Find the percentage increase between two numbers, or increase a number by any percentage. Enter the starting value first. Free, private, and runs entirely in your browser.
The percentage increase is the change divided by the starting value, times 100. To increase a number by a percentage, multiply it by 1 plus the percentage written as a decimal.
How do I calculate a percentage increase? Subtract the old value from the new one, divide by the old value and multiply by 100. From 80 to 100 that is 25%.
Why does the starting value matter? The same change is a different percentage depending on the base. A rise from 80 to 100 is 25%, but a fall from 100 to 80 is only 20%.
A price rises from $80 to $100. The change is 100 − 80 = 20, and 20 ÷ 80 = 0.25, so the increase is 25%. To increase $80 by 25% instead, compute 80 × 1.25 = $100.
Can the result be more than 100%? An increase can be any size, since a value can more than double. A decrease cannot exceed 100% for positive numbers.
What if the starting value is zero? A percentage change from zero is undefined, because you cannot divide by zero.
The word percent comes from the Latin per centum, meaning by the hundred. The % symbol evolved from handwritten abbreviations of the Italian per cento between the 15th and 17th centuries. Percentages made it easy to compare quantities of different sizes, which is why they became standard in trade, taxes and interest.
Use this calculator for price changes, salary raises, growth in traffic or sales, and any before-and-after comparison. A salary that rises from $52,000 to $55,640 grew by 7%. Switch to the second mode to apply a known percentage, such as a 3% raise to a $60,000 salary, which gives $61,800.
How do I find the percent difference between two values? Divide the absolute difference by the average of the two values when neither is the clear starting point.
How do I increase by a percentage in a spreadsheet? Use =A1*(1+B1) with the percentage stored as a decimal or a percent-formatted cell.