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PERCENTILE.EXC Function

Q: What's the difference between PERCENTILE.EXC and PERCENTILE.INC?

PERCENTILE.EXC excludes 0th and 100th percentiles (k must be >0 and <1), while PERCENTILE.INC includes them (k can be 0 or 1). EXC is more conservative.

Q: Can PERCENTILE.EXC return exact array values?

Not always - it interpolates between values when the exact percentile position falls between data points.

Q: What happens if k=0 or k=1?

PERCENTILE.EXC returns #NUM! error since these endpoints are excluded.

Excel 2010+

Summary

The PERCENTILE.EXC function calculates the exclusive k-th percentile value from a dataset, using a method that excludes the minimum (0th) and maximum (100th) percentiles. Ideal for statistical analysis requiring strict percentile boundaries between 0 and 1 exclusive.

Syntax

PERCENTILE.EXC(array, k)

Parameters

Parameter	Type	Required	Description
array	`Range/Array`	Yes	Dataset containing numeric values for percentile calculation
k	`Number`	Yes	Percentile position (must be >0 and <1)

Using the PERCENTILE.EXC Function

PERCENTILE.EXC excels in statistical analysis, quality control, and performance benchmarking where you need precise percentile calculations excluding extreme boundary values. Use it to identify distribution positions without including minimum or maximum dataset values.

Common PERCENTILE.EXC Examples

90th Percentile of Sales Data

=PERCENTILE.EXC(B2:B21, 0.9)

Returns the value below which 90% of sales fall, excluding the absolute highest value.

25th Percentile (Q1) Calculation

=PERCENTILE.EXC(A1:A100, 0.25)

Calculates first quartile using exclusive method for more conservative estimate.

Custom Percentile Benchmark

=PERCENTILE.EXC(ScoreRange, 0.75)

Finds value exceeded by top 25% of scores using exclusive percentile.

Frequently Asked Questions

PERCENTILE.EXC excludes 0th and 100th percentiles (k must be >0 and <1), while PERCENTILE.INC includes them (k can be 0 or 1). EXC is more conservative.

Not always - it interpolates between values when the exact percentile position falls between data points.

PERCENTILE.EXC returns #NUM! error since these endpoints are excluded.

Common Errors and Solutions

#NUM! error

Cause: Empty array or k ≤ 0 or k ≥ 1

Solution: Ensure array has data and k is between 0 and 1 exclusive

#VALUE! error

Cause: k argument is non-numeric

Solution: Use numeric value for k parameter

#NUM! interpolation error

Cause: k not achievable through interpolation

Solution: Verify k value compatibility with dataset size

Notes

Interpolation formula: (n-1)*k where n=array size
Only available in Excel 2010 and later versions
Use PERCENTILE.INC for inclusive calculations
Mathematical method aligns with modern statistical standards

Compatibility

Available in: Excel 2010, Excel 2013, Excel 2016, Excel 2019, Excel 2021, Microsoft 365

Not available in: Excel 2007, Excel 2003, Earlier versions

Content last reviewed: December 9, 2025
Update frequency: As needed
Excel versions tested: Excel 2010+