Promotion and Internal Equity Calculator
Pressure-test one promotion before you commit to it. Enter the current salary, the new grade and its range, the proposed pay, and what peers already earn, and the workbook shows the size of the raise, where it lands in the new range, how it compares to peers, and what it costs in the first year.
One-time purchase, no subscription. Instant download.
Built by expert HR practitioners and leaders
- The raise sized in dollars and percent: enter the current salary and the proposed pay and see the increase both ways against the new grade
- Where the new pay lands in the range: compa-ratio and range penetration against the new grade minimum, midpoint, and maximum, so a promotion does not quietly start someone past midpoint
- A peer check inside the new grade: enter what the people already in that grade earn and see the proposed pay against their median, with a compression check to the level above
- The loaded first-year cost: payroll tax and benefits on top of the raise, so the number you take to approval is the real cost, not the headline increase
- Open, editable formulas in Excel or Google Sheets, with a worked example pre-filled; set your assumptions once and duplicate the file for the next promotion
The workbook does the range, peer, and cost math from the numbers you enter. How large a promotion increase should be, and the decision itself, are yours to set.
Planning estimates and general business information, not legal or tax advice. A promotion changes pay, and pay decisions carry equity and legal weight, so confirm your own range data and review sensitive moves with a qualified professional.
Not the right fit? Take the 60-second match.
Last reviewed June 2026
One Excel workbook that prices a promotion before you make it
A working model, not a blank grid. You enter one move, the workbook returns the raise, the range position, the peer read, and the first-year cost, and it opens on a filled-in example so the math is clear before you change anything.
Promotion and Internal Equity Calculator
Enter the current salary, the new grade with its minimum, midpoint, and maximum, the proposed pay, and the peers already in that grade. The workbook returns the increase, the range position, the peer comparison, and the loaded first-year cost, and opens on a filled-in example so the logic is clear before you change anything.
The summary, the cost, and the math in plain English
A one-page summary carries the whole case into the approval: the raise, the range position, the peer read, and the loaded first-year cost. A Benchmark tab shows typical promotion increases, and the Notes tab documents how each number is calculated and how to act on it.
Three steps from a proposed promotion to a decision
You set the move, add the peers and the cost assumptions, and the workbook shows whether the number holds up.
Set the move
Enter the current salary, the new grade with its minimum, midpoint, and maximum, and the proposed new salary.
Add peers and assumptions
Enter what the people already in the new grade earn, and set the payroll tax and benefits rates for the cost view.
Read it and decide
See the raise, the range position, the peer comparison, and the first-year cost, and adjust the number before it goes for sign-off.
A promotion priced the way it gets questioned
A raise that looks fine as a percentage can still land in the wrong part of the range or past peers, so the workbook keeps range position, peer pay, and cost on the surface.
Who this calculator fits and where to go if that is not you
It is built for sizing a single promotion. For the structure around it or the annual cycle, the right tool is next to it.
Built for
- An HR lead or manager preparing a single promotion who needs the raise sized right before asking for approval.
- A comp partner sanity-checking promotion requests against the range and against peers.
- A small-business owner promoting someone for the first time who wants the move to hold up if other people ask about it.
If you are looking for
- A whole pay structure to build, not one move. The Salary Band Builder builds the grades and ranges this promotion lands inside.
- The annual raise cycle across the team, not a single promotion. The Merit Increase Matrix pairs performance with range position and totals the merit budget.
Before you buy
What format is it and can I edit it?
How accurate is the result?
Does it tell me how big the raise should be?
Does it include salary survey or market data?
What is the refund policy?
What happens after I buy?
Can I expense this purchase to my business?
Most customers buy TrueStep HR tools for business use, and a tool you use for work often qualifies as a deductible business expense. Whether it does for you depends on your situation, so confirm with your accountant or tax professional. Your receipt arrives by email at checkout and works as documentation.
The 6 red flags to check before you discipline or fire someone
A five-minute screen that catches the most common and most expensive people-decision mistakes before they happen. Free PDF, sent to your inbox. Unsubscribe anytime.
Size the promotion before it goes for approval
The raise, the range position, the peer read, and the first-year cost, in a file you keep.
Planning estimates and general business information, not legal or tax advice. Last reviewed June 2026.