Percentage Point Calculator

Calculate the difference between two percentages and understand percentage point vs percentage change

Perfect for understanding changes in interest rates, unemployment, market share, and more

Last updated: November 30, 2025

CreatorFrank Zhao

Percent #1

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Percent #2

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Percentage point difference

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Percentage difference

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Total value

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Value #1

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Value #2

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Value difference

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1Percentage Point Difference

PPD = P_2 - P_1

2Percentage Difference

PD = \frac{P_2 - P_1}{P_1} \times 100\%

3Value Calculation

V = Total \times \frac{P}{100}

P₁ / P₂Percentages

PPDPercentage Points

PDPercent Change

V / TotalNumeric Values

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The Percentage Point Calculator is a quick way to compare two percentages without mixing up absolute and relative change. You can use it to get the percentage point difference, the percent change, and (optionally) translate those percentages into real numeric values.

→What is a percentage point?
→How do you calculate percentage points?
→FAQs

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What is a percentage point?

A percentage point (often written as pp) is the unit for the simple arithmetic gapbetween two percentages.

Example: moving from $20\%$ to $25\%$ is a $5\ \text{percentage points}$ increase.
But as a percent change, it’s $\frac{25-20}{20}\times 100\% = 25\%$ .

Percent vs. percentage points (quick rule)

Percentage points are an absolute difference: $P_2 - P_1$ .
Percent change is relative to the starting value: $\frac{P_2-P_1}{P_1}\times 100\%$ .

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Practical tip:

In news and finance headlines, “rates rose by 2” is often ambiguous. “rose by 2 percentage points” is the precise way to say it.

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How do you calculate percentage points?

Percentage points are intentionally simple: you’re just subtracting one percent value from another. In this calculator, you can enter any two values in the Percentage Points section and it will fill in the rest.

Core definition

\text{PPD} = P_2 - P_1

PPD = percentage point difference

Enter two known values

For a quick comparison, input Percent #1 and Percent #2. Or pick any other pair, like Percent #1 + Percentage difference.

Read the two outputs

The calculator shows both:
Percentage point difference (absolute gap) and percentage difference (relative change).

Worked example (unemployment rate)

Suppose a rate goes from 5% to 7%.

\text{PPD}

=

P_2 - P_1

=

7\% - 5\%

=

2\ \text{pp}

\text{PD}

=

\frac{P_2-P_1}{P_1}\times 100\%

=

\frac{7-5}{5}\times 100\%

=

40\%

Interpretation: the rate rose by $2\ \text{percentage points}$ (absolute), which equals a $40\%$ increase relative to the starting value.

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Interest rates

If a rate moves from $3\%$ to $2\%$ , then $\text{PPD}=-1\ \text{pp}$ . That’s a decrease, even though headlines may describe it loosely.

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Market share

Going from $15\%$ to $18\%$ means $\text{PPD}=3\ \text{pp}$ . Use percent change when you need “growth vs. base.”

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Test scores

A score rate from $60\%$ to $75\%$ is $15\ \text{pp}$ higher. That’s usually the clearest way to report it.

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Tips for clean results

If you’re comparing two rates, use $\text{PPD}$ (percentage points) in summaries.
Use $\text{PD}$ (percent change) when you need “how big is the change vs. the start?”
If $P_1=0$ , then $\text{PD}$ is undefined — the calculator will treat it carefully.

Basis points conversion

A basis point is one hundredth of a percent: $1\ \text{bp}=0.01\%$ .

150\ \text{bp}

=

150\times 0.01\%

=

1.5\%

If you do this often, the Basis Point Calculator is a faster workflow.

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FAQs

What is the difference between percentage points and percent?

Percentage points are an absolute difference: $P_2-P_1$ . Percent is a relative change: $\frac{P_2-P_1}{P_1}\times 100\%$ . For example, from $4\%$ to $6\%$ is $2\ \text{pp}$ but a $50\%$ increase.

Are points the same as percentages?

No. A “point” in everyday language might sound like a percent, but in reporting, a percentage point means $P_2-P_1$ (absolute). Percent describes “change relative to the start.”

What percentage is 150 basis points?

Since $1\ \text{bp}=0.01\%$ , then $150\ \text{bp}=1.5\%$ .

Can the calculator show a negative change?

Yes. If $P_2 \lt P_1$ , then $\text{PPD}$ is negative. That simply means the second percentage is smaller than the first.

What are the limitations of this calculator?

This tool is for math and reporting clarity. It doesn’t replace domain advice (finance, policy, medical, etc.). Also, when $P_1=0$ , the relative percent change is undefined.