Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Excel versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2021. 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: Rounding To the Nearest Even Integer.

Rounding To the Nearest Even Integer

Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated October 11, 2024)
This tip applies to Excel 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2021


Chuck asked if there was a way in Excel to force rounding to the nearest even integer. He expressed this desire based on some statistical analysis that he was doing.

There are several ways that you can round to the nearest even integer, but the answer you select depends on how you define "nearest." For instance, if the number you want to round is 13, is the nearest even integer 12 or 14? Does the answer change if dealing with negative numbers, as in -13?

If you believe that the next even integer is always away from zero, then you can use the EVEN function, which always rounds to the next even integer away from zero. Thus, -13 is rounded to -14, and 13 is rounded to 14. This may work great when rounding integers, but it doesn't work that great if you are rounding non-whole values. For instance, EVEN rounds 12 to 12, but rounds 12.1 to 14, even though 12.1 is clearly closer to 12 than to 14.

If the numbers you are rounding are non-whole numbers, you'll need a formula. The following formula will work for this purpose:

=ROUND(A2/2,0)*2

Assuming your non-rounded value is in cell A2, this formula divides the value by 2 and then rounds that value to an integer, and then multiplies the result by 2. What this means is that all values, 11.1 through 12.999, are rounded to 12. (This works for negative values, as well.)

ExcelTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Excel training. This tip (10845) applies to Microsoft Excel 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2021. You can find a version of this tip for the older menu interface of Excel here: Rounding To the Nearest Even Integer.

Author Bio

Allen Wyatt

With more than 50 non-fiction books and numerous magazine articles to his credit, Allen Wyatt is an internationally recognized author. He is president of Sharon Parq Associates, a computer and publishing services company. ...

MORE FROM ALLEN

Converting Units

Using the Analysis ToolPak for the vast conversions the CONVERT function in an Excel worksheet has availabile.

Discover More

Synchronizing Building Blocks for a Network

Building blocks can be a great asset when putting together documents, as they make inserting standardized information ...

Discover More

Positioning Graphics Evenly

If you have some graphics inserted in your document, you may want to adjust the horizontal space between those graphics. ...

Discover More

Dive Deep into Macros! Make Excel do things you thought were impossible, discover techniques you won't find anywhere else, and create powerful automated reports. Bill Jelen and Tracy Syrstad help you instantly visualize information to make it actionable. You’ll find step-by-step instructions, real-world case studies, and 50 workbooks packed with examples and solutions. Check out Microsoft Excel 2019 VBA and Macros today!

More ExcelTips (ribbon)

Rounding by Powers of 10

Need to round a value by a power of 10? You can do it by using the ROUND function as described in this tip.

Discover More

Rounding Up to the Next Half

When processing data it is not unusual to need to round that data in some way. For instance, you may need to round a ...

Discover More

Rounding in Results

Rounding is a fact of life when it comes to using formulas in a worksheet. Sometimes that rounding can be a bit ...

Discover More
Subscribe

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."

View most recent newsletter.

Comments

If you would like to add an image to your comment (not an avatar, but an image to help in making the point of your comment), include the characters [{fig}] (all 7 characters, in the sequence shown) in your comment text. You’ll be prompted to upload your image when you submit the comment. Maximum image size is 6Mpixels. Images larger than 600px wide or 1000px tall will be reduced. Up to three images may be included in a comment. All images are subject to review. Commenting privileges may be curtailed if inappropriate images are posted.

What is seven more than 3?

There are currently no comments for this tip. (Be the first to leave your comment—just use the simple form above!)


This Site

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.

Newest Tips
Subscribe

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."

(Your e-mail address is not shared with anyone, ever.)

View the most recent newsletter.