How to Calculate Median in Excel

In this article, you'll learn how to use the median function. It can be used to calculate the median of given numbers in Excel.

The median is just the middle of a set of numbers. But if there is no mean value in the set, the median is the average of the two mean values.

  • MEDIAN of (1, 2, 3, 4, 5) is equal to 3
  • MEDIAN of (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6) equals 3.5, which is an average of 3 and 4

Syntax of Median function

The syntax for the MEDIAN function is:

=MEDIAN(number1, [number2, ...])

Number 1: This is required.

Number 2 – 255: This is optional, going all the way to 255, for which the user wants the median of.

You can use up to 255 numbers in your MEDIAN formula.

Examples of Median function

Median of an odd number of values

In case of odd number of values, median is just a middle value.

MEDIAN ODD

Median of an even number of values

For an even number of values, the median is the mean of the two middle values. Here it is average of 3 and 4, which is 3.5.

MEDIAN EVEN

Median of selected cells

You can type addresses of cells for which you want to calculate median in Excel.

MEDIAN selected cells

Median of typed numbers

Instead of addresses you can also use number. Using this methon you don't need any table of data. Notice that formula is not connected with column A in the picture.

MEDIAN typed numbers

Median - mix of above examples

You can also use all above methods together.

MEDIAN mix of examples

Simple Median Formula

We have different data of our sales management, and we would like to know the median of the sales department. This helps in acknowledging how we are averagely performing. It help in reaching our next goal.

Simple Median Formula

Median and 25%

The goal has been set and we would like to know how we will handle the next goal. Each year we look at various aspects of our business and determine whether we have achieved our target for this year. We determined that we would like our median to increase by 25% each year and we want to know it, so we will use previous data to confirm whether it has increased by 25% or not.

Median and 25.png

Median and Sum

The company has to pay off its debt on an average level, and we have to make sure that the business works perfectly financially. That is why we look at business, but this time the tax office is much more interested in average results. Therefore, we decided to check whether the median is able to cover the expenses.

Median and Sum

Median with Text

The whole data has been inputted in text, and it is crucial that we’d decide what would work best for the circumstances. Our data is layout, and now we would like to determine the median, using the label we have given to our data.

Median with Text

Medium Capacity

Medium Capacity: Phase 1

Generally, we believe that the medium should have the ability to pay at least the maximum expenses in the range of our total expenses. However, we do not know how the medium would perform under the circumstances, which is why we are using the medium and max to find out.

Medium Capacity Phase 1

Medium Capacity: Phase 2

As it was shown in the previous example, the median is not doing well with the evaluation, which is why we believe that the evaluation should continue, because we cannot tolerate such high expenses. This is why we want to see how the median would perform in a different evaluation: median and min.

Medium Capacity Phase 2

Medium Capacity: Phase 3

Phase three is now about being fair, using previous data, and use it to find the appropriate answer to how the medium is performing. This is why we are now going with a medium minus medium in the data.

Medium Capacity Phase 3

IF and Median

We have a specific goal for the business and have been following the business process for many months of the year. We earn a certain amount each month, so we determine that if we earn a certain amount in the last month of the year, we need to know the median. So we can see if the median we set has been reached.

IF and Median

Median and Average

The data has been layout, and we are trying to see the median and average of both expenses and revenues, which is why we are using both formulas to find out how it would work out.

Median and Average

Double Median and Percentage

The company needs answers on how it will operate. We would like to know what would happen if we added 35% that the investor would pay us and then removed the median again. The firm may be able to determine the median for finding the desired responses.

Double Median and Percentage