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Percentage Points Calculator

By Calxy · Updated · Calculation methodology

Find the gap between two percentages in percentage points, and the relative percentage change, with every step shown.

Printed from Calxy · https://www.calxy.net/math/percentage-points-calculator

Percentage-point change5.0000 percentage points
%

The percentage you start from (before).

%

The percentage you end with (after).

Percentage-point change

5.0000 percentage points

  • Relative percentage change25.00%

A rise from 20% to 25% is 5 percentage points, equivalent to a 25% relative increase. These descriptions are not interchangeable.

How this was calculated

  1. Percentage points are the simple gap between two percentages. Take the original percentage away from the new one.Percentage-point change = new percentage − original percentage.Put in your numbers: 25 − 20Answer: 5 percentage points
  2. The relative change says how big that gap is compared with where you started, as a percent.Relative percentage change = percentage-point change ÷ original percentage × 100.Put in your numbers: 5 ÷ 20 × 100Answer: 25%

Percentage points in simple words

Percentage points measure the plain gap between two percentages. You just take one away from the other.

For example, if 20% of a class walked to school last year and 25% walk this year, that is a rise of 25 − 20 = 5 percentage points.

The same change is also a 25% relative increase, because 5 is a quarter (25%) of the starting 20. Both are true, but they mean different things, so it helps to say which one you mean.

Formula and method

Percentage-point change = new percentage − old percentage. Relative change divides that difference by the old percentage and multiplies by 100.

Worked example

A change from 20% to 25% is an increase of 5 percentage points and a relative increase of 25%.

Frequently asked questions

What if the original percentage is zero?

The percentage-point difference still exists, but relative percentage change divides by zero and is therefore undefined.

Last updated . Results are estimates for informational purposes only.