Answer six quick questions. You'll get a raise percentage backed by market data, a view of how your pay compares, and what to say when you ask.
Pick the closest match and we'll look up the typical pay range.
There are four common types of raise. Each one is sized differently and approved by different people, so it helps to know which one you're asking for and who can say yes.
| Type | What triggers it | Typical 2026 range | Who approves it | How often |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cost-of-living adjustment | General price movement, applied across the board | Folded into the total budget, often 0% as a separate line | Finance and HR, set at company level | Annually, if at all |
| Merit increase | Your performance rating in the review cycle | 3.2% median budget, individual awards 0% to 12% | Your direct manager, from a fixed pool | Once a year, in the review cycle |
| Market adjustment | Benchmark data showing you are paid below market | Sized to close the measured gap, off-cycle | The compensation team, with finance sign-off | Ad hoc, when benchmark data refreshes |
| Promotion | A move to a higher level or wider scope | 8.7% average, for the few slated for promotion | Manager plus skip-level or HR, against an open level | When a role opens or headcount allows |
Most employers spread merit budgets fairly evenly instead of saving them for top performers, so a specific ask with evidence behind it stands out. Promotions follow a separate process and usually need planning months ahead. Figures from Mercer and SHRM.
Book a session with a manager or director who makes pay decisions, and run your ask past them before the real meeting.
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Here's each step, so you can check the logic for yourself.
Step 1
Step 2
Step 3
Step 4
These are the same benchmarks as our salary guides. They're modelled by role, seniority and location instead of coming from a live survey. Location adjustments are estimates of how each market compares to the US average, and the broad regional options are less precise than the city ones. All figures are in USD, so compare the result with real offers you've seen.
Working out a raise takes one multiplication. Step three gives you the dollar amount, which is often the most useful number to bring to the conversation.
Employers often name a figure first. Enter it here to see it as a percentage. A $4,000 raise sounds generous, but on $84,000 it's 4.8%, not far above a typical 3% year.
Enter both figures to see the percentage.
Knowing your number is the first step. Here's how to handle the rest of the conversation.
Step 1
Ask your manager when pay decisions are made, then start the conversation six to eight weeks before that.
Step 2
Write down three to five things you've owned since your last raise, with a number attached to each one.
Step 3
If you give a range, your manager will likely pick the lowest figure in it.
Step 4
A first response is often a holding answer. Ask what happens next instead of lowering your number.
Step 5
Even if the answer is no, a written summary gives you clear criteria for the next conversation.
If you're paid around the market midpoint, 3% to 5% is a normal ask. If you're below market for your role and level, 8% to 15% is common. Above about 20%, you're usually asking for a promotion or a market adjustment, which goes through a different approval process.
Yes. The first number mentioned tends to anchor the discussion. If you wait for your manager, they'll probably start with the smallest raise they think you'll accept. Give one specific figure instead of a range, because people tend to pick the bottom of a range.
Treat it as a limit on what's possible right now, and ask what else is available: a title change, a written date for a pay review, a one-off bonus or more equity. Then agree on what needs to happen for a raise next cycle, and get it in writing.
No. Outside interest can show that the market values you above your current pay, but using an offer as a threat can damage trust even when it works. A clear record of your responsibilities and results is usually more persuasive when pay decisions are made.
It's a solid starting point, but check it before you rely on it. The benchmarks are modelled by role, seniority and location, using the same figures as our salary guides. The calculator doesn't know your company's budget, your equity or your performance rating, so compare the result with offers you've seen.
3% is a standard yearly merit raise. It roughly keeps up with inflation but won't close a gap to market. It's reasonable if you're already paid at market and your role hasn't changed much. It's low if you've taken on a lot more since your last raise.
Most people get a raise once a year, usually tied to a review or budget cycle. If it's been more than 18 months, inflation means your real pay has already gone down.
Six to eight weeks before pay decisions are made, which is often well before they're announced. Ask your manager when budgets are set and plan backwards from that date. If you ask after budgets are locked, you're likely to hear "not right now", even with a strong case.
Asking once, with evidence, is a normal part of working life and rarely causes problems. Friction tends to come from ultimatums you aren't prepared to follow through on, or from basing your case on personal costs instead of your work.
If the gap is small, ask for a raise. It's a simpler decision with fewer people involved. If you're already paid above the range for your title, a raise will run into the top of that range, so a promotion is the better conversation to have.
Don't try to renegotiate on the spot. Ask what would need to change, who else is involved in the decision, and when you can revisit it. Then send a short summary the same day. A no with clear next steps is more useful than a vague yes.
The main figures are gross pay, before income tax and payroll deductions. For US locations, the result also shows a rough take-home estimate: about 70% of the increase, based on a 22% marginal federal rate plus 7.65% for Social Security and Medicare. State tax and benefit deductions come off on top.
Multiply your current salary by 1.05. On $60,000, that's $63,000, which is an extra $3,000 a year or $250 a month before tax. The same method works for any percentage, so for 7% you'd multiply by 1.07.
The same way. Multiply your hourly rate by 1 plus the percentage. A 4% raise on $28 an hour gives you $29.12, or about $60,570 a year over 2,080 hours. Keep in mind that the role benchmarks here are built for salaried jobs, so the market comparison is only a rough guide for hourly work.
It depends on your salary and how long you plan to stay. A flat $2,000 is 4% of a $50,000 salary but only 2% of $100,000. Percentage raises also build on each other over time, because each one is calculated on your new, higher salary.
Yes. Run the numbers backwards: going from $70,000 to $66,500 is a 5% cut. The same method works for reduced hours or a lower contract rate. A cut linked to restructuring is a different situation from one linked to performance, and it's worth talking through with someone you trust.
Internal raises are limited by pay bands, so a gap of more than about a third rarely closes in one conversation, however strong your case. If the gap is small, negotiate. If it's large, it's still worth asking, since it costs little and puts your case on record, but start looking at other options at the same time.
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