WorldCalcs

Percentage Increase Calculator

Find the percentage change between two numbers, or grow or shrink a value by a given percent.

Reviewed by the WorldCalcs team · Methodology · Last reviewed: June 2026

Result

50% increase

Difference: 50

What is percentage increase?

Percentage increase tells you how much a value has gone up compared with where it started, expressed as a percent of the original amount. The same formula gives a percentage decrease when the value goes down — the result is simply negative. Because it is relative to the starting value, a change of 50 means very different things going from 100 versus from 1 000.

How it's calculated

The percentage change from an old value to a new value is (New − Old) ÷ |Old| × 100. A positive answer is an increase, a negative answer is a decrease. To grow a number by a given percent, multiply it by (1 + percent ÷ 100); to shrink it, multiply by (1 − percent ÷ 100).

Example

Going from 100 to 150 is (150 − 100) ÷ 100 × 100 = 50% increase. Going from 150 to 100 is (100 − 150) ÷ 150 × 100 ≈ 33.33% decrease. To increase 200 by 15%, multiply by 1.15 to get 230 — a change of 30.

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Results are estimates and may contain errors — for general information only, not professional advice. Always verify before relying on them. Disclaimer

How to use

Change between two values: enter the original (From) and new (To) values. The result is the percentage change, labelled increase or decrease.

Increase or decrease by a percent: enter a value, a percentage, and pick a direction. You'll see the new value and the amount of change.

Frequently asked questions

How do I calculate a percentage increase?+

Subtract the old value from the new value, divide by the old value, and multiply by 100. For example, 100 to 150 is 50 ÷ 100 × 100 = 50%.

How do I calculate a percentage decrease?+

Use the same formula; the result comes out negative. From 150 to 100 is −50 ÷ 150 × 100 ≈ −33.33%, i.e. a 33.33% decrease.

How do I increase a number by a percentage?+

Multiply the number by (1 + percent ÷ 100). To add 15% to 200, multiply by 1.15 to get 230.

Why divide by the old value and not the new one?+

Percentage change measures growth relative to the starting point, so the original value is the baseline you compare against.

What's the difference between percent and percentage points?+

A move from 10% to 15% is a 5 percentage-point rise but a 50% increase. Points compare the values directly; percent compares the change to the starting value.

Does a 50% increase then a 50% decrease return to the start?+

No. 100 increased by 50% is 150; 150 decreased by 50% is 75. The decrease applies to the larger number, so you end up lower than where you began.

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