Percentage Increase Calculator

Quickly find out how much a value has increased in percentage terms. Simply enter the original value and the new value, and our free calculator will instantly show the percentage increase. Perfect for tracking price changes, salary raises, population growth, or any situation where you need to see how much something has grown.

How to Calculate Percentage Increase

Percentage increase is a way of showing how much something has grown compared to its original amount. You’ll see it everywhere—prices in stores, salary raises, population growth, test scores, and even in sports stats. Knowing how to calculate it can save you time and help you understand changes more clearly.

What Is Percentage Increase?

Percentage increase tells you how much a value has grown, in relation to its starting point. Instead of just saying “the price went up by $20,” percentage increase lets you compare growth fairly across different numbers.

For example:

• A $20 increase on a $50 item = 40% increase
• A $20 increase on a $500 item = 4% increase

Both grew by the same dollar amount, but the percentage increase makes the difference clearer.

The Formula for Percentage Increase

The general formula is:

Percentage Increase = (New Value – Original Value) ÷ Original Value × 100

This breaks down into three steps:

1. Find the difference between the new and original value.
2. Divide that difference by the original value.
3. Multiply by 100 to get a percentage.

Step-by-Step Examples

Example 1: Price Change

Last month a t-shirt cost $50, now it costs $65.

1. New – Original = 65 – 50 = 15
2. Divide by Original = 15 ÷ 50 = 0.3
3. Multiply by 100 = 0.3 × 100 = 30%

✅ The t-shirt price increased by 30%.

Example 2: Salary Increase

Your salary was $2,000, and now it’s $2,200.

1. New – Original = 2200 – 2000 = 200
2. Divide by Original = 200 ÷ 2000 = 0.1
3. Multiply by 100 = 0.1 × 100 = 10%

✅ Your salary increased by 10%.

Example 3: Population Growth

A town’s population grew from 40,000 to 50,000 in 5 years.

1. New – Original = 50,000 – 40,000 = 10,000
2. Divide by Original = 10,000 ÷ 40,000 = 0.25
3. Multiply by 100 = 0.25 × 100 = 25%

✅ The town’s population increased by 25%.

Percentage Increase vs. Percentage Decrease

• If the new value is larger, you’ll get a positive percentage → increase.
• If the new value is smaller, you’ll get a negative percentage → decrease.

Example: A laptop was $1,000 and dropped to $800.

• (800 – 1000) ÷ 1000 × 100 = –20% → that means a 20% decrease.

Common Mistakes People Make

1. Forgetting the original value – Always divide by the starting number, not the new one.
2. Mixing up increase and difference – A $200 raise on $2,000 isn’t 200 ÷ 2200, it’s 200 ÷ 2000.
3. Not multiplying by 100 – Without it, you’ll get a decimal, not a percentage.

Real-Life Uses of Percentage Increase

• Shopping: See how much prices go up (or down) during sales.
• Finance: Track salary raises, stock price changes, or interest growth.
• Education: Check how much your grades improved.
• Health & Fitness: Measure progress, like a percentage increase in running distance or weights lifted.
• Business: Compare growth in sales, profit, or customer base.

When to Use an Online Calculator

While the formula is simple, doing the math repeatedly can get tiring—especially with big numbers or long reports. An online percentage increase calculator saves time and reduces mistakes. Just enter the old and new values, and you’ll get the result instantly.

👉 Try our Percentage Increase Calculator to check your numbers in seconds.

Key Takeaway

The formula to calculate percentage increase is:

(New Value – Original Value) ÷ Original Value × 100

It works for prices, salaries, populations, test scores, and more. Whether you do it by hand or with a calculator, understanding this simple formula helps you make sense of changes in everyday life.