Should You Ask for a Raise Right Now — Or Wait Until You're Better Positioned?
Score your raise readiness — and get a negotiation range and action plan.
💰 Raise Readiness Calculator
Should You Ask for a Raise Right Now?
Score readiness across market rate, performance, timing, BATNA, and business context. Get an Ask / Prepare / Wait verdict.
💵 Compensation Inputs
Gap: $17,000/yr (17.9% below market)
Market Rate
30% of total score
I have checked 2+ market salary sources and my current compensation is below the median for my role, level, and location
The gap between my salary and market rate is significant (10%+ or $10k+)
Performance
25% of total score
I can name at least 2 specific, quantifiable contributions I made in the last 6 months (with dollar or percentage impact)
My most recent performance review was above expectations or equivalent
My manager has given me verbal or written positive feedback about my contributions recently
Tenure & Timing
20% of total score
I have been in my current role for at least 12 months or have completed a significant project/milestone
This is a good time in my organization's budget/review cycle (annual review upcoming, budget planning, etc.)
BATNA Strength
15% of total score
I have a competing offer, have been approached by recruiters recently, or have made myself visible to the market
I could credibly pursue and get a comparable or better role externally within the next 90 days
Business Context
10% of total score
My company is in a stable or growth phase (not cost-cutting, freezing headcount, or in financial difficulty)
My manager has the authority and political capital to approve or advocate for my raise
Scores update automatically as you answer. Answer based on current reality, not aspirations.
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Asking for a raise at the wrong time, in the wrong way, or without the right evidence is worse than not asking at all. A poorly timed or poorly supported raise request doesn't just fail — it signals to your manager that you misread the situation, overvalue yourself, or lack awareness of business context. And once that signal is sent, it can take 12+ months to recover. The Should You Ask for a Raise calculator scores your readiness across five dimensions that determine whether a raise request is likely to succeed: Market Rate Gap (are you actually below market for your role, level, and location?), Performance Evidence (can you point to specific, quantifiable contributions in the last 6 months?), Tenure & Review Cycle (is this the right time in your organization's cycle?), BATNA Strength (do you have a competing offer, marketable skills, or a plausible alternative?), and Business Context (is the company in a position to actually approve raises right now?). The output is a Raise Readiness Score (0–100), a Go / Prepare / Wait recommendation, the specific dimension holding you back most, and a tailored action plan. You also get a negotiation range — the specific number to ask for and why — based on your market rate gap and performance evidence. The goal is to help you ask at exactly the right time, with exactly the right number, and exactly the right evidence.
- ·5-dimension weighted model: Market Rate Gap 30%, Performance Evidence 25%, Tenure/Timing 20%, BATNA Strength 15%, Business Context 10%
- ·Score ≥75: Ask Now. 55–74: Go with preparation. 40–54: Prepare first. <40: Wait.
- ·Negotiation range based on market gap + performance premium
- →You feel underpaid and are considering whether to ask your manager for a raise
- →Your last raise was below inflation and you want to know if now is the right time to push back
- →You received a competing offer and want to know whether to use it as leverage
- →You want to prepare a data-backed raise case before your annual review
- →You were denied a raise and want to understand what specifically to address before asking again
Priya is a product manager at $115k. Her market research shows the median for her role in her city is $132k — a $17k gap. Her performance is strong (led a feature that grew revenue 12%), but she's been in role only 11 months (below the typical 12-month threshold). Her company just raised a Series B. BATNA: she has no competing offer but knows she could get one. Score: 68/100 — Prepare. Recommendation: Wait 1 month to clear the 12-month threshold, then ask. Target ask: $130k (citing market data + revenue contribution). Alternative to cash: ask for a compensation review commitment in writing if cash isn't available now.
What's the best evidence to bring to a raise conversation?
Three types of evidence consistently move the needle: (1) Market data — Glassdoor, LinkedIn Salary, or Levels.fyi showing your role at your level commands $X in your location. (2) Performance impact — specific, quantifiable contributions in the last 6 months with dollar or percentage values (e.g., 'led the project that reduced churn by 8%, worth ~$450k ARR'). (3) A competing offer — real or credible possibility. Of these three, market data + performance impact is the most reliable combination. A competing offer is the most powerful single signal but should be genuine.
Is it better to ask for a specific number or a range?
Ask for a specific number, slightly higher than your actual target. If your target is $135k, ask for $138k — this gives room to 'negotiate' down to your real number while anchoring the conversation above your floor. Never ask for a range ('somewhere between $130k and $140k') — ranges signal that you're uncertain, and employers will almost always take the bottom of the range.
What if my manager says the company can't afford it right now?
This is often true and often not. If it's a genuine constraint, ask for three things: a commitment to revisit in 90 days with a specific date on the calendar, a written record of the conversation noting what was discussed, and an alternative form of compensation (equity refresh, one-time bonus, extra PTO, title change) that doesn't hit recurring payroll. If the company genuinely can't pay market rate, that's also information — it changes your decision about whether to start your job search.
How do I know if I'm actually below market rate?
Sources by field: tech — Levels.fyi (the most granular for software roles), LinkedIn Salary, Blind; finance — Wall Street Oasis, Robert Half Salary Guide; marketing — LinkedIn Salary, Glassdoor; general — Glassdoor, Payscale, Indeed Salaries. Use 3 sources and triangulate. Be sure to filter by your specific city/region, experience level (years in role, not total career), and company size — these factors can shift the number by $20k+ in either direction.
Should I mention that I'm interviewing elsewhere even if I don't have an offer?
No — never bluff a competing offer. If it's discovered (which happens), the damage is severe and lasting. What you can say truthfully: 'I've been approached about other opportunities and want to make sure we're aligned on my compensation before I have to make any decisions.' This signals marketability without lying. The most powerful BATNA is a real offer — if you're considering asking for a raise, starting a passive job search simultaneously gives you the option to leverage a real offer.
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