How to rank range numbers uniquely without duplicates in Excel?

In Microsoft Excel, the normal rank function gives duplicate numbers the same rank. For example, if the number 100 appears twice in the selected range, and the first number 100 takes the rank of 1, the last number 100 will also take the rank of 1, and this will skip some numbers. But, sometimes, you need to rank these values uniquely as following screenshots shown. For more details of the unique ranking, please do as following tutorial shown step by step.

Rank range numbers uniquely in descending order

Rank range numbers uniquely in ascending order

Rank range numbers uniquely in descending order

In this section, we will show you how to rank range numbers uniquely in descending order.

Take the data of below screenshot as example, you can see there are multiple duplicate numbers among the range A2:A11.

1. Select the B2, copy and paste the formula =RANK(A2,$A$2:$A$11,0)+COUNTIF($A$2:A2,A2)-1 into the Formula Bar, then press the Enter key. See screenshot:

2. Then the ranking number is showing in the cell B2. Select the cell B2 and put the cursor on its lower-right corner, when a small black cross showing, drag it down to cell B11. Then the unique ranking is successful. See screenshot:

Rank range numbers uniquely in ascending order

If you want to rank range numbers uniquely in ascending order, please do as follows.

1. Select cell B2, copy and paste formula =RANK(A2,$A$2:$A$11,1)+COUNTIF($A$2:A2,A2)-1 into the Formula Bar, then press the Enter key. Then the first ranking number is displayed in cell B2.

2. Select the cell B2, drag the fill handle down to the cell B11, then the unique ranking is finished.

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  • To post as a guest, your comment is unpublished.
    Ron · 3 months ago
    Formulas for unique ascending and descending are identical. Ascending should be: =RANK(A2,$A$2:$A$11,1)+COUNTIF(A2:$A$2,A2)-1.
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    vikas · 4 months ago
    if you see the below ranking, where the duplicate numbers found, number is missing.
    Exmples
    After 23 it goes to 25, after 29 it goes to 30, Formula miss the next number like - 24 & 29

    Score Rank
    4661 21
    4650 22
    4648 23
    4645 25
    4645 25
    4644 26
    4629 27
    4626 28
    4595 30
    4595 30
    4578 31
    4438 32
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    Musawir · 1 years ago
    Hi, This formula just ranks all numbers in ascending/descending order and doesn't combine the duplicates into one rank. How do I combine the ranking for duplicates, for example two duplicate 100s to be combined and both ranked as 1, 3 duplicate 90s to be combined and ranked as 2, 2 duplicate 80s ranked as 3, etc.? In your example of total 10 students I want a formula that will rank the two 100s as 1, rank the two 90s as 2, rank the two 80s as 3, etc. Please help. Thanks
    • To post as a guest, your comment is unpublished.
      Alex · 11 months ago
      if you do want this kind of ranking, what I would do is copy the whole list somewhere else, then use remove duplicates in the Data menu to leave only the individual values. rank these individual scores using a standard RANK formula and then use a simple VLOOKUP formula to return the value against the score in the full list.

      this will show the values the way you want above.
    • To post as a guest, your comment is unpublished.
      Alex · 11 months ago
      Why do you need to do this? a standard RANK formula will rank these examples as 1, 1, 3, 3, 5, 5. this is a much more usual way of ranking as if there are 2 first places the next in line would usually logically be 3rd not 2nd.
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    Jack · 2 years ago
    The formula doesn't seem to work sometimes, and I think it might be due to a rounding error. RANK and COUNTIF probably treat rounding differently. If I first use ROUND on the range I want to rank it seems to work.
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      Rio · 1 years ago
      This is absolutely key. I've often encountered an error where it would still randomly duplicate a few ranks using this method and could not for the life of me work out why, really frustrating, especially if you need a complete set of rankings for lookups elsewhere - overriding / typing simply not an option. Jack has nailed this. Round the range you want to rank (even if it's in a separate column so you don't affect the integrity of your data), problem solved. Thanks Jack!!
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    Monisha · 2 years ago
    Thank you so much! Love the solution.
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    Matt · 2 years ago
    This formula is stupid and only works if there is one duplicate !
    • To post as a guest, your comment is unpublished.
      crystal · 2 years ago
      Dear Matt,
      The formula works well in my case even though multiple duplicates exist in the column. Can you provide your Excel version?
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    jHAA lEE · 2 years ago
    YOUR FORMULA DOES NOT WORK
    • To post as a guest, your comment is unpublished.
      Pavel · 1 years ago
      It does - generally there can be two things which can cause it

      1) You did not freeze the links properly (F4) - check the dollar signs in the formula.
      2) it somehow doesn't work on numbers with multiple decimal points - ideall is to have the numbers rounded to some definite number (even decimal)

      If both of these things are well managed, it will work.
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      Iain · 2 years ago
      works for me.
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    Dave · 3 years ago
    Hello all, I have mastered the ranking but how do I get the ranking to auto calculate points eg 1st equals 100 points 2nd equals 50 etc
    • To post as a guest, your comment is unpublished.
      Tarang · 1 years ago
      Use Large function
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    Jete · 3 years ago
    Thank You, really appreciate the help. :D
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    kelly mort · 3 years ago
    Wow just loved this. Thanks a lot . Please say I am ranking a column then the duplicates come. If I wanna then use a criteria like the total to separate the tie what will be the function? Here I am using the min max to rank so when there is any number appearing more than once I want to separate them with the totals instead. Please help. Thanks.

    Kelly