Percentage Change Calculator
This percentage change calculator finds the percentage increase or decrease between an original value and a new value. Enter the two numbers and the percentage change calculator returns the percent change, the actual change, and whether it is an increase or a decrease. It works as a percentage increase calculator and a percentage decrease calculator in one.
Results
The Percentage Change Calculator is part of our Percentages collection. Browse more percentages to size, convert, and check your work alongside this tool.
What the percentage change calculator shows
Percentage change measures how much a value went up or down relative to where it started. The percentage change calculator subtracts the original value from the new value, divides by the original, and multiplies by 100. A positive result is a percentage increase; a negative result is a percentage decrease.
Percent change formula
The original value is always the base. That is why a rise from 80 to 100 is 25 percent, but a fall from 100 to 80 is only 20 percent: the same 20-point change is measured against different starting values.
Percent increase between two numbers: examples
A price falls from 250 to 200:
A value rises from 80 to 100: (100 − 80) ÷ 80 × 100 = 25% increase.
How to use the percentage increase calculator
Enter the original value and the new value. The percentage increase calculator returns the percentage increase or decrease, the actual change, and the direction. Use it for prices, salaries, sales, populations, or any figure that changes over time.
Reading the percent increase or decrease
The percentage tells you the size of the change relative to the start; the actual change tells you the size in units. An increase followed by the same percentage decrease does not return you to the start: up 25 percent and then down 25 percent leaves 93.75 percent of the original.
When to calculate percentage growth
- Measuring sales or revenue growth with the percentage change calculator
- Working out a salary increase as a percentage
- Comparing prices before and after a change
- Finding the percent change between two numbers in homework
Common percentage change calculator mistakes
- Dividing by the new value. The original is the base.
- Mixing percent and percentage points.
- Assuming equal ups and downs cancel.
Tips for accurate results
- Always label which value is the original.
- Use percentage points when comparing rates.
- Use CAGR for multi-year growth.
Figure percent increase vs percentage points
When the values are themselves percentages, the difference can be stated two ways. An interest rate rising from 4 percent to 5 percent is a 1 percentage point rise but a 25 percent increase. Use percentage points for the plain difference and percentage change for the relative size. Exam scores work the same way, and the percentage of marks calculator converts raw marks before you compare them.
Find decrease percentage
To find decrease percentage, divide the drop by the original value: a fall from 250 to 200 is a drop of 50, and 50 ÷ 250 is 20 percent. Never divide by the new, smaller value.
Percent change reference
| Original | New | Percent change |
|---|---|---|
| 80 | 100 | +25% |
| 100 | 80 | −20% |
| 250 | 200 | −20% |
| 50 | 75 | +50% |
| 40 | 100 | +150% |
Percentage Change Calculator FAQ
How do I calculate percentage change?
(New − original) ÷ original × 100.
How do I calculate a percentage increase?
Subtract the old value from the new, divide by the old, and multiply by 100.
Why is a rise and fall of the same percentage not equal?
Each percentage is measured from a different base value.
Can percentage change be more than 100%?
Yes, for increases. A rise from 40 to 100 is 150 percent.