How Much of a Raise Should You Ask For?
A defensible raise request in 2026 usually starts at the inflation rate — about 3.5% — and adds a merit case on top, which puts most reasonable asks in the 5% to 10% range. If you are underpaid for your market, changing roles, or taking on a promotion, a larger request of 10% to 20% can be justified with evidence. The right number is not a rule of thumb; it is inflation, plus your performance, plus how far your pay sits below the market rate for your work.
The short answer
There is no single correct figure, but there is a sound way to build one. Anchor to what it costs to stand still, then add what you can defend. On the most recent figures, US consumer prices rose 3.5% over the year to June 2026, while average wages rose only 3.1% (BLS). In other words, the typical raise did not keep pace with prices — so simply matching inflation already puts you ahead of the average outcome, and anything above it is real progress.
Start from three numbers
Before you name a figure, know these three. Together they turn a nervous guess into a case.
1. Inflation (your floor). This is the minimum needed to hold your purchasing power flat. Currently about 3.5%. Asking for less than this is asking for a real-terms pay cut.
2. Average wage growth (your context). Around 3.1% over the past year. This tells you what “normal” looks like right now, so you can position your request as ordinary or exceptional on purpose.
3. Your market rate (your ceiling). What employers currently pay someone doing your job, with your experience, in your area. If your pay sits well below it, the gap — not inflation — becomes the real basis for your number.
A simple framework for the number
Build your ask in three layers:
Cost-of-living floor. Start at inflation (~3.5%). This part is not about performance; it is arithmetic, and it is the hardest for a manager to argue with.
Merit on top. Add 2 to 5 points for a strong year — measurable results, extra scope, work beyond your job description. A solid performer asking for 5% to 8% is on firm ground.
Market correction. If comparable roles pay 15% more than you earn, closing that gap is a separate, larger conversation — and often the strongest case of all, because it is about retention, not reward.
Work out exactly what any percentage is worth on your salary — per year and per paycheck — before you walk in:
Fine-tune estimate
For the closest estimate, use the effective deduction percentage from your own pay stub. Inflation default based on: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, CPI-U (all items, 12-month change) (June 2026).
| Current annual pay | $60,000 |
|---|---|
| Raise amount | $3,000 |
| New annual pay | $63,000 |
| Monthly increase | $250.00 |
| Biweekly increase | $115.38 |
| Five-year gross total | $15,000 |
Uses the effective deduction rate you enter. This is not a payroll or tax calculation.
Using 3.50% inflation, purchasing power increases by about $870 per year.
Show the math
Gross figures are mathematical results based only on the values you enter. This is not a payroll, tax, legal, or financial-advice calculation.
How much is too much?
An ask becomes counterproductive when you cannot support it. A 20% request with no market evidence and an average performance review invites a quick no and weakens your footing. The same 20%, backed by two job listings paying more and a list of results, is a serious opening position. The number is rarely the problem; the missing justification is. As a general guide, most people asking within a 3% to 10% band do not need heavy evidence, while anything above that should come with data.
When you can reasonably ask for more
You are changing jobs. External offers are priced against the current market, not your old salary, which is why moving employers has historically produced larger increases than staying put. A 10% to 20% jump is common, and sometimes more.
You are being promoted. A promotion usually carries a bigger increase than an annual review, because it is budgeted separately and reflects a genuine change in responsibility.
You are clearly underpaid. If you can show that comparable roles pay meaningfully more, you are asking for a correction, not a favor — and that is easier for a manager to take upstairs.
You have a competing offer. A real offer changes the conversation, but use it carefully: only raise it if you are genuinely prepared to leave.
How to back up the number
The figure matters less than the case behind it. Bring three things: evidence of results (what you delivered, ideally quantified), market data (a couple of current listings or a salary source for your role and area), and the inflation figure with its period (“prices rose 3.5% in the year to June 2026” is harder to wave away than “things cost more”). Time the conversation well — after a visible win, or during a review cycle when budgets are actually being set — and put the request in writing so it survives the meeting.
None of this guarantees a yes. Budgets, timing, and company performance are outside your control, and this page is general information, not tailored career or financial advice. What a solid number and a documented case do is make it far harder to be dismissed with a default figure.
Common questions
How much of a raise should I ask for after one year?
If you have met expectations, start at inflation (~3.5%) and add a point or two for the year’s results — so roughly 4% to 6% is a reasonable opening for a solid first year, more if you were hired below market.
Is asking for a 10% raise too much?
Not inherently. Ten percent is above the current average, so it needs support — strong performance, added responsibility, or evidence that your pay trails the market. With that backing it is a defensible ask; without it, it may land as optimistic.
How much should I ask for if I’m underpaid?
Base the number on the gap, not on inflation. If similar roles pay 15% to 20% more, that gap is your case. You may not close it in one step, but naming it sets the direction and justifies a larger-than-average increase.
How often can I ask for a raise?
Once a year is the normal rhythm, usually tied to a review or the anniversary of your start date. Ask sooner only if your role has changed materially or you have taken on clearly expanded responsibilities.
Sources
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Cost Index — June 2026 (USDL-26-1270), released 31 July 2026. bls.gov/news.release/eci.nr0.htm
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Consumer Price Index — June 2026 (USDL-26-1191), released 14 July 2026. bls.gov/news.release/cpi.nr0.htm
Figures last checked 1 August 2026. Wage and inflation data are updated as new BLS releases land.