Mean, Median, Mode Calculator
Find the mean, median, and mode of your data set instantly — along with the range, sum, and standard deviation, plus a chart showing where each measure of center falls.
- Count (n)
- 7
- Sum (Σx)
- 124.00
- Minimum
- 4.00
- Maximum
- 42.00
- Range
- 38.00
- Std. deviation
- 12.34
Distribution
n = 7How to use this calculator
- Enter your numbers in the data box, separated by commas, spaces, or new lines.
- Read the mean, median, and mode at the top, with the range, sum, and standard deviation below.
- The chart marks where the mean, median, and mode fall on the distribution.
Mean, median, and mode explained
The mean, median, and mode are the three main measures of central tendency — different ways of describing the “center” or typical value of a data set.
- Mean — the arithmetic average: add all the values and divide by how many there are.
- Median — the middle value when the data is sorted (the average of the two middle values if there is an even number of data points).
- Mode — the value that appears most often. A data set can have one mode, several modes, or none at all.
How to calculate the mean
The mean (x̄) is the sum of all values divided by the count:
For example, the mean of 4, 8, 15, 16, 16, 23, 42 is 124 ÷ 7 ≈ 17.71.
How to find the median and mode
To find the median, sort the values from smallest to largest and take the middle one. With an even number of values, average the two in the middle. To find the mode, count how often each value occurs — the most frequent value is the mode.
The median is resistant to outliers, while the mean is pulled toward extreme values. That difference is the key to choosing between them.Mean vs. median vs. mode: which should you use?
| Measure | Best for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Mean | Symmetric data with no outliers | Skewed by extreme values |
| Median | Skewed data, incomes, house prices | Ignores the size of values |
| Mode | Categorical or most-common value | May not exist or be unique |
In a perfectly symmetric distribution the mean, median, and mode are equal. When data is skewed to the right, the mean is usually greater than the median; when skewed left, the mean is usually smaller.
Mean, median, and mode in Excel
In Excel or Google Sheets use =AVERAGE(range) for the mean, =MEDIAN(range) for the median, and =MODE.SNGL(range) for a single mode (or =MODE.MULT(range) for multiple modes).
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between mean, median, and mode?
The mean is the arithmetic average of all values, the median is the middle value when the data is sorted, and the mode is the value that occurs most frequently. They are three different ways to describe the center of a data set.
Can a data set have more than one mode?
Yes. A data set with two most-frequent values is bimodal, and one with several is multimodal. If every value appears the same number of times, the data set has no mode.
When should I use the median instead of the mean?
Use the median when your data is skewed or contains outliers — for example incomes or house prices. The median is not distorted by a few very large or very small values, while the mean is.
How do I find the mean, median, and mode in Excel?
Use =AVERAGE(range) for the mean, =MEDIAN(range) for the median, and =MODE.SNGL(range) or =MODE.MULT(range) for the mode.