Enter an old and new salary to see the percent change, and the exact percent needed to reverse it back to the original.
A 10% raise and a 10% pay cut don’t cancel each other out, because each percentage is calculated from a different base amount. This tool shows the percent change from old to new, and the exact (different) percent that would be needed to get back to the original number.
Old salary ($):
New salary ($):
Why a Raise and Its Reversal Aren’t Equal Percentages
A 10% raise and a 10% pay cut don’t cancel each other out, because each percentage is calculated from a different base amount. This tool shows the percent change from old to new, and the exact (different) percent that would be needed to get back to the original number.
How to Use This Calculator
- Enter the old salary.
- Enter the new salary.
- Click Calculate to see the percent change and the percent needed to reverse it.
This same math applies to any before-and-after percentage change, not just salaries, including prices, discounts, or investment values.
Did You Know?
- A 50% pay cut requires a 100% raise (doubling the new, lower salary) to get back to the original amount.
- This asymmetry is the same reason a stock that drops 50% needs to gain 100% to return to its starting price.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why isn’t reversing a 10% raise just another 10% cut?
Because a raise is calculated on the old, smaller salary, while reversing it is calculated on the new, larger salary; the same dollar amount is a smaller percentage of a bigger number.
Does this work for pay cuts too?
Yes. Enter the smaller number as the new salary, and this tool will show the raise percentage needed to fully reverse the cut.