MEDIAN function in Excel, how to use and examples

The MEDIAN function in Excel helps you calculate the median of a series of numbers, which is the middle value when the numbers are arranged in ascending order. This is a useful tool in statistics and data analysis.

How to use the MEDIAN function in Excel

Syntax : MEDIAN (Number1, [ number2],…)

In which :
- Number1 is required.
- Number2 ,… are optional

Number1,number2… form a sequence of numbers whose mean is to be calculated, and can have from 1 to 255 numbers.
The arguments must be in numeric form, if they contain text, logical values, empty cells will be ignored except for cells containing zero (0) values.

Example : Given the score sheet of a number of students, calculate the average score of those students.

MEDIAN function in Excel, how to use and examples Picture 1

Use the formula in cell C11: MEDIAN(D5,D6,D7,D8,D9) or MEDIAN(D5:D9)

We get the result:

MEDIAN function in Excel, how to use and examples Picture 2

The MEDIAN function in Excel helps determine the median of a set of numbers, supporting efficient data processing. When working with student transcripts, financial statistics or data analysis, finding the median value will help you have a more accurate view of the data set's trends.

Additionally, you can combine the MEDIAN function with the AVERAGE function or the MODE function to compare averages, medians, and most frequently occurring values. This is especially useful in analyzing business data to help make decisions based on specific numbers.