Large with criteria in Excel

Formula

{=LARGE(IF(criteria,values),n)}

Explanation

To return the largest values in a set of data with criteria, you can use the a formula based on the LARGE and IF functions.

In the example shown, the formula in F5 is:

{=LARGE(IF(B5:B11="B",C5:C11),2)}

Note: this is an array formula and must be entered with control + shift + enter.

How this formula works

The LARGE function can be used to retrieve “nth” largest value in numeric data like so:

=LARGE(values,n)

In this example, we need include only values associated with group B. To do this, we use the IF function to filter:

IF(B5:B11="B",C5:C11)

Since we are running a logical test on an range of cells, we get an array of results:

{FALSE;98;FALSE;60;FALSE;95;FALSE}

Note that only values in group B make it into the array. Group A values become FALSE since they fail the logical test. This array is returned inside the LARGE function with 2 hardcoded as as “nth” (the argument “k” in LARGE):

=LARGE({FALSE;98;FALSE;60;FALSE;95;FALSE},2)

LARGE then returns 95, the second largest value in group B as the final result.

Multiple criteria

To take into account multiple criteria, you can extend the formula with boolean logic in a form like this:

=LARGE(IF((criteria1)*(criteria2),values),n)

Where criteria1 and criteria2 and represent an expression to test values in a criteria range, as shown in the original example above.