🧾 Tax & Salary

Salary Hike Calculator

Switch between the two questions people actually ask at appraisal time: what a given hike percentage does to your salary, and what percentage a jump from one CTC to another really works out to.

Your appraisal
Current pay & the hike
Your revised pay
New salary and the increase

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Both directions, one calculator

At appraisal time there are really only two questions, and they run in opposite directions:

  • "I have been offered a 12% hike — what does that make my CTC?" Pick the first option and enter the percentage.
  • "My CTC went from ₹8.5 lakh to ₹9.7 lakh — what percentage is that?" Pick the second option and enter both figures.

The arithmetic is simple in both directions, which is exactly why it is worth getting right rather than guessing:

New CTC = current CTC × (1 + hike% ÷ 100)
Hike % = (new CTC − current CTC) ÷ current CTC × 100

The most common mistake is dividing by the new salary instead of the old one. Going from ₹8,00,000 to ₹10,00,000 is a 25% hike (2,00,000 ÷ 8,00,000), not 20%. Percentages are always measured against where you started.

A hike on CTC is not a hike in your bank balance

This is the part that catches people out every year. Your CTC includes components you never receive as monthly cash — the employer's provident fund contribution and the gratuity provision — and the extra income is taxed at your marginal rate, which is the highest rate you pay, not your average one.

So a 10% rise in CTC lands as something less than 10% more in hand, and the gap widens as you move up the slabs. To see the actual take-home effect, put both the old and new figures through the salary calculator, and check which tax regime suits the new number with the income tax calculator. If the raise pushes you into a higher slab, the HRA exemption calculator is worth a look too.

Judge a hike against the alternatives, not in isolation

A percentage on its own means very little. The chart in the result panel plots what your CTC becomes across hikes from 0% to 30%, with your figure marked, so you can see the shape of the trade rather than anchoring on one number in an offer letter.

Two comparisons worth making before you accept anything:

  • Against inflation. A hike below the inflation rate is a real-terms pay cut, however it is presented. The inflation calculator shows what your current salary needs to become just to stand still.
  • Against compounding. Raises compound. Two years of 8% beats one year of 15% followed by nothing, and the gap keeps widening. The step-up SIP calculator shows the same mechanic applied to investing — a contribution that rises annually ends up far ahead of a flat one.

Quick reference

Current CTC+10%+15%+20%+30%
₹5,00,000₹5,50,000₹5,75,000₹6,00,000₹6,50,000
₹8,00,000₹8,80,000₹9,20,000₹9,60,000₹10,40,000
₹12,00,000₹13,20,000₹13,80,000₹14,40,000₹15,60,000
₹20,00,000₹22,00,000₹23,00,000₹24,00,000₹26,00,000

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I calculate my salary hike percentage?
Subtract your old CTC from the new one, divide by the old CTC, and multiply by 100. Going from ₹8,00,000 to ₹10,00,000 is (2,00,000 ÷ 8,00,000) × 100 = 25%. Dividing by the new salary instead is the most common error and understates the hike.
What is a good salary hike in India?
It depends entirely on role, sector and whether you are switching jobs. As a floor, compare any offer against inflation — a hike below the inflation rate leaves you worse off in real terms. Beyond that, judge it against the compounding effect of consistent raises rather than a single year's number.
Why is my in-hand increase smaller than my hike percentage?
Because CTC includes employer PF and the gratuity provision, which never reach your account, and the additional income is taxed at your marginal rate — the highest slab you fall into, not your average rate. Run both figures through the salary calculator to see the real difference.
Does a hike percentage apply to CTC or basic pay?
Usually to CTC, but not always — some employers revise basic pay and let the linked components follow. It matters, because PF, gratuity and HRA are all calculated on basic. Check your revised offer letter for which figure moved.
How do I work out the hike needed to reach a target salary?
Use the second option and enter your current CTC and your target as the new CTC — the calculator returns the percentage that gets you there. That is the number to take into a negotiation.
Is a 30% hike on a job switch realistic?
Switching roles has historically produced larger jumps than internal appraisals, but there is no guaranteed figure and it varies sharply by sector and seniority. Treat any quoted benchmark as a rough anchor, and compare offers on take-home after tax rather than headline CTC.
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