhere above the standard merit range for your company, but grounded in something specific: added responsibilities, a market-rate comparison, or measurable results from the past year. Asking for 8% to 15% is common when the case includes a promotion or a documented gap between your pay and market rate; asking for more than that usually needs a stronger justification, like an outside offer.
What's the best time to ask for a raise?
Right after a clear, documented win, such as finishing a major project or exceeding a goal, tends to work better than an arbitrary date. Many companies also have a formal review cycle once or twice a year, and timing your ask just before that cycle, with your case already prepared, is usually more effective than raising it out of the blue.
Raise percentages, one by one
Is a 2% raise good?
A 2% raise is on the low end. It often just tracks (or falls short of) inflation, which means your actual buying power may not improve much, or at all. It is common as a baseline cost-of-living adjustment rather than a merit-based raise.
Is a 2.5% raise good?
A 2.5% raise sits just below the typical 3% to 4.5% merit-raise range, so it reads as modest rather than strong. Whether it feels fair depends heavily on inflation that year, check the real vs. nominal section above with your own numbers.
Is a 3% raise good in 2026?
A 3% raise sits at the low end of the standard merit-raise range, so it is reasonable but not exceptional. Whether it counts as "good" for 2026 specifically depends on how it compares to that year's actual inflation rate, since a 3% raise during a higher-inflation year is a real pay cut even though the number on paper went up.
Is a 3.5% raise good?
Yes, a 3.5% raise falls squarely in the typical annual merit-raise range and is generally considered a fair, standard outcome for solid performance in a normal year.
Is a 4.5% raise good?
A 4.5% raise sits at the top of the standard merit range, so it generally reads as a solid, above-average outcome, especially if company-wide raise budgets that year were tighter than usual.
Is a 5% raise good?
Yes, a 5% raise is above the typical 3% to 4.5% merit range and is usually seen as a strong result, often reflecting good performance, a market adjustment, or a company having a healthy budget year.
Is a 6% raise good?
A 6% raise is comfortably above average and generally counts as a strong raise, closer to the range usually reserved for standout performance or a role that expanded meaningfully during the year.
Is a 10% pay raise a lot?
Yes, relative to a standard annual merit increase. A 10% raise is usually tied to a promotion, a significant expansion of responsibilities, or correcting a real gap between your pay and market rate, rather than a routine annual adjustment.
Is a 12% raise a good raise?
Yes. A 12% raise is well above a typical annual increase and usually signals a promotion, a title change, or a deliberate effort to bring your pay in line with the market.
Is a 20% raise crazy to ask for?
Not necessarily, but it needs a strong case behind it. A 20% ask is realistic when backed by a promotion, a documented market-rate gap, or a competing offer; without one of those, it is a big number for most managers to approve out of a standard review cycle.
Is a 2% raise insulting?
It can feel that way, especially in a year with noticeable inflation, since a 2% raise may not keep up with rising costs at all. That said, some employers apply 2% as a default cost-of-living bump across the board rather than a judgment on your performance, so it is worth checking how raises were handled company-wide before reading too much into it.
What about other raise percentages, like 1%, 8%, 15%, 25%, or 50%?
Same math every time: multiply your salary by the percentage, then add that to your salary. Here is a wider reference on a $50,000 salary: 1% = $500 more (new salary $50,500), 2% = $1,000 more (new salary $51,000), 2.5% = $1,250 more (new salary $51,250), 3% = $1,500 more (new salary $51,500), 3.5% = $1,750 more (new salary $51,750), 4% = $2,000 more (new salary $52,000), 4.5% = $2,250 more (new salary $52,250), 5% = $2,500 more (new salary $52,500), 6% = $3,000 more (new salary $53,000), 7% = $3,500 more (new salary $53,500), 8% = $4,000 more (new salary $54,000), 9% = $4,500 more (new salary $54,500), 10% = $5,000 more (new salary $55,000), 12% = $6,000 more (new salary $56,000), 15% = $7,500 more (new salary $57,500), 20% = $10,000 more (new salary $60,000), 25% = $12,500 more (new salary $62,500), 30% = $15,000 more (new salary $65,000), 50% = $25,000 more (new salary $75,000), 100% = $50,000 more (new salary $100,000). Enter your own salary and percentage in the calculator above for your exact numbers.
Raises on an hourly wage
How much is a 3 percent raise hourly?
A 3% raise on an hourly wage works the same as a salary raise: multiply the hourly rate by 0.03 and add it to the current rate. At $20 an hour, 3% is $0.60, so the new rate is $20.60 an hour. Multiply your hourly rate by your annual hours to get an annual figure, then use the calculator above to see how the raise breaks down per paycheck.
What is a 1% raise on $20 an hour?
A 1% raise on $20 an hour adds $0.20, bringing the new rate to $20.20 an hour.
What is a 3% raise on $18 an hour?
A 3% raise on $18 an hour adds $0.54, bringing the new rate to $18.54 an hour.
What is a 4% raise if you make $20 an hour?
A 4% raise on $20 an hour adds $0.80, bringing the new rate to $20.80 an hour.
What is a 3% raise of $25 an hour?
A 3% raise on $25 an hour adds $0.75, bringing the new rate to $25.75 an hour.
What is a 5% raise on $23 an hour?
A 5% raise on $23 an hour adds $1.15, bringing the new rate to $24.15 an hour.
Is a $1 an hour raise good?
It depends entirely on your starting wage, since $1 an hour is a bigger jump for a lower base pay than a higher one. On a $15 hourly wage, a $1 raise is about 6.7%, well above a typical annual increase. On a $30 hourly wage, the same $1 is about 3.3%, closer to standard.
Is a $1.50 raise good?
Same logic as any dollar raise: it depends on your current rate. A $1.50 raise on $18 an hour is roughly 8.3%, a strong raise. On $40 an hour, it is closer to 3.75%, a fairly typical one.
Is a 50 cent raise good?
A 50 cent raise is usually modest in percentage terms unless your starting wage is quite low. On $15 an hour it is about 3.3%, roughly average; on $12 an hour it is closer to 4.2%, slightly above average.
Is a 75 cent raise good?
A 75 cent raise on a $15 hourly wage works out to 5%, which is a solid, above-average raise. The same 75 cents on $25 an hour is only 3%, closer to standard.
Is a $3 hourly raise good?
Yes, in most cases. A $3 raise on an $18 hourly wage is about 16.7%, a substantial increase usually tied to a promotion, a new role, or a significant market adjustment rather than a routine annual bump.
What about other percentages on a $20 hourly wage?
Same formula: hourly rate times the percentage, added back to the rate. On $20 an hour: 2% = $0.40 more per hour (new rate $20.40), 6% = $1.20 more per hour (new rate $21.20), 8% = $1.60 more per hour (new rate $21.60), 10% = $2.00 more per hour (new rate $22.00).
Raises on a specific salary
What is a 5% raise on a $60,000 salary?
A 5% raise on $60,000 adds $3,000, for a new salary of $63,000.
What is a 4% raise on a $60,000 salary?
A 4% raise on $60,000 adds $2,400, for a new salary of $62,400.
What is the percentage increase from $55,000 to $60,000?
Subtract the old salary from the new one, divide by the old salary, then multiply by 100: (60,000 minus 55,000) divided by 55,000 comes out to 9.09%.
What is a 5% increase on $70,000?
A 5% increase on $70,000 adds $3,500, for a new salary of $73,500.
What is a 20% hike in salary?
"Hike" is another word for raise. A 20% hike on a $50,000 salary adds $10,000, for a new salary of $60,000. The same 20% on a different starting salary scales up or down with it, since it is a percentage, not a flat amount.
How much is a 3.2% pay rise?
On a $50,000 salary, a 3.2% raise adds $1,600, for a new salary of $51,600. Enter your own salary above for the exact figure.
Is a $5,000 a year raise good?
It depends on your starting salary. On a $50,000 salary, $5,000 is a strong 10% raise. On a $150,000 salary, the same $5,000 is only about 3.3%, closer to a routine cost-of-living bump.
How much hourly is a $5,000 raise?
Spread across a standard full-time year of 2,080 hours (40 hours a week for 52 weeks), a $5,000 raise works out to about $2.40 more per hour.
The math behind a raise or hike percentage
How do I calculate a pay raise or salary increase percentage?
Multiply your current salary by the raise percentage to get the raise amount, then add that to your current salary. A $50,000 salary with a 5% raise gets a $2,500 raise, for a new salary of $52,500. Enter your own numbers into the calculator above and it handles this step automatically, along with the monthly and per-paycheck breakdown.
How do I calculate a salary increase percentage if I already know the dollar amount?
Take the dollar amount of the increase, divide it by your original salary, then multiply by 100. A $3,000 increase on a $60,000 salary is 3,000 divided by 60,000, which works out to 5%. Switch to dollar mode above and this calculator does that division for you.
How do I calculate hike percentage?
"Hike" and "raise" mean the same thing in salary terms. Subtract the old salary from the new salary, divide the result by the old salary, then multiply by 100. See the full step-by-step guide below for more scenarios, including merit increases, back pay, and going the other direction from a percentage to a new salary.
Bonus vs. raise
Is it better to get a bonus or a raise?
A raise is usually worth more long-term, since it becomes your new base salary and future raises are typically calculated as a percentage of that higher base, not to mention its effect on things like 401(k) matching or overtime pay. A bonus is a one-time payment that does not carry forward, though it can be useful when a company cannot commit to a permanent increase to fixed payroll costs.
Is a $5,000 bonus better than a $5,000 raise?
In the year you receive it, they are the same $5,000. Over several years, the raise is worth substantially more, since it compounds: next year's raise is calculated on top of the higher base salary, while a bonus resets to zero and has to be re-earned or re-approved every year.
What percentage of my salary should my bonus be?
Typical target bonus ranges run roughly 5% to 15% of base salary for many individual-contributor and mid-level roles, with sales and executive roles often running considerably higher. Actual bonus size varies widely by company, industry, and individual or company performance that year, so treat this as a rough benchmark rather than a rule.
Is a 6% bonus good?
A 6% bonus sits within the common target range for many non-sales roles and is generally considered a solid, on-target outcome rather than an exceptional one.
Is a 2% bonus normal?
A 2% bonus is on the low end of typical target ranges. It is common as a company-wide baseline payout in a tighter budget year, rather than a reflection of individual performance.
Is a 20% annual bonus good?
Yes, a 20% annual bonus is well above the typical 5% to 15% range for most non-executive roles and usually reflects a strong year for both the individual and the company, or a role, like sales, where bonus potential is built to run higher.
What's a normal end of year bonus?
This varies enormously by company and role. A small discretionary holiday bonus might be a few hundred dollars, while a performance-based year-end bonus tied to a formal plan is more often calculated as a percentage of salary, commonly landing somewhere in the 5% to 15% range described above.
Why do some employers give a bonus instead of a raise?
A bonus lets a company reward a strong year without permanently increasing its fixed payroll costs going forward. If the following year is tighter, the bonus simply does not repeat, whereas a raise, once given, is generally expected to stay in place.