How to Calculate Median in Excel Pivot Table (2 Easy Ways)

In this article, we will show how to calculate the median in a pivot table in Excel. First, we will show how to activate the power pivot in Excel. Then we will demonstrate the two methods in detail.

The pivot table feature in Microsoft Excel can be used to sort, analyze, and share data, but pivot tables do not calculate median values, which can be important for analyzing growth in an organization. Here, in this article, we will show the way to calculate the median in a pivot table.

Hope you find this article informative and useful. So, let’s get into the main discussion.

How to Activate Power Pivot in Excel

In order to use Power Pivot, you must activate it once. Here are the steps to follow:

• Go to File>> then select Options.
• A dialog box named Excel Options will pop up.
• Click on Add-ins.
• Then select COM Add-ins from the Manage drop-down and click on Go.

• Now, check the box before Microsoft Power Pivot for Excel and click OK.

Thus you can activate the power pivot in Excel.

Calculate Median in Excel Pivot Table: 2 Simple Ways

In this part of the article, we will show you 2 simple ways of calculating the median in Excel Pivot Table. For that, we have taken a concise dataset consisting of Student Names, Student IDs, and Marks.

1. Calculate Median in Pivot Table by Creating a New Measure Function

First, we will create a pivot table from the dataset. Follow the below steps accordingly.

Step-01: Creating Pivot Table from Dataset

• Select the whole dataset.
• Then go to Insert tab>> select Pivot Table under Tables option.

• A dialog box will pop up.
• Select the Location where you want to see your pivot table.
• Then check the box beside Add this data to the Data Model option.
• Finally, click OK.

Step-02: Creating a New Measure Function

• As a result, you will see that here’s a different icon and we have the ability to create a measure.

• Now, right-click on the icon and click on Add Measure option.

• A dialog box called Measure will be popped up.
• Add a Measure Name. We have given Median Marks.
• In the Formula box, enter the following formula.

• Select the Category as Number and set Decimal Places as 2.
• Finally, click OK.

• A new measure function will be created like the image below.

Step-3: Calculating Median

Now as we have created a new measure function called Median Marks, we can easily calculate the median. Let’s do this:

• Now let’s put Student ID in Rows and Median Marks in Values.

• And thus you will get your pivot table along with your calculated median.

2. Calculate Median in Pivot Table Using MEDIAN Function

You can calculate the median using the MEDIAN function. Suppose we have already created a pivot table. Now follow the below steps:

• Insert a new column named Median beside the Marks column.
• Enter the following formula in cell E5.

• Next, AutoFill the rest of the column’s cells, and you will get the median the same as the previously shown method.

• Now, select any cell in the pivot table.
• Click PivotTable Analyze>> then Change Data Source drop down>> select Change Data Source.

• A dialog box named Change PivotTable Data Source will appear.
• Now specify the new source data in the Table/Range box
• Then click OK.

• In the PivotTable Fields pane, the Median field is now available.
• Now, drag the Median field to the Values section.

• Select Value Field Settings from the drop-down list under the Median field in the Values section.

• A dialog box named Value Field Settings will pop up.
• In the Summarize Values By tab, select Average from the Summarize Values By list.
• In the Custom Name box, rename the field name to “Median” (there is a space before Median).
• Finally, click OK.

• In the pivot table, you will now see the median of each row label.

Thus you can use the MEDIAN function to calculate the median in the pivot table.

Read More: How to Create Pivot Table with Values as Text

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is the formula to find the median from mean?

For Odd Numbers:

• If the set has an odd number of elements, let n be the total number of elements.
• The median is the value of the ((n+1)/2)th item in the given set.

For Even Numbers:

• If the set has an even number of elements, let n be the total number of elements.
• Find the two middle terms: (n/2)th and ((n/2) + 1)th terms.
• Calculate the mean (average) of these two middle terms.
• The median is obtained by taking the mean of the two middle terms: Median = ((n/2)th term + ((n/2) + 1)th term) / 2.

 2. What is the median formula for tables?

The median is the mean of the two middle numbers if the number of terms is even. Sort the numbers based on their size. The median is the middle term in an odd number of terms. When there are even terms, add the two middlemost terms and divide by 2.

3. What is the formula 3 median?

Hint: The relationship between mean, median, and mode is known as the empirical relationship.

Key Takeaways from the Article

• In this article, we have discussed 2 methods of calculating the median in an Excel pivot table.
• First, we have shown how to activate the power pivot in Excel.
• Showed 2 simple ways of calculating the median in an Excel pivot table.
• Showed a step-by-step procedure of all methods.
• Provide solutions to frequently asked questions by readers.

Download Practice Workbook

You can download the practice workbook from here:

Conclusion

In this article, we tried to provide a concise and thorough overview of how to calculate the median in an Excel pivot table. Don’t forget to download the practice file. We hope this was helpful. Please let us know in the comment section if you have any queries or suggestions. To learn more, please visit ExcelDemy, a one-stop Excel solution provider.