How can I negotiate a 15% salary increase after two years at a company?

Wanting a meaningful raise after two years is understandable, especially if your responsibilities, impact, or the market for your role have grown since you started. A 15 percent increase is an ambitious ask in the current U.S. market, where typical annual salary budgets and merit increases often land in the mid–3 percent range, and average promotion-related increases are often closer to single digits than to a double-digit jump in the same job. That does not mean 15 percent is impossible, but it usually needs a clearer business case than “I have been here two years,” such as a promotion-level scope change, a documented market gap, or several years of pay lagging behind performance and market value.

Start by documenting what has changed since your current pay was set: new ownership, revenue or cost impact, scope expansion, skills you brought in-house, or problems you solved that would cost more to hire for. Translate that into outcomes your manager already cares about—results, risk reduced, work others no longer need to do—rather than effort alone. Then check external and internal context so the number feels grounded: public market ranges for similar titles and locations, what peers with comparable scope tend to earn if you can learn that legally and carefully, and where you sit versus your company’s pay bands if those are shared. Federal rules protect many private-sector employees’ right to discuss pay with coworkers, but company handbooks and local norms still shape how you gather information; focus on facts, not gossip.

Time the conversation thoughtfully. A formal review is often a natural opening; a mid-cycle talk can work if you can show concrete results or if you were given material new duties. Prefer a live discussion over email for the main ask. Open with your contribution and market rationale, then state a specific target or range in dollars or as a percentage, and invite a problem-solving discussion: base pay, a phased increase, a title or level review, or a written plan with a check-in date. Avoid ultimatums. If 15 percent is more than the annual merit budget can absorb in one step, ask what combination of promotion path, market adjustment, and timeline would close the gap. Come ready with two or three outcomes you would accept so the meeting ends with a clear next action, not only a polite “we’ll see.”