Average Calculator
Find the mean (average), median, mode, range, sum, and weighted average of any set of numbers. Supports decimals, negatives, and three-term statistical summaries — with step-by-step working. Free, private, and runs entirely in your browser.
Calculate Simple Average
Enter your numbers below. The calculator finds the mean (arithmetic average), median, mode, range, sum, and count — all at once.
4, 8, 15, 16, 23, 42
What is an average?
An average is a single value that represents the centre or typical value of a data set. The word "average" is overloaded — in everyday language it almost always means the arithmetic mean (add everything up, divide by how many there are). But statisticians use "average" loosely to cover the median (middle value when sorted), the mode (most frequent value), and other measures of central tendency.
Each type of average tells you something different about your data. The mean uses every value, which makes it powerful but also sensitive to outliers. The median is resistant to outliers, so it often describes skewed data better. The mode is the only average that works with categorical data — like finding the most common shoe size sold or the most frequent rating on a survey.
This calculator computes all of them at once, plus the range, sum, count, geometric mean, harmonic mean, and standard deviation. You pick the one that fits your question.
How to use the average calculator
This calculator has three modes. Pick the one that matches your problem:
- Simple Average: Enter any list of numbers (separated by commas, spaces, or new lines). The calculator instantly returns the mean, median, mode, range, min, max, sum, and count — with a step-by-step breakdown.
- Weighted Average: Assign a weight to each value. This is essential for course grades, portfolio returns, and any situation where some values matter more than others. The calculator shows the formula, the intermediate products, and the final weighted average.
- Full Summary: Get every statistical measure in one pass — mean, median, mode, range, min, max, sum, count, geometric mean, harmonic mean, and standard deviation. All results appear as click-to-copy cards.
Everything updates instantly. Click any result card to copy its value to your clipboard.
Average formulas used by this calculator
x̄ = Σx / n
If n is even: Median = average of the [n / 2]th and [n/2 + 1]th values
where x = each value, w = its weight
Used for averaging rates of change, growth rates, and investment returns.
Used for averaging rates and ratios, such as speeds over equal distances.
Why use this average calculator?
Every average at once
Mean, median, mode, range, weighted average, geometric mean, harmonic mean, and standard deviation — all computed in one pass.
Step-by-step working
See exactly how each result was found. Perfect for homework, teaching, and verifying your own work.
Weighted average support
Assign different importance to each value. Essential for grades, portfolios, and survey analysis.
Handles any format
Commas, spaces, tabs, new lines — even a column copied straight from a spreadsheet. Decimals and negatives work too.
100% private
Everything runs in your browser. The numbers you enter never leave your device — no server, no logs, no tracking.
Works offline
Once the page loads, you can use the calculator without an internet connection. Perfect for exam prep.
Real-world uses for an average calculator
Students and teachers
Calculate your grade average across exams, assignments, and quizzes. If your syllabus weights the final exam more heavily, use the weighted average mode to get the accurate number. The median is useful when one low score is dragging your mean down.
Data analysts
Quickly check the mean and median of a small dataset before writing a full SQL query or Python script. The side-by-side comparison often reveals whether your data is symmetric or skewed — which determines which average to report.
Investors and finance professionals
Calculate geometric mean returns across years to get the true compounded growth rate of a portfolio. The arithmetic mean overstates growth whenever returns compound. The harmonic mean is useful for averaging price-to-earnings ratios.
Shoppers and everyday decisions
Average prices across stores, average miles per gallon over a road trip, average wait times at a clinic. When some values matter more than others, the weighted average gives you the real picture.
Researchers and scientists
Compute the mean, standard deviation, and standard error of experimental data. The median is useful for reporting results when outliers are present. The mode helps identify the most common outcome in categorical data.
Mean vs median vs mode: which average should you use?
| Measure | Best for | Affected by outliers? | Works with categorical data? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mean | Normally distributed data without extreme values | Yes — very sensitive | No |
| Median | Skewed data or data with outliers (e.g., income, house prices) | No — resistant | No (but works with ordinal data) |
| Mode | Categorical data, finding the most common item | No — resistant | Yes |
| Weighted Mean | Data where some values matter more than others | Depends on weights | No |
| Geometric Mean | Rates of change, growth rates, investment returns | Less sensitive than arithmetic mean | No |
| Harmonic Mean | Rates and ratios over equal distances or quantities | Less sensitive | No |
Rule of thumb: If the mean and median are close, the data is roughly symmetric and the mean is a good summary. If the mean is much higher or lower than the median, the data is skewed — and the median is usually the better choice.