Percentage Increase Calculator
Calculate the exact percentage rise or drop between two numbers, along with the absolute difference and multiplier factor.
See also: Discount Calculator, Proportion Calculator, How to Work Out a Percentage Increase Without a Calculator
How it is calculated
Percentage Change (%) = [(Final Value − Initial Value) ÷ |Initial Value|] × 100
Worked example: Salary Raised from $50,000 to $65,000
Initial value = $50,000, Final value = $65,000.
- Subtract starting salary from new salary: $65,000 − $50,000 = $15,000 absolute increase.
- Divide increase by original salary: $15,000 ÷ $50,000 = 0.30.
- Multiply by 100 to convert to percentage: 0.30 × 100 = 30% salary increase.
+30.00% increase ($15,000 change, 1.30× multiplier).
Frequently asked questions
Can a percentage increase exceed 100%?
Yes. If a value doubles, it represents a 100% increase. If it triples, it is a 200% increase.
What is the difference between percentage increase and percentage difference?
Percentage increase is always relative to the starting value: (final value minus initial value) divided by the initial value, times 100. Some tools define percentage difference against the average of the two values instead, which gives a different number — this calculator always uses the starting value as the base.
How do I calculate a percentage decrease?
Use the same formula. If the final value is lower than the initial value, the result is negative and shown as a decrease. For example, going from 80 to 60 is a 25.00% decrease.
What does the multiplier (factor) mean?
The multiplier is the final value divided by the initial value. A factor of 1.30 means the final value is 1.30 times the initial value, and a factor of 0.75 means it fell to three-quarters of the initial value.
Why is the result Undefined when the initial value is 0?
Because the formula divides by the initial value, and division by zero is mathematically undefined. The calculator still shows the absolute difference in that case.
How do I work out a percentage increase in my head?
Find the difference, divide it by the starting number, then multiply by 100. For example, from 50 to 65 the difference is 15, and 15 divided by 50 is 0.30, which is a 30% increase.