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How to calculate attendance percentage

Measure attendance from sessions attended and sessions held, with common edge cases.

6 min read · Reviewed August 27, 2026 · By the Clear Math Kit Editorial Team

Attendance percentage compares attended sessions with the total sessions counted. The arithmetic is simple, but excused absences and cancelled sessions can change the denominator.

Use attended divided by held

If you attended 27 of 30 counted sessions, calculate 27 ÷ 30 × 100. Attendance is 90%.

Define which sessions count

Remove cancelled sessions from the total. Follow the organization’s rules for excused absences, because some policies count them in the denominator and others do not.

Find how many sessions are needed

To plan for a target, project the final total sessions and multiply by the target percentage. Round required attendance up to a whole session.

Keep records consistent

Use the same period, session type, and policy when comparing attendance percentages. Mixing partial periods can make a trend look better or worse than it is.

Try the numbers yourself

A calculator is often the quickest way to check your mental math. The important part is using the right starting value.

Open a calculator →

Common questions

What is 18 attended out of 20?

18 ÷ 20 × 100 = 90%.

Do cancelled sessions count?

Normally no, because they were not held, but follow the applicable attendance policy.

Why round required sessions up?

You cannot attend a fraction of a session, so meeting a minimum target requires the next whole number.

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