How to Calculate Mean in Excel (It's Called AVERAGE)

If you've searched for a MEAN function in Excel and come up empty, you're not alone. Excel doesn't use the word mean at all. The function you want is AVERAGE, and Microsoft's help describes it as returning the arithmetic mean, which is exactly what your maths teacher meant by mean.

I'll show you the formula, a no-typing button, an instant peek without any formula, and the one detail that quietly changes your answer: how Excel treats blank cells compared with zeros. I'll also cover median and mode, because they often give a fairer picture than the mean.

What the mean is, in Microsoft's own example

The mean is the total of a group of numbers divided by how many numbers there are. Microsoft uses the set 2, 3, 3, 5, 7 and 10. Add them up and you get 30. There are 6 numbers, so the mean is 30 divided by 6, which is 5.

Excel does that adding and dividing for you, however long the list.

Calculating the mean in Excel with the AVERAGE formula

1. Click the cell where you want the answer.
2. Type =AVERAGE(
3. Drag across the cells holding your numbers, for example A2 to A10.
4. Type ) and press Enter.

You'll see something like =AVERAGE(A2:A10) in the formula bar. Microsoft's own example is =AVERAGE(A1:A20). You can also list separate cells or ranges with commas, such as =AVERAGE(A2:A5,C2:C5), and Microsoft says AVERAGE accepts up to 255 of them.

Using AutoSum to find the mean without typing

If you'd rather click than type, Microsoft's guide offers this route:

1. Click the cell directly below a column of numbers, or just to the right of a row.
2. On the Home tab, in the Editing group, select the arrow next to AutoSum.
3. Select Average.
4. Check the dotted outline covers the right cells, then press Enter.

AutoSum guesses the range from the numbers next to your cell. If there's a gap in your data, it may stop early, so glance at the outline before you press Enter.

Seeing the mean instantly in the Excel status bar

Sometimes you just want to know the number, not store it. Select the cells and look at the status bar along the bottom of the Excel window, which shows summary values such as the average, count and sum of your selection.

If the average isn't showing, right-click the status bar and tick Average. It's my favourite quick check before I build a formula, because it tells me what answer to expect.

Why blanks and zeros change your Excel mean

This is the bit that catches people out. Microsoft's help says AVERAGE ignores empty cells, text and TRUE or FALSE values, but it does include cells that hold zero.

Cells	What AVERAGE does	Mean
4, 6, blank	Ignores the blank, averages two numbers	5
4, 6, 0	Counts the zero as a third number	Lower than 5

So if a blank means "no data yet", leave it empty. If you type 0 as a placeholder, your mean drops. Microsoft also suggests watching the Excel option that hides zero values, because a cell that looks empty might really contain a zero.

If you want a mean that skips zeros on purpose, Microsoft's average guide shows a method combining AVERAGE with IF.

Mean, median and mode in Excel

The mean isn't always the most honest middle. Microsoft explains the three common measures with the same set of numbers:

• Mean (AVERAGE): 5 for 2, 3, 3, 5, 7 and 10.
• Median (MEDIAN): the middle value, which is 4 for that set.
• Mode (MODE): the most frequent value, which is 3 for that set.

Microsoft notes that in a symmetrical spread of numbers all three are the same, but in a skewed spread they can differ. One huge order or one viral post pulls the mean up, while the median stays put. To see how spread out the values are around the mean, my guide on working out standard deviation in Excel is the next step.

Which should you report? For things like order sizes or video views, where a handful of big hits can skew everything, I'd put the median next to the mean. If the two are close, the mean is a fair summary. If they're far apart, the median is usually the more realistic "typical" result to plan around.

Related average functions in Excel

• AVERAGEA: includes TRUE, FALSE and numbers stored as text in the calculation, according to Microsoft.
• AVERAGEIF: averages only the values that meet one condition, such as orders from one channel.
• AVERAGEIFS: the same, with several conditions.
• SUMPRODUCT with SUM: Microsoft's method for a weighted average, where some values count more than others.

Using the mean in creator and small business sheets

For a small business, the mean is a quick health check: average order size, average number of comments per post, average reply time to enquiries, average views per video. Work out the total first with a SUM formula, then compare it with the mean to spot whether a few big results are flattering the numbers.

If your Excel mean looks wrong

• #DIV/0!: none of the selected cells held a number, often because the numbers are stored as text.
• Too low: zeros are sitting where blanks should be.
• Too high or odd: the range includes a total row. Make sure your selection stops above any totals.
• Doesn't change when you add rows: the new rows sit outside the range. Edit the formula to include them.

Frequently asked questions

Is there a MEAN function in Excel?

No, use AVERAGE. Microsoft describes it as returning the arithmetic mean of the numbers you give it, for example =AVERAGE(A1:A20).

How do I calculate the mean in Excel quickly?

Click below your numbers, go to Home, select the arrow next to AutoSum, choose Average and press Enter. Or select the cells and read the average on the status bar.

Does Excel's AVERAGE include blank cells?

No. Microsoft says empty cells, text and logical values in a range are ignored, but cells containing zero are included.

What's the difference between mean and median in Excel?

AVERAGE gives the mean, the total divided by the count. MEDIAN gives the middle value. Microsoft's example set has a mean of 5 and a median of 4.

How do I average only some values?

Use AVERAGEIF for one condition or AVERAGEIFS for several. Microsoft points to both for averaging values that meet criteria.