CAGR Calculator

Calculate Compound Annual Growth Rate, project future values, or find how long to reach a financial goal.

Calculate

Starting Value

Ending Value

Number of Years

yrs

How to Use This Calculator

CAGR mode: Find the compound annual growth rate given start value, end value, and time period.

Future Value mode: Project what an investment grows to at a given CAGR over N years.

Years mode: Find how many years it takes to reach a target value at a given growth rate.

Real-World Examples

Portfolio grew from $50k to $120k in 8 years:
CAGR = (120,000/50,000)^(1/8) − 1 = 11.5%

$10k at 10% CAGR for 20 years:
$10,000 × 1.10²⁰ = $67,275

Double $50k at 7% CAGR:
ln(2) / ln(1.07) = 10.2 years (rule of 72 gives 10.3)

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a good CAGR for a stock portfolio?

The S&P 500 has averaged roughly 10% CAGR over the long term (7% inflation-adjusted). Individual stocks or sectors can vary widely — 15–20% CAGR over a decade is exceptional.

How is CAGR different from average return?

CAGR is the smoothed rate that would take you from start to end value. Average return can be misleading — a 50% loss followed by a 50% gain averages 0% but leaves you down 25%. CAGR captures the real compounded outcome.

What is the Rule of 72?

Divide 72 by your CAGR to estimate years to double. At 8% CAGR: 72 ÷ 8 = 9 years to double. Quick mental math that's accurate within ±1 year for rates between 6–20%.

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