Three kinds of average
Mean = sum of values ÷ count of valuesMedian = the middle value when the list is sortedMode = the value that appears most oftenWhen people say "average" they almost always mean the mean. The median is the safer choice when a list has extreme values — one very large salary can drag a mean upward while the median barely moves, which is why income statistics are usually quoted as medians. The mode answers a different question entirely: which value is most common.
Worked example
For the list 10, 15, 15, 20, 25: the sum is 85 and the count is 5, so the mean is 85 ÷ 5 = 17. Sorted, the middle value is 15 (the median), and 15 also appears twice — more than any other — so the mode is 15. The range is 25 − 10 = 15. Same list, three different "averages" — each correct for its own question.
When the mean misleads
Nine people earning $30,000 and one earning $730,000 have a mean income of $100,000 — a figure that describes nobody in the group. Their median income is $30,000, which describes almost everybody. Before trusting any published "average," check which kind it is; honest sources say, and this calculator shows you all three side by side so you can compare with your own data.
How numbers are read
Separate your numbers with commas, spaces or line breaks — negative numbers and decimals are fine. Anything that is not a number is ignored, so you can paste a column straight from a spreadsheet.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between mean and average?
In everyday use, none — 'average' usually means the mean. In statistics, 'average' can loosely refer to any measure of the middle, including the median and mode, which is why careful writers name the one they used.
How is the median found with an even number of values?
Sort the list and average the two middle values. For 10, 20, 30, 40 the median is (20 + 30) ÷ 2 = 25 — a value that is not itself in the list, which is normal.
Can a list have more than one mode?
Yes. If two values tie for most frequent, the list is bimodal and both are shown. If every value appears the same number of times, there is no mode — the calculator says so rather than inventing one.
What is a weighted average?
An average where some values count more than others — for example grades weighted by credit hours, which is exactly what a GPA is. Use our GPA calculator for that case; this page gives every value equal weight.