How to Ask for a Raise: Scripts and Numbers That Work in 2026

Asking for a raise is a negotiation with a script, not a favor with fingers crossed. Here is the preparation, the numbers, and the exact words.

To ask for a raise, bring a market number, a documented wins list, and three figures: an ambitious ask, a realistic target, and your walk-away floor. On a $75,000 salary that means asking for 8 percent ($6,000), targeting 5 percent ($3,750), and accepting no less than 3 percent ($2,250) without a concrete plan to revisit.

Do the homework first

Every successful raise conversation starts before you open your mouth. You need two things: a market number and a wins list. The market number is what similar roles at similar companies pay for your skills, from salary surveys and job postings, not from one friend's rumor. The wins list is your last 12 months reduced to outcomes with numbers: revenue influenced, costs cut, hours saved, problems solved, clients kept.

These two documents do different jobs. The market number sets the ceiling and tells you whether you have a market-adjustment case. The wins list justifies your place near that ceiling. Walk in with both, and you are negotiating from evidence instead of feelings.

Set your three numbers

Never walk in with one number. You need an anchor (ambitious but defensible), a target (what you actually expect), and a floor (the minimum you will accept without a revisit plan). On a $75,000 salary:

Ask: 8 percent = 75,000 x 0.08 = $6,000 a year, new salary $81,000.
Target: 5 percent = 75,000 x 0.05 = $3,750 a year, new salary $78,750.
Floor: 3 percent = 75,000 x 0.03 = $2,250 a year, new salary $77,250.

The gap between your target and a standard 3 percent merit outcome is $3,750 - $2,250 = $1,500 a year, or $125 a month and $57.69 per biweekly paycheck. That is the concrete prize for having the conversation instead of accepting the default. Anchoring research consistently shows the first serious number frames the whole negotiation, so make your ask the anchor, not their budget.

Timing matters

Ask during budget season, not after it. Most companies allocate raise budgets once or twice a year, and asking after the pot is divided means waiting for the next cycle. Good moments: after a visible win, at the start of performance review season, when your responsibilities have clearly grown, or when you have market data showing you are underpaid. Bad moments: during layoffs, right after a poor quarter for your team, or in the same week as bad personal news for your manager.

Scripts that work

The opener. "I would like to talk about my compensation. Over the past year I [two or three specific wins with numbers]. Based on my contributions and market data for this role, I believe a salary of $81,000 is appropriate. I would like to discuss what it takes to get there."

The counter. If they offer 3 percent: "I appreciate that. The market data I have shows the range for this role at $78,000 to $82,000, and my results this year were [specific win]. Can we get to $78,750?" Name the number. Vague asks get vague answers.

The follow-up. If the answer is "not now": "I understand the timing. What specifically would I need to demonstrate in the next six months to earn $78,750, and can we put that in writing with a review date?" A no without a plan is just a no. A no with written criteria and a date is a roadmap.

When they say no

A flat no on salary is not the end of the negotiation. Non-salary compensation has real value: an extra week of PTO, a remote-work arrangement, a title change that raises your market value, a training budget, a bonus structure, or an early promotion review. Price each one. A title bump that moves your market rate 10 percent can be worth more than the 2 percent salary difference you were arguing about. And if the company cannot meet your floor and will not put a plan in writing, that is information: the market outside the building is your next conversation. Compare any outside offer against your current pay with the free pay raise calculator before you decide.

Mistakes that kill the ask

Leading with personal expenses. Your mortgage is not your employer's problem. Market value and results are the only arguments that work.
Threatening to quit without an offer. A bluff that gets called ends the negotiation and damages trust. Only mention leaving if you mean it.
Accepting the first number. The first offer is rarely the final offer. Counter once, politely, with data.
Apologizing for asking. Framing it as a favor signals you do not believe you deserve it. It is a business conversation; treat it like one.

Frequently asked questions

Is a 20 percent raise too much to ask for?

As a merit increase, yes: merit budgets top out around 5 percent for the best performers. As a promotion or market correction, 20 percent can be reasonable if the data supports it. Match the size of the ask to the category.

How do I negotiate a salary increase?

Bring market data and a documented wins list, anchor with a specific ambitious number, and name a concrete target when they counter. If the answer is no, ask for written criteria and a review date, or negotiate non-salary items like PTO, title, or remote work.

When is the best time to ask for a raise?

During budget and review season, after a visible win, or when your responsibilities have grown. Avoid asking after budgets are allocated, during layoffs, or right after a bad quarter for your team.

What should I say when asking for a raise?

State your contributions with numbers, name a specific salary based on market data, and ask what it takes to get there. Example: 'Based on my results this year and market data for this role, I believe $81,000 is appropriate. What would it take to get there?'

What do I do if my raise request is denied?

Ask for the specific criteria and a written review date, negotiate non-salary compensation (PTO, title, remote work, training budget), and if nothing moves, test the external market. A competing offer is the strongest leverage there is.

Run your own numbers. The free pay raise calculator turns any raise percent into a new salary, annual raise dollars, a new hourly rate, and gross per-paycheck pay.

Try the free pay raise calculator