# PERCENTILE.INC function in Excel

> PERCENTILE.INC returns the value below which a given share of the data falls: k = 0.9 gives the 90th percentile.

Source: https://spreadsheetpractice.com/functions/percentile-inc · Updated October 28, 2026 · Formulas and results on this page were run by the Spreadsheet Practice formula engine on October 30, 2026

## Quick answer

- **What it does:** PERCENTILE.INC returns the value below which a given share of the data falls: k = 0.9 gives the 90th percentile.
- **Syntax:** `=PERCENTILE.INC(array, k)`
- **Most common use:** `=PERCENTILE.INC(B2:B9,0.5)` returns 26 (The 50th percentile is the median: 26 minutes)
- **Available in:** Excel 2010 and later
- **Category:** [Statistical functions](https://spreadsheetpractice.com/functions/category/stats)
- **Returns:** A number; #NUM! if k is below 0 or above 1, or there are no numbers.
- **Google Sheets:** Google Sheets has PERCENTILE.INC and PERCENTILE, with the same results.

## What it does

PERCENTILE.INC returns the value below which a given share of the data falls: k = 0.9 gives the 90th percentile. It interpolates between neighboring values, so the result may not be in the list. Use it for pay bands, response-time targets and score cutoffs. PERCENTILE is the older name and works the same.

## Syntax

`=PERCENTILE.INC(array, k)`

| Argument | Required? | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| `array` | Required | The numbers. Text and blanks are skipped. |
| `k` | Required | The percentile as a decimal from 0 to 1: 0.9 for the 90th. |

## Examples

Each result was calculated by running the formula on the sample sheet.

| Cell | Formula | Result | What it shows |
|---|---|---|---|
| D2 | `=PERCENTILE.INC(B2:B9,0.5)` | 26 | The 50th percentile is the median: 26 minutes |
| D3 | `=PERCENTILE.INC(B2:B9,0.9)` | 60 | 90% of replies took 60 minutes or less |
| D4 | `=PERCENTILE.INC(B2:B9,1)` | 95 | k = 1 is the maximum |

### The sample sheet

Every formula above runs on this data:

|  | A | B | C | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ticket | Minutes to reply |  | Result |
| 2 | T-101 | 12 |  | 26 |
| 3 | T-102 | 45 |  | 60 |
| 4 | T-103 | 8 |  | 95 |
| 5 | T-104 | 30 |  |  |
| 6 | T-105 | 22 |  |  |
| 7 | T-106 | 95 |  |  |
| 8 | T-107 | 15 |  |  |
| 9 | T-108 | 40 |  |  |

## Common mistakes

| What you see | Why, and how to fix it |
|---|---|
| #NUM! | k must be between 0 and 1. Write 0.9 or 90%, not 90. |
| The result isn't one of the values | PERCENTILE.INC interpolates between the two nearest values. For an actual value from the list, use LARGE or SMALL with a position. |
| A different answer from another tool | There are several percentile methods. PERCENTILE.INC matches Excel's older PERCENTILE; PERCENTILE.EXC uses the exclusive method. |

## Tips

- =PERCENTILE.INC(B2:B100,{0.25,0.5,0.75}) returns three percentiles in one formula in Microsoft 365.

## Related functions

- [QUARTILE.INC](https://spreadsheetpractice.com/functions/quartile-inc): QUARTILE.INC returns a quartile of a set of numbers: 1 for the first quartile (the 25th percentile), 2 for the median, 3 for the third quartile, and 0 and 4 for the minimum and maximum.
- [MEDIAN](https://spreadsheetpractice.com/functions/median): MEDIAN returns the middle value once the numbers are sorted.
- [PERCENTRANK.INC](https://spreadsheetpractice.com/functions/percentrank-inc): PERCENTRANK.INC tells you where a value stands in a list, from 0 for the lowest to 1 for the highest: 0.75 means it is above 75% of the other values.

## Questions

### How do I calculate the 90th percentile in Excel?

=PERCENTILE.INC(B2:B100,0.9). The k argument is a decimal, so the 90th is 0.9.

### What is the difference between PERCENTILE.INC and PERCENTILE.EXC?

.INC allows k from 0 to 1 and treats the lowest and highest values as the 0th and 100th percentiles. .EXC leaves those ends out, so k near 0 or 1 returns #NUM! on short lists.

### Is PERCENTILE the same as PERCENTILE.INC?

Yes. PERCENTILE is the older name, kept for compatibility.

## Practice

A graded PERCENTILE.INC exercise ("Response time target") is on [the PERCENTILE.INC page](https://spreadsheetpractice.com/functions/percentile-inc). It is checked instantly, then re-checked on changed data.

---

Spreadsheet Practice (https://spreadsheetpractice.com) teaches spreadsheet formulas by practice: every exercise is graded in a live grid and re-checked on changed data.