calculate the percent increase

What does percent increase mean?

Percent increase tells you how much a value grew compared with where it started. Instead of just saying, “it went up by 20,” a percent increase gives context: “it went up by 25%.” That context makes it easier to compare changes across different numbers, budgets, prices, and performance metrics.

For example, if your monthly website visitors increase from 2,000 to 2,500, the absolute change is 500 visitors. But the percent increase is 25%, which immediately tells you growth relative to the original baseline.

The formula to calculate percent increase

Use this three-step structure:

1. Find the change: new value − original value
2. Divide by the original value
3. Multiply by 100 to convert to percent

If the final answer is positive, you have an increase. If it is negative, that means the value actually decreased.

Step-by-step examples

Example 1: Salary raise

Your salary went from $50,000 to $55,000.

• Change = 55,000 − 50,000 = 5,000
• 5,000 ÷ 50,000 = 0.10
• 0.10 × 100 = 10% increase

Example 2: Price increase

A subscription increased from $24 to $30.

• Change = 30 − 24 = 6
• 6 ÷ 24 = 0.25
• 0.25 × 100 = 25% increase

Example 3: User growth

A newsletter grew from 1,200 readers to 1,950 readers.

• Change = 1,950 − 1,200 = 750
• 750 ÷ 1,200 = 0.625
• 0.625 × 100 = 62.5% increase

Common mistakes to avoid

• Dividing by the new number instead of the original number. Always divide by the original value.
• Confusing percentage points with percent increase. Going from 10% to 12% is a 2 percentage-point increase, but a 20% percent increase.
• Forgetting the ×100 step. A decimal like 0.18 equals 18%, not 0.18%.
• Using 0 as the original value. Percent increase is undefined when the original value is zero because division by zero is impossible.

Percent increase vs. absolute increase

Both metrics are useful, but they answer different questions:

• Absolute increase tells how many units were added.
• Percent increase tells how large that increase is relative to the starting point.

Example: Going from 5 to 10 is an increase of 5 units and a 100% increase. Going from 500 to 505 is also an increase of 5 units, but only a 1% increase. Same absolute change, very different relative impact.

Quick FAQ

Can percent increase be negative?

Yes. A negative result means the value went down. In that case, people usually call it a percent decrease.

Can I use this for investment returns?

Yes, for simple before-and-after comparisons. For multi-period growth, annualized return or compound growth rate may provide a clearer picture.

How precise should I be?

For most business and personal finance uses, two decimal places are enough. For science and analytics, use more precision as needed.

Bottom line

To calculate percent increase, subtract the original value from the new value, divide by the original value, and multiply by 100. Use the calculator above for instant results and a clear breakdown of each step.