How to ask for a raise: what to say, with scripts and examples
Asking for a raise is a normal business conversation, and most of the work happens before it. Here is when to ask, how much to ask for (with 2026 salary data), the exact words to use in the meeting, a full example conversation you can listen to, and what to say if the answer is no.
By The YoFluent teamUpdated 12 min read
On this page
- When to ask for a raise
- How much of a raise should you ask for?
- Prepare your case: results and market data
- How to ask for the meeting
- What to say in the meeting: an example conversation
- What to say, and what not to say
- What to say if they say no (or “not now”)
- Email templates: before and after the meeting
- Salary vocabulary: raise, pay rise, hike
- Practise the conversation out loud
- FAQ
- Sources
When to ask for a raise
The best time is a few months before your company sets next year’s budget, because by the time of your review, the money is usually already allocated. Ask HR or your manager when the budget cycle happens.
- Good moments: after a project succeeds, after you take on new responsibilities, before your annual review, when you get a strong performance review.
- Bad moments: during layoffs or a hiring freeze, right after a bad quarter, when your manager is clearly under pressure, or by surprise at the end of another meeting.
How much of a raise should you ask for?
Start from what’s normal, then adjust for your results and the market. In the United States, employers gave an average merit increase of 3.1% and a total increase of 3.4% in their 2026 pay cycle, according to Mercer’s March 2026 survey of 756 employers. In India, Aon’s survey of more than 1,400 companies found an average increase of 8.9% in 2025 and projects 9.1% for 2026.
| Situation | What to aim for |
|---|---|
| Doing your job well | Around the average for your country, or slightly above it. |
| Doing more than your job | Above average, especially if you took on new responsibilities. |
| Paid below the market | Up to the market rate for your role: use salary data, not percentages. |
| Promotion or new title | Usually a bigger increase than a yearly raise; ask for the pay range of the new role. |
Averages checked 6 October 2026: Mercer (US, March 2026) and Aon (India, 2025–26). Many people who change jobs get bigger increases than those who stay, which is useful context but not a threat to use.
Ask for a specific figure in the upper part of the range you can justify. Know your minimum before the meeting, but don’t say it.
Prepare your case: results and market data
Your manager may need to convince someone else, so give them facts they can repeat.
- List 3–5 results with numbers: money earned or saved, time saved, clients won, projects delivered, people trained.
- List new responsibilities you took on since your salary was last set.
- Check market pay for your role, level and city on two or three salary sites, and note the range.
- Choose your number and your minimum.
- Practise saying it out loud. The number is the hardest sentence; say it until it sounds calm.
How to ask for the meeting
Ask for a short, private meeting and say what it’s about, so your manager isn’t surprised. A message like this works by email or chat:
What to say in the meeting: an example conversation
The conversation follows four steps: open (“I’d like to talk about my salary”), show your results, ask for a specific number, then agree on next steps. Listen to how Nina stays calm when the answer isn’t an immediate yes.
1.Asking for a raise
Nina, a project coordinator, in a planned meeting with her manager, Mark.
- Nina
- Thanks for making time, Mark. I’d like to talk about my salary.
- Mark
- Sure. What’s on your mind?
- Nina
- Over the past year, I’ve taken on the two new client accounts, and I led the switch to the new reporting system, which saves our team about ten hours a week.
- Mark
- Yes, that made a real difference.
- Nina
- Thank you. I also looked at market data for similar roles in our city, and the typical range is between seventy-two and seventy-eight thousand. Based on my results and that range, I’d like to ask for an increase to seventy-six thousand.
- Mark
- I appreciate you preparing this. I can’t promise that number today. The budget is set in March.
- Nina
- I understand. Could we agree on what I’d need to show by then, and talk again before the budget is final?
- Mark
- That’s fair. Let’s put a meeting in for February, and I’ll speak to HR before then.
- Nina
- Great, thank you. I’ll send you a short summary of what we discussed.
Notice: Nina gives results with numbers, uses market data instead of comparing herself to colleagues, says one specific figure, and turns “not now” into a date and a plan.
What to say, and what not to say
The right tone is confident and polite. For non-native speakers, the risk goes both ways: translated phrases can sound too direct (“I want…”) or too unsure (a long string of “maybe”, “perhaps”, “if possible”). These phrases hit the middle.
| Instead of | Say | Why |
|---|---|---|
| “I need more money because my rent went up.” | “Based on my results this year, I’d like to discuss my salary.” | A raise is about your value to the company, not your costs. |
| “Others earn more than me.” | “Market data for similar roles shows a range of… ” | Comparing yourself to colleagues creates conflict; market data is neutral. |
| “I want 20% more.” | “I’d like to ask for an increase to $76,000.” | A specific figure, said calmly, sounds prepared. Percentages invite haggling. |
| “If you don’t pay me more, I’ll leave.” | “I’d like to keep growing here, and I want my pay to reflect my role.” | Threats damage trust, even when they work. |
| “Maybe, if possible, could I perhaps get a small raise?” | “I’d like to talk about my compensation.” | Too much softening sounds unsure. One polite form is enough. |
| “Sorry to bother you about this…” | “Thanks for making time.” | Don’t apologise for a normal, professional conversation. |
Useful polite openers: “I’d like to discuss…”, “I was hoping we could talk about…”, “Based on…, I’d like to ask for…”, “How do you see…?”
What to say if they say no (or “not now”)
“No” is often “not yet”. Your goal is to leave with a plan: what you need to show, and when you’ll talk again.
| If your manager says | You can say |
|---|---|
| “There’s no budget right now.” | “I understand. When is the budget set, and can we talk again before then?” |
| “You’re not quite there yet.” | “What would I need to show in the next six months to get there?” |
| “We can’t change your salary.” | “Is there flexibility elsewhere: a title change, training budget, extra leave or remote days?” |
| “Let me think about it.” | “Of course. Could we set a date to follow up, maybe in two weeks?” |
Stay friendly whatever the answer. If, after the agreed date, nothing changes, that tells you something too.
Email templates: before and after the meeting
Ask for the raise in person or on a video call, not by email: it’s easier to explain your results and read your manager’s reaction. Use email to request the meeting (above) and to confirm what was agreed afterwards:
A written summary protects you if your manager changes jobs, and makes the next conversation easier.
Salary vocabulary: raise, pay rise, hike
| Word | Meaning and use |
|---|---|
| raise (US) | An increase in pay: “I got a raise.” The verb: “They raised my salary.” |
| pay rise (UK) | The British word: “I asked for a pay rise.” |
| hike / appraisal (India) | Common in India (“salary hike”, “appraisal cycle”). International colleagues say raise or pay rise, and “performance review”. |
| merit increase | A raise based on your performance, usually at the yearly review. |
| cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) | A raise to keep up with inflation, often the same for everyone. |
| compensation / total package | Salary plus bonus, benefits and other pay. A softer word than “money”. |
| counteroffer | An offer your employer makes to keep you after you get another job offer. |
Practise the conversation out loud
- Write your opening sentence, your three best results and your number.
- Read Nina’s part of the dialogue out loud with the audio, then replace her details with yours.
- Practise the “if they say no” answers until they come out calmly.
YoFluent’s “Ask for a raise” call has an AI tutor play your manager, push back like a real one, and score your fluency, pronunciation, grammar and vocabulary afterwards. See how an AI tutor call works, or prepare for a new job with how to answer “Tell me about yourself”.
Frequently asked questions
How do you ask for a raise?
Ask your manager for a private meeting about your compensation, then explain your results with numbers, mention market pay for your role, and ask for a specific figure: “Based on my results, I’d like to ask for an increase to $76,000.” If the answer is not yes, agree on what you need to show and when you will talk again.
How much of a raise should I ask for?
Use the normal increase in your country as a starting point and adjust for your results and market pay. In 2026, the average total increase was about 3.4% in the United States (Mercer) and about 9% in India (Aon). If you are paid below market rate or have taken on a bigger role, ask for more, based on salary data.
When is the best time to ask for a raise?
The best time is a few months before your company sets its budget for the next year, or right after a clear success. Avoid asking during layoffs, a hiring freeze or a bad quarter.
Should I ask for a raise by email?
Use email to request a meeting and to confirm what was agreed, but have the conversation itself in person or on a video call. Explaining your results and hearing your manager’s questions works much better live.
What do I say if my boss says no to a raise?
Stay calm and ask for a plan: “What would I need to show in the next six months to get there?” and “Could we talk again before the budget is set?” You can also ask about other benefits, such as training, a title change or more flexible work.
What is the difference between a raise, a pay rise and a hike?
“Raise” is American English and “pay rise” is British English; both mean an increase in your salary. “Hike” and “appraisal” are common in Indian English. International colleagues usually say “raise” or “pay rise” and “performance review”.
Rehearse your raise conversation with an AI manager
Practise saying your results and your number out loud, handle the push-back, and see your English scores afterwards. Free for 3 days.
Start your free trialSources
- Did 2026 annual increases pay out as expected?, Mercer
- Aon survey projects slight uptick in salaries in India from 8.9% in 2025 to 9.1% in 2026, Aon
- Wage Growth Tracker (job switchers vs job stayers), Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta