Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Excel versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 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 August 26, 2022)
This tip applies to Excel 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 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$3000>1,A1:A3000))
When you enter this as an array formula (by using Ctrl+Shift+Enter), the result is your median value, with your criteria taken into account.
ExcelTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Excel training. This tip (7922) applies to Microsoft Excel 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and Excel in Microsoft 365. You can find a version of this tip for the older menu interface of Excel here: Median of Selected Numbers.
Professional Development Guidance! Four world-class developers offer start-to-finish guidance for building powerful, robust, and secure applications with Excel. The authors show how to consistently make the right design decisions and make the most of Excel's powerful features. Check out Professional Excel Development today!
Functions are at the heart of Excel's power in working with data. One of the most misunderstood functions provided by ...
Discover MoreExcel provides a handy worksheet function that allows you to forecast values based upon a set of known values. This ...
Discover MoreIf you need to count the number of blank cells in a range, the function to use is COUNTBLANK. This tip discusses the ...
Discover MoreFREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
2018-10-13 08:16:31
Alex B
Another option might be to use set up the column as a filtered list or table and use the aggregate formula with a filter to limit what you want included in the median calculation
eg =aggregate(12,5,$a$1:$a$3000) where 12=median and 5=ignore hidden rows
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 © 2022 Sharon Parq Associates, Inc.
Please Note:
This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Excel versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 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