• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

The Programming Expert

Solving All of Your Programming Headaches

  • HTML
  • JavaScript
  • jQuery
  • PHP
  • Python
  • SAS
  • Ruby
  • About
You are here: Home / SAS / SAS mean() Function – Find Average Across Columns in Data Step

SAS mean() Function – Find Average Across Columns in Data Step

October 2, 2022 Leave a Comment

The SAS mean() function allows you to find the mean value across columns and returns the average in a data step.

data example;
 a = mean(1,4,7);
 put a;
 b = mean(1,.,-1);
 put b;
run;

/* Log Output */
4
0

When working with different data in programming, the ability to be able to easily find summary statistics of pieces of your data is valuable.

One such case is if you want to find the average of multiple values.

In a SAS data step, you can find the mean of multiple numbers or multiple columns with the mean() function.

Below shows you some simple examples of using mean() in a SAS data step.

data example;
 a = avg(1,4,7);
 put a;
 b = avg(1,.,-1);
 put b;
run;

/* Log Output */
4
0

Find Average Across Columns in Data Step with mean()

You can use mean() to create a new column which has the mean value across a number of columns in a SAS dataset.

For example, let’s say you had some variables and wanted to find the mean for each observation of those variables.

To do this, you can use mean() and pass the column names as the arguments.

Below shows you how to create a new column which is the mean value across the columns A, B and C in a data step.

data example;
input A B C;
datalines;
5 1 2
4 2 3
3 3 4
2 4 5
1 5 6
;
run;

data example_with_average;
    set example;
    M = mean(A,B,C);
run;

/* Output */
A B C           M
5 1 2 2.666666667
4 2 3           3
3 3 4 3.333333333
2 4 5 3.666666667
1 5 6           4

Treatment of Missing Values with SAS mean() Function in Data Steps

If your data has missing values, then you have to be aware of how mean() calculates the average if you have values which are missing that are passed to mean().

In general, missing values will be ignored by mean().

This is shown below, where I’ve included one missing value in the call to mean().

data example;
 a = mean(1,.,-1);
 put a;
run;

/* Log Output */
0

However, if all values are missing, then mean() will return a missing value.

data example;
 a = mean(.,.,.);
 put a;
run;

/* Log Output */
.

Find Average of Entire Column in SAS with PROC MEANS

If you want to find the average of an entire column, then you should use PROC MEANS.

In SAS, PROC MEANS is a procedure which allows you to create summaries of your data and allows you to calculate things like the average, mean, average, average, etc. of a variable.

You can find the mean of an entire column by specifying the MIN option with PROC MEANS.

Below shows you how to find the mean of an entire column using the SAS PROC MEANS procedure.

data example;
input group $ value;
datalines;
A 1
A 2
A 3
B 4
B 5
B 6
C 7
C 8
;
run;

proc means data=example mean;
    variable value;
run;

proc means mean

Hopefully this article has been useful for you to learn how to use the SAS mean() function in your SAS programs.

Other Articles You'll Also Like:

  • 1.  SAS floor – Round Down to Floor of Number in a SAS Data Step
  • 2.  IN in SAS – Checking if Variable is in Array of Values
  • 3.  How to Combine Datasets Vertically in SAS
  • 4.  SAS right() Function – Right Align Character Variables in Data Step
  • 5.  SAS sum() Function – Find Sum Across Columns in Data Step
  • 6.  How to Select First 100 Observations of SAS Dataset
  • 7.  yyyy-mm-dd Date Format in SAS
  • 8.  SAS Lowercase – Make String Lowercase with SAS lowcase function
  • 9.  Date Format ddmmmyyyy in SAS
  • 10.  SAS nodupkey – How to Remove Duplicates with PROC SORT by Key

About The Programming Expert

The Programming Expert is a compilation of a programmer’s findings in the world of software development, website creation, and automation of processes.

Programming allows us to create amazing applications which make our work more efficient, repeatable and accurate.

At the end of the day, we want to be able to just push a button and let the code do it’s magic.

You can read more about us on our about page.

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

About The Programming Expert

the programming expert main image

Welcome to The Programming Expert. We are a group of US-based programming professionals who have helped companies build, maintain, and improve everything from simple websites to large-scale projects.

We built The Programming Expert to help you solve your programming problems with useful coding methods and functions in various programming languages.

Search

Learn Coding from Experts on Udemy

Looking to boost your skills and learn how to become a programming expert?

Check out the links below to view Udemy courses for learning to program in the following languages:

Copyright © 2023 · The Programming Expert · About · Privacy Policy