aboveaverage

Above-average is a relative descriptor for a quantity that exceeds the typical value of a given dataset. In everyday language and in statistics, it is most often used to indicate performance, size, or frequency that is higher than what is typical within a defined group or distribution.

Because the term depends on what is considered the “average,” the exact threshold for being above average can vary. The most common reference is the arithmetic mean, but some contexts use the median or another benchmark. As a result, a value that is above the mean may not always be above the median in skewed distributions, and vice versa.

The phrase is widely used across many domains. Examples include test scores deemed above average, products with above-average reliability, or cities experiencing above-average rainfall. It functions as a qualitative assessment rather than a fixed quantitative standard, signaling that a value surpasses a chosen reference point.

In data interpretation, labeling something as above-average should take into account the distribution’s shape and the chosen reference value. This helps avoid mischaracterizations that can arise from skewed data or inappropriate benchmarks. While “above average” often connotes a positive performance implication in common usage, it does not inherently convey how much higher the value is relative to the reference.

See also: mean, median, mode, statistics, benchmarking.