What to actually ask for.
Most “raise calculators” just spit out the merit-pool average. This one separates two things people conflate: the raise that recovers what inflation took, and the raise on top of that. Then it hands you a script in your own numbers.
US CPI averaged ~3.4% over the last few years; edit if yours differs.
Performance signal
Role band
What to actually ask for
Target ask: +$7,645 (9.0%)
That brings you to $92,645. Below that, you’re losing ground to inflation faster than you’re recovering.
Stretch (open here)
+$8,256
9.7% — anchor higher
Target (real ask)
+$7,645
9.0% — the number to land on
Walk away (floor)
+$5,878
6.9% — just keeps pace with CPI
The honest math.
Inflation drag. Over 2 years at 3.4% CPI, your salary’s purchasing power dropped by roughly $5,498. Your $85,000 today buys what $79,502 bought then.
Inflation recovery. Just to break even in real terms, your salary should rise by $5,878 (6.9%). Anything below that is, after inflation, a pay cut.
Merit-pool ask. Starting from a ~3.4% baseline and adjusting for performance and band: roughly $7,645. The target is the higher of these two — getting the merit number on top of the inflation floor.
The ask, in your words.
Paraphrase — don’t read it. Use your real numbers, your real tone.
I'd like to talk about adjusting my compensation. I'm currently at $85,000 and it's been about 2 years since my last increase. With inflation over that period, the real value of my salary has dropped by roughly $5,498 — so even staying flat would mean keeping up. Based on the work I've done and where the market sits, I'd like to discuss bringing the salary to $92,645, which is a 9.0% increase. Could we walk through that?
How to read this. The math is honest but the numbers come from broad averages — your actual market gap depends on your specific role, location, and the last comp survey your manager has access to. Use this as a floor for the conversation, not a ceiling. If you’re considering changing jobs, the “target ask” here is usually below what a competing offer would bring.