> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://mariadb.com/docs/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://mariadb.com/docs/server/reference/sql-functions/special-functions/window-functions/median.md).

# MEDIAN

## Syntax

```bnf
MEDIAN(median expression) OVER (
  [ PARTITION BY partition_expression ] 
)
```

## Description

`MEDIAN()` is a [window function](/docs/server/reference/sql-functions/special-functions/window-functions.md) that returns the median value of a range of values.

It is a specific case of [PERCENTILE\_CONT](/docs/server/reference/sql-functions/special-functions/window-functions/percentile_cont.md), with an argument of 0.5 and the [ORDER BY](/docs/server/reference/sql-statements/data-manipulation/selecting-data/order-by.md) column the one in `MEDIAN`'s argument.

```sql
MEDIAN(<median-arg>) OVER ( [ PARTITION BY partition_expression] )
```

Is equivalent to:

```sql
PERCENTILE_CONT(0.5) WITHIN 
  GROUP (ORDER BY <median-arg>) OVER ( [ PARTITION BY partition_expression ])
```

## Examples

```sql
CREATE TABLE book_rating (name CHAR(30), star_rating TINYINT);

INSERT INTO book_rating VALUES ('Lord of the Ladybirds', 5);
INSERT INTO book_rating VALUES ('Lord of the Ladybirds', 3);
INSERT INTO book_rating VALUES ('Lady of the Flies', 1);
INSERT INTO book_rating VALUES ('Lady of the Flies', 2);
INSERT INTO book_rating VALUES ('Lady of the Flies', 5);

SELECT name, median(star_rating) OVER (PARTITION BY name) FROM book_rating;
+-----------------------+----------------------------------------------+
| name                  | median(star_rating) OVER (PARTITION BY name) |
+-----------------------+----------------------------------------------+
| Lord of the Ladybirds |                                 4.0000000000 |
| Lord of the Ladybirds |                                 4.0000000000 |
| Lady of the Flies     |                                 2.0000000000 |
| Lady of the Flies     |                                 2.0000000000 |
| Lady of the Flies     |                                 2.0000000000 |
+-----------------------+----------------------------------------------+
```

## See Also

* [PERCENTILE\_CONT](/docs/server/reference/sql-functions/special-functions/window-functions/percentile_cont.md)

<sub>*This page is licensed: CC BY-SA / Gnu FDL*</sub>

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