How to use it
- Type the Kills of the player or team from the match sheet.
- Type the Attack errors, counted by the same rule as your scorer uses.
- Type the Total attacks, which include the kills, the errors and the attacks that kept the rally going.
- Read Hitting percentage. The steps under the result show the subtraction and the division.
How the hitting percentage is calculated
The hitting percentage is the number of kills minus the number of errors, divided by the total attacks. The Wikipedia glossary of volleyball gives the same definition. A figure of 0.350 means that the net kills were 35 % of all attacks.
Hitting percentage = (kills − errors) ÷ total attacks
Example: (18 − 4) ÷ 40 = 14 ÷ 40 = 0.350- The figure is negative when a player has more errors than kills.
- Statistics sheets drop the leading zero and write .350; this page writes 0.350.
What the figure does not show
- Which attacks count as errors. Each scorer and league has its own rule, and the calculator uses the numbers you type.
- Serving, blocking and digging, or the strength of the opponent.
- The kill percentage (kills ÷ total attacks), which is a different measure that does not subtract the errors.
Worked example: 18 kills, 4 errors and 40 attacks
The net kills are 18 − 4 = 14. Divided by the 40 attacks, 14 ÷ 40 = 0.350.
As a percentage that is 35 %, and in the usual notation the hitting percentage is .350.
| Figure | Value |
|---|---|
| Kills minus errors | 14 |
| Hitting percentage | 0.350 |
| As a percentage | 35% |
Frequently asked questions
What is a good hitting percentage?
There is no fixed good figure, because it depends on the level, the position and the set. Compare players in the same team and at the same level, over a similar number of attacks.
Are blocked attacks counted as errors?
That depends on the scorer's rules: some records count a blocked attack as an error and some do not. Check how your match sheet records blocks and use the same rule for every player.
Why can the hitting percentage be negative?
It is negative when a player has more attack errors than kills. Kills minus errors is then below zero, and the figure is below zero too.
Is the kill percentage the same thing?
No. The kill percentage is kills divided by total attacks and ignores errors. The hitting percentage subtracts the errors, so it is never higher than the kill percentage.
Can I use it for beach volleyball?
The formula is the same for any volleyball attack statistics. What changes between competitions is the scorer's rule for what counts as an error, so apply the rule of that competition.
Sources
Figures and text last checked on Tuesday, November 10, 2026.