📈 Pay Raise Calculator
Work out what a raise really means — start from a percentage or a target salary to see your new pay, the dollar increase, and the difference per month and per paycheck, plus the raise you need just to beat inflation.
📈 Your raise, broken down
Turn a percentage into real money
A raise quoted as a percentage is easy to under- or over-value in your head. Seeing it as dollars per month and per paycheck — and against inflation — makes it concrete, which is exactly what you want before a review or when weighing a counteroffer. It also reveals when a headline raise barely keeps pace with rising costs.
Use the inflation mode to check whether your latest bump actually grew your buying power, then pair it with the Take-Home Pay Calculator to see the after-tax difference.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
How do I calculate a pay raise?
For a percentage raise, new salary = current × (1 + raise% ÷ 100), and the increase is the difference. A 5% raise on $60,000 gives $63,000 — a $3,000 bump. If you instead know the new salary, the percentage change is (new − current) ÷ current × 100, so $60,000 rising to $66,000 is a 10% raise.
How much extra will a raise add to each paycheck?
Divide the annual increase by your number of pay periods. A $3,000 raise is $250 more a month, or about $115 more on each of 26 biweekly paychecks — before tax. Remember these are gross figures; taxes will trim the net amount, so run the new salary through the Take-Home Pay Calculator for the after-tax difference.
What raise do I need just to keep up with inflation?
Switch to inflation mode and enter the inflation rate. To preserve purchasing power your pay has to rise by the same percentage, so with 3.5% inflation a $60,000 salary needs to reach $62,100 just to stand still. Any raise below the inflation rate is effectively a pay cut in real terms.
Are these figures exact?
They are estimates for planning. They show gross pay changes and a simple inflation comparison; your actual net gain depends on tax withholding, benefit changes, and how a raise interacts with brackets. Use them to frame a conversation or a decision — not as tax or financial advice. Consult a qualified professional for your specific situation.