More Employers Are Now Giving ‘Peanut Butter’ Raises — What It Means for Your Paychecks in 2026

If you’re hoping for a big pay raise this year, recent data suggests you might want to check those expectations. Pay raises in 2026 are holding steady rather than surging, according to research from Payscale. The findings come from Payscale’s 2026 Compensation Best Practices Report, which surveys organizations about the salary increases they distributed in 2025 and what they plan for this year.