Percentage Increase Calculator

The Percentage Increase Calculator finds the increase from one value to another in terms of a percentage.Enter starting value and final value to find percentage increase.

How to Calculate Percentage Increase

• Subtract final value minus starting value
• Divide that amount by the absolute value of the starting value
• Multiply by 100 to get percent increase
• If the percentage is negative, it means there was a decrease and not an increase.

Percentage Increase Formula

You can use the percentage increase formula for any percent increase calculation:

Percentage Increase= [(Final Value−Starting Value)/Starting Value] ×100

Example Problem: Percentage Increase

Last year your favorite jeans cost $36 per pair. This year they cost $45 per pair. What is the percentage increase in the price of these jeans from last year to this year?

Percentage Increase = [ (Final Value - Starting Value) / |Starting Value| ] × 100

45 - 36 = 9

9 / 36 = 0.25

0.25 × 100 = 25%

So the price of your favorite jeans increased by 25% from last year to this year.

Where is percentage increase useful?

Percentage increase is useful when you want to analyze how a value has changed with time. Although percentage increase is very similar to absolute increase, the former is more useful when comparing multiple data sets. For example, a change from 1 to 51 and from 50 to 100 both have an absolute change of 50, but the percentage increase for the first is 5000%, while for the second, it is 100%, so the first change grew relatively a lot more. This is why percentage increase is the most common way of measuring growth.

How do I calculate percentage increase in Excel?

While it's easier to use Omni Calculator's Percentage Increase Calculator, here are the steps to calculate the percentage increase in Excel:

1. Input the original number (for example, into cell A1).
2. Input the increased number (for example, into cell B1).
3. Subtract the original number from the increased number (In C1, input =B1-A1) and label it 'difference'.
4. Divide the difference by the original price and multiply it by 100 (In D1, input =(C1/A1)*100) and label it 'percentage increase'.
5. Right-click on the final cell and select Format Cells.
6. In the Format Cells box, under Number, select Percentage and specify your desired number of decimal places.

Why percentages matter?

Percentages are used in a wide variety of contexts, from calculating discounts and taxes to measuring changes in stock prices and economic indicators. Understanding how percentages work can help you make more informed decisions in a variety of areas, from personal finance to business management.