PostgreSQL 18 reference · Aggregate Functions

PostgreSQL PERCENTILE_CONT() Function

Return the value at a percentile, interpolating between rows: percentile_cont(0.5) is the median.

PostgreSQL 18 Since 9.4

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Syntax

percentile_cont(fraction) WITHIN GROUP (ORDER BY expression)

Parameter	Description
`fraction`	From 0 to 1, or an array of fractions.
`ORDER BY`	The values to rank.

double precision, or an array.

The median

SELECT percentile_cont(0.5) WITHIN GROUP (ORDER BY salary) AS median_salary FROM employees;

Output

 median_salary
---------------
        127500
(1 row)

Run this on your computer — see “Get Started” for setup.

Several percentiles

SELECT percentile_cont(ARRAY[0.25, 0.5, 0.75]) WITHIN GROUP (ORDER BY price) AS quartiles FROM products;

Output

       quartiles
-----------------------
 {28.74,40.975,67.175}
(1 row)

Run this on your computer — see “Get Started” for setup.

percentile_disc() returns an actual value from the data instead of interpolating.

Version	Change
PostgreSQL 9.4	Added

MODE() · Return the most frequent value in a group (the statistical mode). Ties go to the first value in sort order.
AVG() · Return the average of the non-NULL values in a group. Integer input gives a numeric result with full precision.
SQL Aggregate Functions · tutorial
SQL GROUP BY · tutorial

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