How Do You Calculate Averages In Excel: Average Function

Data analysis often begins with understanding the central tendency, and in the world of spreadsheets, that means mastering the average in Excel. Whether you’re a seasoned analyst or just starting out, knowing how to calculate averages in Excel is a fundamental skill.

From simple datasets to complex analyses involving multiple columns, Excel provides versatile tools to streamline your calculations.

This guide will walk you through the essentials, covering everything from the basic average formula in Excel to efficient techniques like the average formula in Excel shortcut. We’ll illustrate concepts with clear examples, showing you the average formula in Excel with example, and tackle practical scenarios like how to calculate average in Excel for multiple columns.

You’ll also learn the various ways to achieve the average using Excel, and even how to count average in Excel, ensuring you can confidently calculate averages for any dataset.

What is AVERAGE function in Excel?

The AVERAGE function in Excel calculates the average of a set of values. It takes the sum of the values and divides it by the number of values in the list. The result of the function is the average of the values.

AVERAGE Function Syntax

=AVERAGE(number1, number2, …)

How Do You Calculate Averages In Excel?

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Calculating Averages Multiple Ranges In Excel

If your data is scattered across your Excel sheet and you need to find the average of multiple ranges or use a non-contiguous range formula, this paragraph provides practical steps to calculate averages across multiple columns, simplifying data analysis.

Let’s say you have data in columns A, C, and E, and you want to calculate the average of the values in each row across these non-adjacent columns.

1. Open Your Excel Worksheet: Launch Microsoft Excel and open the worksheet containing your data.

2. Identify the Columns: Locate the columns you want to average (e.g., A, C, E).

3. Choose a Column for the Averages: Select an empty column where you want the averages to appear (e.g., column F).

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4. Enter the AVERAGE Function:

• In the first cell of the column you chose (e.g., F1), enter the AVERAGE function, specifying the ranges of the cells you want to average.
• For non-adjacent columns, you’ll list each range separated by commas.
• Multiple cells use excel AVERAGE function example:
  • =AVERAGE(A1,C1,E1)
  • or if you have larger ranges:
  • =AVERAGE(A1:A10,C1:C10,E1:E10)

5. Press Enter: Press the Enter key. Excel will calculate the average of the specified cells and display the result in the cell.

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Advanced Average Formulas (e.g., AVERAGEIF, AVERAGEIFS)

For example, you want to calculate averages based on specific criteria or multiple criteria in your data. These formulas can help get averages from your data.

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#1 Formula: AVERAGEIF (Single Criterion)

This function calculates the average of cells that meet a single criterion. Check the calculated average to ensure it’s accurate. Launch Excel and open the worksheet containing your data.

1. Identify the Data Range and Criteria:

Determine the range of cells you want to evaluate (the “range”). Define the criterion (the condition) that must be met for a cell to be included in the average. Identify the range of cells that contain the values to be averaged (the “average_range”). If this is the same as the range, it can be omitted.

2. Select the Cell for the Average: Choose an empty cell where you want the calculated average to appear.

3. Enter the AVERAGEIF Formula: In the selected cell, enter the AVERAGEIF formula with the following syntax: =AVERAGEIF(range, criteria, [average_range])

Example: If you want to average values in column B where column A contains “May” and the values to average are in column B, you would enter: =AVERAGEIF(A:A, "May", B:B)

4. Press Enter: Press the Enter key. Excel will calculate the average of the cells in the average_range that meet the specified criterion in the range.

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#2 Formula: AVERAGEIFS (Multiple Criteria)

AVERAGEIFS function calculates the average of cells that meet multiple criteria. If you want to calculate an average based on several criteria this formula is perfect for you.

1. Identify the Data Ranges and Criteria:

• Determine the range of cells to be averaged (the “average_range”).
• Identify the first range of cells to evaluate (the “criteria_range1”) and the corresponding criterion (the “criteria1”).
• Repeat for any additional ranges and criteria (criteria_range2, criteria2, etc.).

2. Enter the AVERAGEIFS Formula: In the selected cell, enter the AVERAGEIFS formula with the following syntax:

• =AVERAGEIFS(average_range, criteria_range1, criteria1, [criteria_range2, criteria2], ...)
• Example: If you want to average values in column C where column A contains “May” and column B contains “Project B,” you would enter:
  • =AVERAGEIFS(C:C, A:A, "May", B:B, "Project B")

3. Press Enter: Excel will calculate the average of the cells in the average_range that meet all the specified criteria.

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But there’s so much easier way to calculate averages in a spreadsheet without the need to learn syntax all possible formulas Excel has. Thanks to AI you can generate formulas from your text and include them easily in sheets 👇

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Download the Excel Template With AVERAGE Function

You can always download our free Excel template with ready-made formulas so you don’t have to struggle with function syntax. Check for the download button below 👇

Utilizing the Status Bar (Quick Average)

If you don’t want to write formulas you can use a quick access bar from the Excel toolbar to calculate averages with one button.

1. Select Data: Highlight the cells you want to average.

2. Check the Status Bar: The status bar (located at the bottom of the Excel window) will display the average, count, and sum of the selected cells.

This is a quick way how to find and average data, without needing to enter a formula into a cell.

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Conclusions

In summary, mastering the diverse techniques for calculating averages in Excel can significantly enhance your data analysis capabilities. From understanding the fundamental average formula in Excel and knowing how to find an average.

To efficiently average using excel and grasp the core excel average function, you’ve gained essential skills. When you need to delve deeper, the advanced average formula in excel options, like AVERAGEIF and AVERAGEIFS, provide powerful tools for conditional averaging.

When tackling the challenge of Calculating Averages Across Multiple Columns, you can confidently apply techniques for excel average multiple ranges and utilize the excel non contiguous range formula to accurately summarize scattered data.

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