What a typical raise looks like
Annual merit raises in the US cluster around 3 to 4 percent. A promotion usually brings 8 to 15. Changing employers is where the big jumps happen, often 10 to 20 percent, which is why staying put for years quietly costs money. Anything below inflation is a real-terms cut even though the number went up.
Percent versus dollars
A dollar an hour on $15 is a 6.7% raise. The same dollar on $30 is 3.3%. When an employer offers a flat amount across the team, the lowest paid get the biggest percentage. When they offer a percentage, the highest paid get the most dollars. Know which one you're being offered before you compare it with anything.
Overtime changes the picture
A raise also raises your overtime rate by 1.5 times as much per hour. If you regularly work 50-hour weeks, a $1 raise is worth about $2,860 a year, not $2,080. Run the new rate through the overtime calculator or see the annual figure with the hourly to salary calculator.