Excel can calculate a percentage increase with one formula. Put the original value in one cell, the new value in another, and divide the change by the original value.
Excel percentage increase formulas
| What you want to calculate | Excel formula |
|---|---|
Percentage increase from A2 to B2 |
=(B2-A2)/A2 |
New value after the rate in B2 |
=A2*(1+B2) |
| Increase amount only | =A2*B2 |
| Percentage increase with a zero check | =IF(A2=0,"Undefined",(B2-A2)/A2) |
Use Percentage formatting for a rate result. Use Number or Currency formatting when the formula returns an amount.
Basic Excel formula
If the original value is in A2 and the new value is in B2, enter this in C2:
=(B2-A2)/A2Format cell C2 as Percentage. If A2 contains 240 and B2 contains 300, Excel displays 25%.
Excel stores 25% as 0.25. Do not multiply the formula by 100 if the result cell already uses Percentage formatting.
If the new value is lower than the original, the formula returns a negative percentage. For example, a move from 300 to 240 returns −20%, which means a 20% decrease.
Fill the formula down a column
Select C2, then drag the fill handle down. Excel adjusts each row automatically:
- Row 3 becomes
(B3-A3)/A3 - Row 4 becomes
(B4-A4)/A4 - Each result uses its own original value
Keep headings such as Original, New, and Increase % in the first row.
Use one increase rate for many values
If the percentage rate is stored in E1, lock that cell with dollar signs:
=A2*(1+$E$1)When you fill the formula down, A2 changes to A3, A4, and later rows. $E$1 stays fixed, so every row uses the same rate.
For example, if E1 contains 6%, a value of 250 in A2 becomes 265.
Handle an original value of zero
Dividing by zero returns #DIV/0!. That is mathematically appropriate because percentage increase from zero is undefined. If you prefer a message, use:
=IF(A2=0,"Undefined",(B2-A2)/A2)Do not replace the error with 0%, because that would state a result that does not exist. See percentage increase from zero for the reasoning.
Calculate the new value instead
If A2 is the starting number and B2 is an increase rate formatted as a percentage:
=A2*(1+B2)A starting value of 1,500 with 8% in B2 returns 1,620.
Check the formula result
Excel formulas are convenient for a table, while the site calculator shows the difference, multiplier, and working for one comparison. That makes it useful for checking whether a spreadsheet row is set up correctly.
Check it with the Percentage Increase Calculator
Google Sheets uses the same formulas. See the Google Sheets percentage increase guide for formatting and array examples.