Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Excel versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 2021, and Excel in Microsoft 365. If you are using an earlier version (Excel 2003 or earlier), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for earlier versions of Excel, click here: Median of Selected Numbers.
Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated December 2, 2023)
This tip applies to Excel 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 2021, and Excel in Microsoft 365
William is trying to find the median of about 3,000 numbers in a column that has a range from 0.9 to 5. However, he only wants the median of numbers that are greater than 1. He can't figure out how to put that parameter into his formula and is looking for ideas.
Short of creating a user-defined function in a macro, there are a couple of ways you can go about determining the median. One method is to use an intermediate column that contains only those values above 1 and then calculate the median based on those values. You could also use an advanced filter to extract only the values above 1 and then use those values to find the median.
A better approach, however, is to use a simple array formula:
=MEDIAN(IF($A$1:$A$3000>1,A1:A3000))
In earlier versions of Excel you'll need to enter this as an array formula by using Ctrl+Shift+Enter. (In Microsoft 365 or Excel 2021 you can just press Enter.) The result is your median value, with your criteria taken into account.
ExcelTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Excel training. This tip (7922) applies to Microsoft Excel 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 2021, and Excel in Microsoft 365. You can find a version of this tip for the older menu interface of Excel here: Median of Selected Numbers.
Solve Real Business Problems Master business modeling and analysis techniques with Excel and transform data into bottom-line results. This hands-on, scenario-focused guide shows you how to use the latest Excel tools to integrate data from multiple tables. Check out Microsoft Excel Data Analysis and Business Modeling today!
In the newest version of Excel, a change in how formulas are calculated can cause havoc for some "older" formulas. Here ...
Discover MoreNeed to figure out if a particular cell contains text? You can use the ISTEXT function to easily return this bit of trivia.
Discover MoreYou may use Excel's trigonometric functions to do some quick calculations, and suddenly notice that the results in your ...
Discover MoreFREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
2023-12-03 10:57:08
J. Woolley
The Tip's formula works because MEDIAN ignores text, logical values, or empty cells in an array or reference argument; therefore, FALSE values in the formula's array argument are not interpreted as zero values. Notice this formula would produce a different result because FALSE is replaced by zero:
=MEDIAN(IF($A$1:$A$3000>1,A1:A3000,0))
(It should also be noted that logical values and text representations of numbers typed directly into MEDIAN's list of arguments are NOT ignored.)
The Tip says, "In earlier versions of Excel you'll need to enter this as an array formula by using Ctrl+Shift+Enter." I don't think this is necessary because the formula does not return an array.
Got a version of Excel that uses the ribbon interface (Excel 2007 or later)? This site is for you! If you use an earlier version of Excel, visit our ExcelTips site focusing on the menu interface.
FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
Copyright © 2026 Sharon Parq Associates, Inc.
Please Note:
This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Excel versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 2021, and Excel in Microsoft 365. If you are using an earlier version (Excel 2003 or earlier), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for earlier versions of Excel, click here:
Comments