How to Calculate Median in Excel

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 single middle value in the set, the median is the average of the two middle 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

Here are some examples of how to use the MEDIAN function in Excel:

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.

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MEDIAN selected cells

Median of typed numbers

Instead of addresses you can also use number. Using this method 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