Advantages And Disadvantages Of Median

Some of the notable advantages and disadvantages of median can be expressed as follows:

Advantages/Merits Of Median

1. Easy And Simple

Median can be calculated with little mathematical knowledge. Sometimes it can be determined simply by inspection also. So, it is a simple and easy method to obtain the middle value of the series.

2. Unaffected By Extreme Values

Median is the middle value of the series, so it is not affected by the extreme value like mean.

3. Graphical Representation

Median can be easily represented graphically.

4. Suitable For Open End Distribution

Median can be correctly calculated for open end distribution where mean cannot obtain accurate result.

5. Suitable For Qualitative Phenomenon

Median can be used for qualitative phenomenon such as beauty, honesty, intelligence etc. 

6. Further Study

Median can be used for the purpose of further studies also.


1. Tedious Process

While calculating median, all the data should be arranged in ascending or in descending order. In case of large number of items, it becomes tedious and time consuming.

2. Unsuitable For Even Observation

Median provides correct result in case of odd observation. When the number is observation is even it fails to obtain accurate result.

3. Unsuitable For Algebraic Treatment

It is not applicable for further algebraic calculation.

4. Unsuitable For Fraction And Percentage

If the data of observation in a series is in fraction or in percentage, it becomes complicated to compute correct median.