Salary Growth Projector
Raises compound year after year — a small percentage today can snowball into tens of thousands of dollars over a career. Enter your current salary, your expected annual raise, and how many years you want to project to see what your paycheck could look like down the road.
Enter your numbers
Your results
How to use this calculator
Enter your current annual salary, the annual raise percentage you expect, and the number of years to project (1–40). The year-by-year table updates instantly as you change any input, showing each year's projected salary and how much it grew from the previous year.
How it works
Year-n salary = starting salary × (1 + raise rate)n. For example, $60,000 with a steady 3% annual raise gives about $69,556 in year 5, and roughly $328,105 in total earnings across those five years. This is a nominal estimate: it assumes the same raise rate every year and does not account for inflation, promotions, job changes, or bonuses.
Frequently asked questions
How is future salary calculated?
Each year's salary is multiplied by one plus the raise rate: salary × (1 + raise)^years. A 3% raise on $60,000 gives $61,800 in year one, $63,654 in year two, and so on.
Does this account for inflation?
No — it projects nominal salary only. To estimate real purchasing power, subtract expected inflation from your raise rate before entering it.
What is a typical annual raise?
US merit raises have averaged roughly 3–4% in recent years, though this varies widely by industry, role, and performance. Use a conservative figure for planning.
Are bonuses included?
No. This projector covers base salary growth only; add expected bonuses separately when estimating total compensation.