What AVERAGE does
AVERAGE calculates the arithmetic mean of the numbers you provide. It is one of the most common statistical functions in Excel and is useful for reports, summaries, and KPI monitoring.
Practical examples
Average a range
=AVERAGE(B2:B12)
This returns the mean of the numeric values in the range.
Average selected cells and ranges together
=AVERAGE(B2:B12,D2:D12,F2)
AVERAGE can combine multiple inputs in a single formula.
Common mistakes and notes
Blank cells and text behave differently
AVERAGE ignores blank cells and text in references, but numbers stored as text may still cause data-quality issues elsewhere in the workbook.
Outliers affect the result
An average can be skewed by unusually large or small values, so always interpret it in context.