Finance

Investment Return on Investment Calculator (15 Years)

Calculate return on investment as a percentage. This investment version uses a 15-year planning term as its starting point.

The return result is the total percentage gain or loss on the amount invested over the whole term, so a positive percentage means the final value is higher than the amount invested, and it is not a yearly rate.

Formula

Return equals final value minus invested amount, divided by invested amount, times 100.

How it works

A positive return means the final value is higher than the amount invested.

Worked example

Amount invested $10,000, final value $15,000, term 15 years. Using the page formula, return equals $15,000 minus $10,000, divided by $10,000, times 100, which is $5,000 divided by $10,000, times 100, which is 50.00%. That is the calculator's own result for these defaults, and it is the same on every page in this group because the term is not an input.

That 50.00% is a total over the whole term, not a yearly rate. As illustrations only, not outputs of this page, the simple average is 50 divided by 15, which is 3.33% a year, and the steady rate that would compound $10,000 to $15,000 over 15 years is 2.74% a year. Over 15 years, even a 50% total gain is a modest yearly rate.

Who this term suits for an investor: an investor reviewing a long-held position, for example a retirement fund started years ago, a property held through more than one market cycle, or a stake in a growing business, who needs to know whether the yearly pace, not just the total, was worth the wait.

FAQs

What is a good ROI?
There is no single good figure. Compare returns over the same period and with the same risk before deciding.

Is this investment calculator exact?
No, it is an estimate for planning only, based on the numbers you enter.

Are these figures financial advice?
No, they are estimates for planning only, not financial advice. Check with a qualified adviser for decisions involving large sums.

What does 50% over 15 years mean per year?
Only about 2.74% a year compounded. That is the steady rate that would grow $10,000 to $15,000 over 15 years, and it is the fair way to compare this investment with yearly alternatives.

Does a 15-year investment return include dividends or rent?
Only if they are inside the final value you enter. This page compares two amounts, so any income taken out during the term is missing unless you add it back to the final value yourself.

Is a 15-year return safe to use for future decisions?
Only as history. Fifteen years include good and bad markets, and a single total hides them all. Check the path the investment took, not just where it ended.

Estimates only, not financial advice. Figures are approximate and do not include all fees, taxes, or changing rates unless stated.