Statistical

RANK.EQ Function in Excel

Returns the rank of a number in a list of numbers.

Syntax

  • =RANK.EQ(number, ref, [order])

Arguments

  • number (required): Number to find rank of
  • ref (required): Range of numbers to rank against
  • order (optional): 0=descending (default), 1=ascending

Examples

  • =RANK.EQ(A2, A2:A100) - Rank descending - Result: Rank position
  • =RANK.EQ(A2, A2:A100, 1) - Rank ascending - Result: Rank position

RANK.EQ 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

  • Duplicate values get same rank

Use cases

  • Leaderboards
  • Performance ranking
  • Competition results

Frequently asked questions

  • What's the difference between RANK.EQ and RANK.AVG? RANK.EQ gives tied values the same rank (1,2,2,4). RANK.AVG gives tied values the average rank (1,2.5,2.5,4). Use RANK.EQ for competitions where ties share a position, RANK.AVG for statistical analysis.
  • How do I create a unique rank with no ties? Add a tiebreaker: =RANK.EQ(A2, $A$2:$A$100) + COUNTIF($A$2:A2, A2) - 1. Or use =RANK.EQ(A2, $A$2:$A$100) + (ROW()-ROW($A$2))/1000 for a decimal tiebreaker based on row position.
  • How do I rank within groups? Use COUNTIFS: =SUMPRODUCT((B2:B100=B2)*(A2:A100>A2))+1 ranks A2 within its group (defined by column B). This counts how many items in the same group have higher values, plus 1.

Editorial review

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