# QUARTILE.EXC function in Excel

> QUARTILE.EXC returns the first, second or third quartile using the exclusive method, which some statistics tools and textbooks use.

Source: https://spreadsheetpractice.com/functions/quartile-exc · 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:** QUARTILE.EXC returns the first, second or third quartile using the exclusive method, which some statistics tools and textbooks use.
- **Syntax:** `=QUARTILE.EXC(array, quart)`
- **Most common use:** `=QUARTILE.EXC(A2:A12,1)` returns 15 (First quartile, exclusive method: 15)
- **Available in:** Excel 2010 and later
- **Category:** [Statistical functions](https://spreadsheetpractice.com/functions/category/stats)
- **Returns:** A number; #NUM! if quart is 0, 4 or more, or the list is too short.
- **Google Sheets:** Google Sheets has QUARTILE.EXC too.

## What it does

QUARTILE.EXC returns the first, second or third quartile using the exclusive method, which some statistics tools and textbooks use. It only takes 1 to 3, and on a short list its quartiles sit a little further out than QUARTILE.INC's. Use it when your quartiles need to match those tools.

## Syntax

`=QUARTILE.EXC(array, quart)`

| Argument | Required? | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| `array` | Required | The numbers. Text and blanks are skipped. |
| `quart` | Required | 1 first quartile, 2 median, 3 third quartile. |

## Examples

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

| Cell | Formula | Result | What it shows |
|---|---|---|---|
| C2 | `=QUARTILE.EXC(A2:A12,1)` | 15 | First quartile, exclusive method: 15 |
| C3 | `=QUARTILE.EXC(A2:A12,3)` | 43 | Third quartile: 43 |
| C4 | `=QUARTILE.INC(A2:A12,1)` | 25.5 | The inclusive method puts the first quartile at 25.5 |

### The sample sheet

Every formula above runs on this data:

|  | A | B | C |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Score |  | Result |
| 2 | 6 |  | 15 |
| 3 | 7 |  | 43 |
| 4 | 15 |  | 25.5 |
| 5 | 36 |  |  |
| 6 | 39 |  |  |
| 7 | 40 |  |  |
| 8 | 41 |  |  |
| 9 | 42 |  |  |
| 10 | 43 |  |  |
| 11 | 47 |  |  |
| 12 | 49 |  |  |

## Common mistakes

| What you see | Why, and how to fix it |
|---|---|
| #NUM! | quart is 0 or 4. Use MIN and MAX for the ends, or QUARTILE.INC. |
| Different from QUARTILE | QUARTILE and QUARTILE.INC use the inclusive method, so the results differ, most on short lists. |

## Tips

- QUARTILE.EXC(range,2) is the median, the same as QUARTILE.INC(range,2).

## 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.
- [PERCENTILE.EXC](https://spreadsheetpractice.com/functions/percentile-exc): PERCENTILE.EXC returns the value at a given percentile using the exclusive method, which leaves out the very bottom and top of the range: k must sit strictly between 0 and 1, and close to the ends of a short list it returns #NUM!.
- [MEDIAN](https://spreadsheetpractice.com/functions/median): MEDIAN returns the middle value once the numbers are sorted.

## Questions

### Which quartile method does Excel use?

QUARTILE and QUARTILE.INC use the inclusive method, QUARTILE.EXC the exclusive one. Box and whisker charts let you choose either.

### Why does QUARTILE.EXC(…,0) give #NUM!?

The exclusive method has no 0th or 4th quartile. Use MIN or MAX.

## Practice

A graded QUARTILE.EXC exercise ("First quartile, exclusive method") is on [the QUARTILE.EXC page](https://spreadsheetpractice.com/functions/quartile-exc). It is checked instantly, then re-checked on changed data.

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