Salary Growth Calculator
How fast is your income growing? Answer 5 questions to find out where you stand — and what to do next.
How This Salary Calculator Works
This calculator evaluates your salary growth trajectory across five factors that research shows are the strongest predictors of income acceleration. Unlike simple salary comparison tools, it doesn't just tell you what others earn — it assesses whether your trajectory is headed up, flat, or down, based on the Income Leap Strategy framework.
- Current Salary Band — where you are now determines which strategies work best for the next jump.
- Tenure — time at one company is the #1 predictor of salary stagnation. The average raise for job-switchers is 14.8% vs. 3% for loyalists (Pew Research, 2024).
- Raise History — your recent raise trajectory predicts your near-term earnings better than your title or industry.
- Career Strategy — passive careers plateau. Active, strategic career management is the single biggest differentiator in income growth.
- Market Position — knowing whether you're above or below market rate determines whether you negotiate or switch.
What the Research Says About Salary Growth
The average U.S. worker who stays at the same company receives a 3–5% annual raise. After inflation, that's roughly flat. Workers who switch jobs every 2–3 years earn 50% more over a 10-year career than those who stay put (Forbes analysis of BLS data). The takeaway: loyalty is expensive, and the biggest income leaps come from strategic moves — not patience.