Calculate the median (middle value) of any dataset. Enter your numbers and get the median with step-by-step sorting and calculation.
You might also find these calculators useful
Calculate the median of any dataset instantly. Our median calculator sorts your numbers, finds the middle value, and shows step-by-step calculations. Works for both odd and even-sized datasets.
The median is the middle value in a sorted dataset. Unlike the mean (average), the median is not affected by extreme values (outliers), making it a more robust measure of central tendency for skewed distributions. For odd-count datasets, it's the middle number; for even-count, it's the average of the two middle numbers.
Median Formula
Median = Middle value (odd count) or Average of two middle values (even count)Report median household income to show typical earnings unaffected by wealthy outliers.
Calculate median home prices for a more accurate market representation.
Find median scores to understand typical student performance.
Use median as a robust central tendency measure for skewed distributions.
The mean is the arithmetic average (sum divided by count), while the median is the middle value when data is sorted. The mean is affected by outliers; for example, incomes of $30K, $35K, $40K, $45K, and $1M give a mean of $230K but a median of $40K. The median better represents typical values in skewed distributions.
When you have an even count, there's no single middle value. Instead, find the two middle values and calculate their average. For example, with 4, 7, 9, 12 (4 values), the two middle values are 7 and 9, so the median is (7 + 9) / 2 = 8.
Use the median when: your data has outliers (like income data), the distribution is skewed, you want a typical value rather than an average, or you're dealing with ordinal data. The median is standard for reporting home prices, household income, and similar metrics.
Yes! With an even count, the median is the average of two middle values, which may not be in the original data. For example, with 1, 3, 5, 7, the median is (3 + 5) / 2 = 4, which wasn't in the dataset.