Should You Ask for a Raise? A Complete Guide

The Timing Problem Most People Get Wrong

Most people ask for a raise when they feel underpaid — which is a feeling, not a structured argument. The problem is that 'I feel underpaid' is easy to dismiss. 'I am 14% below market median based on these three sources, I delivered $380k in measurable impact in the last two quarters, and I've been in role for 18 months' is not easy to dismiss.

The raise request that succeeds is prepared, specific, and timed correctly. 'Prepared' means you have market data and performance evidence. 'Specific' means you're asking for a number, not a range. 'Timed correctly' means you've chosen a moment when your manager has budget authority, is not in a crisis, and can make or influence the decision.

The Should You Ask for a Raise calculator scores your readiness across five weighted dimensions — market rate gap, performance evidence, tenure and timing, BATNA strength, and business context. It tells you not just whether to ask, but which dimension is weakest and what specifically to do about it before you go into the conversation.

Score your raise readiness

11 questions across 5 dimensions. Get a Go / Prepare / Wait verdict, your market gap, a target ask range, and a specific action plan.

Score My Raise Readiness

The 5 Raise Readiness Dimensions

Market Rate Gap (30%): The foundation of any raise case. Without market data showing you're below median, you're asking for more than market — which is a harder case to make. Research your market rate on 3 sources (Glassdoor, LinkedIn Salary, and Levels.fyi for tech) filtered by your specific city, role title, experience years, and company size. A 10%+ gap is a strong foundation. Under 5% requires a heavy performance premium.

Performance Evidence (25%): Quantifiable, specific contributions from the last 6 months. Revenue generated, cost reduced, time saved and its dollar value, percentage improvements with business context. 'Led the initiative that reduced customer churn by 9% ($320k ARR)' is evidence. 'Did great work this year' is not. Prepare 2–3 specific examples with numbers.

Tenure & Timing (20%): Most organizations have informal or formal thresholds of 12 months before considering raises outside the review cycle. The best time windows: 4–6 weeks before your annual review, during or just after budget planning, or right after a major successful delivery. Avoid asking when your manager is in a crisis, is new, or when the company is in a budget freeze.

BATNA Strength (15%): Your Best Alternative To a Negotiated Agreement. A real competing offer is the most powerful raise lever. Active recruiter engagement signals market value without requiring you to bluff. Even knowing your market rate and being confident you can get other offers is a form of BATNA. Never fabricate an offer — the cost of discovery is severe.

Business Context (10%): Is the company positioned to say yes? Check for recent layoffs, hiring freezes, negative earnings signals, or management instability. A strong raise case presented during a cost-cutting phase is still likely to fail — and may put you on the 'flight risk' radar. Wait for a better window if business context is weak.

How to Ask for a Raise — Step by Step

1
Research your market rate on 3 sources
Use Glassdoor, LinkedIn Salary, and Levels.fyi (tech) or Robert Half/Payscale (other fields). Filter by exact city, role title, years in role (not total career), and company size. Note the median, 75th percentile, and range. Come with specific numbers, not 'I've seen people online say they make more.'
2
Document your performance evidence
Write down your 3 strongest contributions from the last 6 months with specific impact numbers. If you don't have numbers, estimate them: 'I saved approximately 8 hours/week per team member on the new onboarding process — at 12 people that's 96 hours/month = ~$5,760/month in recovered time at our average rate.'
3
Request a dedicated conversation — not at the end of a 1:1
Say: 'I'd like to schedule 30 minutes to discuss my compensation. I've done some research and want to share my thinking.' This signals preparation and gives your manager time to think. Do not ambush them at the end of a weekly check-in.
4
Name your number first — don't make them guess
Ask for a specific number 5–8% above your real target (gives room to negotiate to your floor). Never give a range — managers take the bottom. State your ask calmly and with evidence: 'Based on my research showing the median for this role in [city] is $X, and the contributions I've outlined, I'm asking for a base salary of $Y.'
5
Prepare for every response
Yes → confirm in writing and ask about timing. No (permanently) → ask what would need to change, and consider whether this is a signal to start your search. No (for now) → ask for a specific date to revisit, and get it in writing. Budget constraints → ask about non-salary alternatives: equity refresh, one-time bonus, title change, extra PTO.

FAQ

How often can I ask for a raise?

Once every 12 months is the standard expectation in most organizations, outside of promotions. Asking more frequently — especially after a recent denial — signals poor awareness of context and can damage your relationship with your manager.

Should I bring up that other people on my team make more?

Never. Internal pay comparisons are often based on incomplete information, and bringing them up shifts the conversation from your value to company pay equity — which your manager can't solve in a raise conversation. Keep the conversation on your market rate and your specific contributions.

What if I got a below-inflation raise last year?

This is worth addressing directly: 'My raise last year was below inflation, which means my real compensation has declined. I'd like to discuss closing that gap as part of this conversation.' Frame it as a market alignment issue, not a grievance.

I'm a high performer but got denied. What does that mean?

Usually one of three things: budget constraints (real), your manager doesn't have the political capital to push it through, or there's a readiness or visibility issue they're not telling you directly. Ask specifically: 'What would need to be different for this to be approved?' If the answer is vague, that's information about whether this organization can meet your expectations.

Get your raise readiness score

Know exactly when to ask, what to ask for, and which dimension to strengthen first.