Percentage Increase Calculator
This calculator uses standard published formulas and is reviewed for calculation accuracy and clarity. The result is exact arithmetic, not an estimate.
Percentage increase measures how much a value has grown, expressed as a percentage of where it started. This calculator finds the percent increase from an original value to a new, higher value. Enter the old and new values to see the increase — the examples below also show how to work forward to the new value when you already know the percentage.
How It Works
Subtract the old value from the new value to find the absolute increase, then divide by the old value and multiply by 100. The old (original) value is always the reference point — the denominator — because an increase is measured relative to where you began. If the new value is lower than the old, you have a decrease instead; use the Percentage Decrease Calculator.
To go the other way and find the value after an increase, multiply the original by (1 + rate ÷ 100). A 30% increase on $40 is $40 × 1.30 = $52.
Worked Examples
Example 1 — a price rise. A price rose from $40 to $52. ((52 − 40) ÷ 40) × 100 = 30% increase.
Example 2 — a raise. Salary rose from $55,000 to $62,000. ((62,000 − 55,000) ÷ 55,000) × 100 ≈ 12.73% increase.
Example 3 — working forward. Rent is $1,500 and the landlord proposes a 6% increase. New rent = $1,500 × 1.06 = $1,590, a $90 rise.
What This Result Means
The result is the growth as a share of the starting value. A 100% increase means the value doubled; a 200% increase means it tripled. Because the increase is always relative to the original, the same dollar gain is a bigger percentage on a small base than on a large one — a $5 rise is 50% on $10 but only 5% on $100.
When to Use This Calculator
Use it for price increases, salary raises, rent adjustments, population or audience growth, or any figure that grew from an earlier baseline and you want to express the growth as a percentage.
Limitations
- Requires a non-zero old value — there is no meaningful percentage increase from zero.
- Only for growth; if the new value is lower, use the Percentage Decrease Calculator.
- Successive increases compound rather than add — two 10% increases total 21%, not 20%.
- For a general signed change (up or down in one tool) use the Percent Change Calculator.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do I use the old value in the denominator?
The old value is the starting reference. A percentage increase is always measured relative to where you began, so the original value is the base you divide by.
What if I want to find the value after an increase?
Multiply the original by (1 + rate ÷ 100). For example, $40 increased by 30% is $40 × 1.30 = $52.
Can a percentage increase be more than 100%?
Yes. A 100% increase means the value doubled, and a 200% increase means it tripled. There is no upper limit on percentage increase.
Do two 10% increases add up to 20%?
No — they compound. A value that rises 10% and then 10% again is up 21% overall (1.10 × 1.10 = 1.21), because the second increase applies to the already-larger amount.
Can I use this with negative values?
It works best with positive values. With a negative starting value, use the absolute value of the old value in the denominator and interpret the direction carefully.