Function to Calculate Median in SQL Server

Question

According to MSDN, Median is not available as an aggregate function in Transact-SQL. However, I would like to find out whether it is possible to create this functionality (u

Answer 1

The following solution works under these assumptions:

• No duplicate values
• No NULLs

Code:

IF OBJECT_ID('dbo.R', 'U') IS NOT NULL
  DROP TABLE dbo.R

CREATE TABLE R (
    A FLOAT NOT NULL);

INSERT INTO R VALUES (1);
INSERT INTO R VALUES (2);
INSERT INTO R VALUES (3);
INSERT INTO R VALUES (4);
INSERT INTO R VALUES (5);
INSERT INTO R VALUES (6);

-- Returns Median(R)
select SUM(A) / CAST(COUNT(A) AS FLOAT)
from R R1 
where ((select count(A) from R R2 where R1.A > R2.A) = 
      (select count(A) from R R2 where R1.A < R2.A)) OR
      ((select count(A) from R R2 where R1.A > R2.A) + 1 = 
      (select count(A) from R R2 where R1.A < R2.A)) OR
      ((select count(A) from R R2 where R1.A > R2.A) = 
      (select count(A) from R R2 where R1.A < R2.A) + 1) ;