Average calculator
Paste or type a list of numbers, for example a column copied from a spreadsheet. The mean, median, mode, range, sum and count update as you type.
Runs in your browser: nothing you enter is sent anywhere.
How to use it
- Type or paste the numbers. Commas, spaces, semicolons and new lines all separate them.
- Decimals use a dot (2.5); negative numbers a minus sign (−3).
- Read the mean at the top and the other figures below. The sorted list helps you check the median.
| Measure |
How it is found |
| Mean |
sum of all values ÷ number of values |
| Median |
middle value of the sorted list; with an even count, the mean of the two middle values |
| Mode |
the value or values that occur most often (none if nothing repeats) |
| Range |
largest value − smallest value |
Worked example
For 12, 15, 11, 15, 18, 20, 15, 9:
- Sum = 115 and count = 8, so the mean is 115 ÷ 8 = 14.375.
- Sorted: 9, 11, 12, 15, 15, 15, 18, 20. The two middle values are 15 and 15, so the median is 15.
- 15 occurs three times, more than any other value: the mode is 15.
- Range = 20 − 9 = 11.
Tips
- If the mean and the median are far apart, look for outliers: a single typo such as 150 instead of 15 moves the mean but hardly the median.
- To see how spread out the values are, use the standard deviation calculator.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between mean, median and mode?
The mean is the sum divided by the count. The median is the middle value after sorting (or the average of the two middle values). The mode is the value that occurs most often. For 1, 2, 2, 3, 12 the mean is 4, the median 2 and the mode 2.
Which average should I use?
The mean uses every value, so one very large or small number pulls it a lot. The median is not affected by such outliers, which is why incomes and house prices are usually given as medians.
What if two values occur equally often?
All of them are shown as modes, for example 1 and 2 in 1, 1, 2, 2, 3. If no value repeats, there is no mode.
Can I paste a column from Excel or Google Sheets?
Yes. Copied cells arrive one per line, and new lines separate numbers. Do not use thousands separators: 1,234 would be read as two numbers, 1 and 234.