What is the syntax for LOGNORM.INV in Excel?

The syntax for LOGNORM.INV is: =LOGNORM.INV(probability, mean, standard_dev)

What are common errors with LOGNORM.INV?

#NUM! if probability not between 0 and 1

What is LOGNORM.INV used for?

LOGNORM.INV finds the value corresponding to a given probability in a lognormal distribution. Use it to find percentiles of lognormally distributed data like stock prices, income levels, or product lifetimes.

How do I find the median of a lognormal distribution?

The median is =LOGNORM.INV(0.5, mean, stdev) = EXP(mean). For lognormal distributions, the median equals e^μ where μ is the mean of ln(x). This is typically less than the arithmetic mean due to right skewness.

How do I calculate Value at Risk (VaR) with LOGNORM.INV?

For 95% VaR on a lognormally distributed asset: worst expected value = LOGNORM.INV(0.05, mean, stdev). The loss is current value minus this. This gives the value below which only 5% of outcomes fall.

Statistical

LOGNORM.INV Function in Excel

Returns the inverse of the lognormal cumulative distribution.

Syntax

=LOGNORM.INV(probability, mean, standard_dev)

Arguments

probability (required): Probability (0 to 1)
mean (required): Mean of ln(x)
standard_dev (required): Standard deviation of ln(x)

Examples

=LOGNORM.INV(0.039, 3.5, 1.2) - Inverse lognormal - Result: 4

LOGNORM.INV for data analysis

Confirm whether you need entire columns, filtered subsets, or distinct values.
Use [COUNTIFS](/functions/countifs/) and [SUMIFS](/functions/sumifs/) for multi-criteria metrics.
Pivot tables complement single-cell statistical formulas for exploration.

Common errors

#NUM! if probability not between 0 and 1

Use cases

Percentile calculations
Risk modeling
Financial analysis

Frequently asked questions

What is LOGNORM.INV used for? LOGNORM.INV finds the value corresponding to a given probability in a lognormal distribution. Use it to find percentiles of lognormally distributed data like stock prices, income levels, or product lifetimes.
How do I find the median of a lognormal distribution? The median is =LOGNORM.INV(0.5, mean, stdev) = EXP(mean). For lognormal distributions, the median equals e^μ where μ is the mean of ln(x). This is typically less than the arithmetic mean due to right skewness.
How do I calculate Value at Risk (VaR) with LOGNORM.INV? For 95% VaR on a lognormally distributed asset: worst expected value = LOGNORM.INV(0.05, mean, stdev). The loss is current value minus this. This gives the value below which only 5% of outcomes fall.

Editorial review

Reviewed by Excel.Directory Editorial Team. Updated May 2026.