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Excel Formulas & Functions

What's the Excel Formula for Average? A Practical Guide

Master Excel average formulas with AVERAGE, AVERAGEIF, and AVERAGEIFS. Learn syntax, practical examples, and how to handle blanks and non-numeric data for accurate mean calculations.

XLS Library
XLS Library Team
·1 min read
Excel TipsFormula SyntaxData Analysis BasicsExcel Formulas
Average in Excel - XLS Library
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Quick AnswerDefinition

The Excel formula for average is primarily AVERAGE(range). It returns the mean of numeric values in the given range. For conditional averaging, use AVERAGEIF and AVERAGEIFS. Use AVERAGE to compute mean across numbers; ensure cells are numeric. You can compute the overall average of a column, row, or table. When dealing with blanks, AVERAGE automatically ignores empty cells; use AVERAGEA to include text/TRUE/FALSE as 1/0.

What the AVERAGE function does

According to XLS Library, the AVERAGE function computes the arithmetic mean of numeric values in a range. In practice, it's the go-to formula for finding the typical value in a dataset. If you're asking what's the excel formula for average, the straightforward answer is AVERAGE(range). It ignores non-numeric cells within the range, and it returns an error if all inputs are non-numeric. This makes it ideal for clean datasets where numbers are stored as numbers rather than text. In Excel, AVERAGE can handle single cells, whole columns, or multi-range selections.

Excel Formula
=AVERAGE(A2:A10)

Notes:

  • AVERAGE ignores blanks by default.
  • If a cell contains "TRUE" or "FALSE", these are treated as 1 and 0 only when using AVERAGEA.
  • If no numeric values exist, AVERAGE returns #DIV/0!.

Steps

Estimated time: 20-30 minutes

  1. 1

    Prepare data

    Organize numeric values in a single column or clearly defined ranges. Ensure there are no non-numeric inputs that you don’t want included.

    Tip: Label your data clearly with headers.
  2. 2

    Write the basic average

    Select a cell for the result and enter =AVERAGE(your_range). Check that non-numeric values are being ignored as expected.

    Tip: Use a named range if you plan to reuse the formula.
  3. 3

    Add conditional averages

    If you need to filter by criteria, swap to AVERAGEIF or AVERAGEIFS and test with sample data.

    Tip: Start with a simple criterion to verify behavior.
  4. 4

    Handle blanks and errors

    Decide whether blanks should count and consider wrapping with IFERROR to display friendly results.

    Tip: Use FILTER if you want to exclude non-numbers explicitly.
Pro Tip: Use named ranges to keep formulas readable across sheets.
Warning: Averaging with mixed data types can yield unexpected results; prefer AVERAGEIF/AVERAGEIFS for criteria.
Note: For large datasets, consider pre-validating data to reduce calculation overhead.

Prerequisites

Required

Keyboard Shortcuts

ActionShortcut
CopyCopy cells or rangesCtrl+C
PastePaste copied contentCtrl+V
Select AllSelect entire worksheet or data regionCtrl+A
FindSearch within the sheetCtrl+F

People Also Ask

What is the basic syntax of AVERAGE?

The syntax is =AVERAGE(number1, [number2], ...). It accepts ranges, numbers, or arrays and ignores non-numeric inputs.

The AVERAGE function uses numbers and ranges to compute the mean and ignores non-numeric inputs.

How does AVERAGE treat blanks and text?

Blanks are ignored and text is ignored when calculating a plain average. Numeric text is not counted as a number.

Blanks and text are ignored in a normal average.

When should I use AVERAGEIF or AVERAGEIFS?

Use AVERAGEIF or AVERAGEIFS when you need to compute an average with one or more criteria.

Use AVERAGEIF/AVERAGEIFS to average only values that meet conditions.

What is the difference between AVERAGE and AVERAGEA?

AVERAGE ignores text and booleans; AVERAGEA includes TRUE/FALSE as 1/0 and treats text as 0.

AVERAGE ignores non-numeric values; AVERAGEA includes booleans and text as numbers.

How can I handle errors in averages?

Wrap the formula with IFERROR to provide a friendly message or fallback value.

Use IFERROR to handle errors in averages.

Can I average across multiple non-contiguous ranges?

Yes. AVERAGE can accept multiple ranges, like =AVERAGE(A1:A5, C1:C5).

You can average across multiple ranges by listing them.

The Essentials

  • Use AVERAGE for simple means
  • Use AVERAGEIF/AVERAGEIFS for conditional means
  • Blanks are ignored by AVERAGE
  • Use AVERAGEA if you need to include booleans/text
  • Weighted means require SUMPRODUCT as alternative
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