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Median absolute deviation calculator

A robust measure of spread: the median of the absolute distances from the median. It shrugs off outliers where the standard deviation would blow up. Multiply by 1.4826 to estimate the standard deviation of clean data.

Related tools

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Need Median, MAD (raw), Estimated σ (×1.4826)? The Median absolute deviation calculator derives it from Numbers in one step. For instance, with Numbers = 2.3, 2.5, 2.4, 2.6, 2.4, 2.5, 9.8 it returns Median = 2.5, MAD (raw) = 0.1 and Estimated σ (×1.4826) = 0.148.

How to use it

  1. Enter your values: Numbers.
  2. Read the result instantly: Median, MAD (raw), Estimated σ (×1.4826).

Frequently asked questions

What does the Median absolute deviation calculator actually compute?

It takes Numbers and derives Median, MAD (raw) and Estimated σ (×1.4826) from them. The calculation is live as you type, so the result updates on every change.

What information do I need to provide?

A single value: Numbers. Nothing else is required — no account, no file upload.

Can you show a worked example?

With Numbers = 2.3, 2.5, 2.4, 2.6, 2.4, 2.5, 9.8, the calculator returns Median = 2.5, MAD (raw) = 0.1 and Estimated σ (×1.4826) = 0.148. Those figures come from running this exact tool, so you can reproduce them by entering the same values.

What happens if I enter larger values?

It moves a lot. Using Numbers = 2.3, 2.63, 2.64, 2.99, 2.88, 3.13, 12.74 instead, Median goes from 2.5 to 2.88 — which is why it is worth testing a few scenarios rather than trusting a single figure.

What does it give for smaller values?

Scaled down to Numbers = 2.3, 2.5, 2.4, 2.6, Median comes out at 2.45. The relationship is worth checking at both ends before you rely on a single result.

When would I actually use this?

Summarising a dataset before drawing conclusions from it, checking whether a difference between two groups is real, and putting an interval around an estimate.

What is the most common mistake?

Reading a p-value as the probability that the hypothesis is wrong. It is the probability of seeing data at least this extreme if the null were true — a different statement, and a much weaker one.

What is the difference between the Median absolute deviation calculator and the Mean absolute deviation (MAD) calculator?

This one returns Median and MAD (raw); the Mean absolute deviation (MAD) calculator returns Mean and Mean absolute deviation. That is the whole difference — open the one whose figure you need.

Is there a tool for the next step?

Average Deviation Calculator (mean absolute deviation) is the closest one after this: The average absolute deviation from the mean AND from the median — the median is the point that minimises it, which is worth seeing. Every |x − centre| is listed, and the standard deviation sits beside it for contrast: squaring makes SD react hard to a single outlier while the average deviation barely moves. The outlier preset is built to show exactly that.

What else is worth having open alongside it?

Mean, median & mode calculator and Median calculator — they come up in the same task often enough to be worth a second tab.

Further reading

All guides →
ExplainerMean, Median and Mode: What's the Difference?Mean, median and mode all describe the 'middle' of your data — but answer different questions. Here's what each means, with examples and when to use which.How-toHow to Calculate Standard Deviation (Step by Step)Standard deviation measures how spread out your data is. Here's the formula, a worked example, and the difference between population and sample.ExplainerWhat Is a Percentile? The 90th Percentile ExplainedA percentile tells you where a value ranks within a group. Learn what the 90th percentile really means and why a percentile is not the same as a percentage.How-toHow to Calculate a Weighted AverageA weighted average gives some values more influence than others. Learn the Σ(w·x) / Σw formula with grade and portfolio examples you can follow step by step.How-toScientific Notation ExplainedScientific notation writes huge and tiny numbers as a value times a power of ten. Here's how to write it, read the exponent, and convert back.ExplainerRelative Risk and Absolute Risk Are Not the Same StoryA headline saying 50% higher risk can describe a change of two-tenths of a percentage point. Both numbers come from the same 2x2 table, and computing both takes one line each — here is how, with a worked example, number needed to treat, and where the odds ratio stops approximating relative risk.