Raise Frequency Comparator
Compare annual, quarterly, and monthly increases.
Raise Frequency Comparator: Scenario Inputs
Annual percentage rate or benchmark index change.
Inflation & Purchasing Power Analysis
Over 3 years at 3.5% inflation, a $75,000 salary requires $83,154 to retain equal purchasing power. Without matching raises, your real compensation experiences an effective reduction of $7,355 (-9.81%).
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How Raise Frequency Comparator Works?
The Raise Frequency Comparator works by applying a step raise at the end of each period and summing pay across the year.
Enter salary and yearly raise
Type the salary and the total yearly raise, such as 4%.
Pick frequencies
Compare annual (1 step), quarterly (4 steps) and monthly (12 steps).
Apply the steps
Each step raises pay at the end of its period: after 1 month, 3 months or 12 months.
Compare earnings
The output shows earnings in the year and the end-of-year salary for each frequency.
Raise Frequency Comparator Formula
The Raise Frequency formula sums each period's pay after its step raise.
q = (1 + R)1/n − 1
Earnings = Σk=0…n−1 (Salary ÷ n) × (1 + q)k
Variables
- R
- Total yearly raise
- n
- Raises per year: 1, 4 or 12
- q
- Size of each step raise
Worked example
A 4% yearly raise on a $60,000 salary paid in 12 monthly steps that compound to 4% yields $61,092 of earnings in the year. One annual 4% step, paid after 12 months, yields $60,000 in the same year, a difference of $1,092.
Raise Frequency Comparator Conversion Table
This table compares 3 raise frequencies for a $60,000 salary and a 4% yearly raise, with each step paid at the end of its period.
| Frequency | Step size (compounds to 4%) | Earnings in year (compounded steps) | Step size (4% ÷ n) | Year-end salary (4% ÷ n steps) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual | 4.000% | $60,000 | 4.000% | $62,400 |
| Quarterly | 0.985% | $60,893 | 1.000% | $62,436 |
| Monthly | 0.327% | $61,092 | 0.333% | $62,444 |
What is Raise Frequency Comparator?
The Raise Frequency Comparator is a tool that compares the earnings from annual, quarterly and monthly raises that add up to the same yearly percentage. More frequent raises reach the paycheck sooner, so total earnings in the year are higher.
The comparator shows 2 cases: splitting a 4% raise evenly into smaller steps, and compounding smaller steps to exactly 4% by year end.
What are the uses of Raise Frequency Comparator?
There are 4 main uses of the Raise Frequency Comparator.
Weigh frequent raises
See the earnings value of quarterly or monthly raises.
Design pay policy
Employers test frequent small raises during high inflation.
Negotiate timing
Ask for split raises when a yearly raise is capped.
Explain trade-offs
Show the gap between splitting a raise and compounding steps.
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