How to Get Descriptive Statistics in Excel
Before any analysis you want the shape of your data: averages, spread, and skew. Excel can give you all of it — through an add-in that isn't on every platform, or a stack of hand-typed functions. Here's the one-click version.
Last updated: September 2026
| Statistic | Score | |
|---|---|---|
| Mean | → | 72.4 |
| Std Dev | → | 11.8 |
| Q1 / Q3 | → | 64 / 81 |
Method 1 — the Analysis ToolPak
File ▸ Options ▸ Add-ins ▸ Analysis ToolPak, then Data ▸ Data Analysis ▸ Descriptive Statistics. It works on Windows, but it isn't available on Excel for the web and is unreliable on Mac — and it's a one-off snapshot, not something you can re-run easily.
Method 2 — the 1-click way (Tellsheet)
Descriptive Statistics
Select your table and run Descriptive Statistics. For every numeric column it computes count, mean, median, mode, min, max, range, sum, standard deviation, variance, Q1/Q3, IQR, skewness and kurtosis — one clean column of stats per source column, on a new sheet. It uses sample (n−1) conventions, so the figures match Excel's STDEV.S / QUARTILE.INC. Works on Windows, Mac, and the web. Bundle it with Correlation Matrix for a quick stats pack, and pair with Frequency Table and Find Outliers.
Frequently asked questions
How do I get descriptive statistics in Excel?
The Analysis ToolPak, hand-typed functions, or Tellsheet's Descriptive Statistics in one click.
Do I need the ToolPak?
No — this works everywhere, including Excel for the web.
Which conventions?
Sample (n−1), matching STDEV.S / VAR.S / QUARTILE.INC.
Multiple columns at once?
Yes — one stats column per numeric column.
Related Excel guides
Summarise your data in one click
Descriptive Statistics gives the full block for every column — no add-in needed.
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