Percentage Increase Calculator: Measure a Rise Between Values
Calculate the percentage increase from an original value to a higher one — how much something has grown relative to where it began.
Adjust the inputs and select Calculate for a full breakdown.
Compare Common Scenarios
How the numbers shift across typical situations for this calculator:
| Scenario | Percentage change | Difference |
|---|---|---|
| 50 to 65 | 30.00% | 15 |
| 100 to 140 | 40.00% | 40 |
| 1,200 to 1,380 | 15.00% | 180 |
| 8 to 20 | 150.00% | 12 |
How This Calculator Works
Enter the original value and the new, higher value. The calculator subtracts the original from the new to find the rise, then divides by the original to express that rise as a percentage. Use it whenever a number has gone up and you want to know by how much.
The Formula
Percentage Change
Old is the starting value, New is the ending value
Worked Example
A value rising from 50 to 65 has gone up by 15. Relative to the original 50, that is a 30% increase. If the same value had instead risen to 75, the increase would work out at 50%.
Key Insight
A percentage increase has no upper limit — a value can rise by 200% or 1,000%. That is the mirror image of a decrease, which can never exceed 100%, because a value cannot fall below nothing.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I calculate a percentage increase?
Subtract the original value from the new value, divide the result by the original value, and multiply by 100. That is the increase as a percentage.
Can a percentage increase be more than 100%?
Yes. If a value more than doubles, the increase exceeds 100%. A value that triples has increased by 200%, and there is no ceiling.
What if the new value is lower?
Then there has been no increase — the result is negative, which is a decrease. Use the percentage decrease calculator for that framing.
Does this work for prices and salaries?
Yes. Any time a figure rises — a price, a salary, a count — this calculator measures the rise as a percentage of the starting figure.
Why is the original value the denominator?
Increase is measured relative to the starting point. Dividing by the original value answers the question of how much bigger something is compared with where it began.
Related Calculators
Data Sources & Benchmarks
This calculator draws on 1 independent, dated source.
Methodology & Review
Percentage increase is the rise from the original value to the new value, divided by the original value. The calculator requires an original value above zero.
Written by Ugo Candido · Last updated May 17, 2026.