Cholesterol Ratio

Total cholesterol alone says little. High HDL improves the ratio even when the total is high. Below 3.5 is the goal; 5 or more is considered risky.

Your numbers

Total cholesterol(mg/dL)HDL(mg/dL)

Total : HDL

Non-HDL

150mg/dL

What it means

A ratio of 4 is average; aim below 3.5.

Formula

Total : HDL = Total cholesterol ÷ HDL

Test after 9–12 hours of fasting — triglycerides swing sharply with meals.

What to enter

Input	Default	Accepted range
Total cholesterol (mg/dL)All the cholesterol in the blood, added up.	200	50 ~ 500
HDL (mg/dL)The kind that carries cholesterol back to the liver — higher is better.	50	10 ~ 150

Step by step

FormulaTotal : HDL = Total cholesterol ÷ HDL

With the default numbersTotal : HDL = 200 ÷ 50

AnswerTotal : HDL = 4

Quick reference table

Results when only Total cholesterol (mg/dL) changes and everything else stays put.

Total cholesterol (mg/dL)	Total : HDL	Non-HDL (mg/dL)
100	2	50
150	3	100
200	4	150
300	6	250
400	8	350

What each result means

Result	At default values
Total : HDLTotal cholesterol over HDL — lower is better.	4
Non-HDL (mg/dL)Everything except HDL.	150

Common mistakes

Test after 9–12 hours of fasting — triglycerides swing sharply with meals.

Glossary

Total cholesterol: All the cholesterol in the blood, added up.
HDL: The kind that carries cholesterol back to the liver — higher is better.
Total : HDL: Total cholesterol over HDL — lower is better.
Non-HDL: Everything except HDL.

Frequently asked questions

QHow is Cholesterol Ratio calculated?

Total : HDL = Total cholesterol ÷ HDL — Total cholesterol alone says little. High HDL improves the ratio even when the total is high. Below 3.5 is the goal; 5 or more is considered risky.

QCan you walk through an example?

With Total cholesterol 200mg/dL, HDL 50mg/dL, the answer is Total : HDL 4.

QWhat do I need to enter?

Enter Total cholesterol, HDL. The result recalculates as you type, and an empty box counts as zero.

QHow much does the answer move if I change a number?

Changing only Total cholesterol (mg/dL) moves the answer to Total cholesterol (mg/dL) 100 → Total : HDL 2 and Total cholesterol (mg/dL) 400 → Total : HDL 8. The table below lays out five steps.

QHow are the numbers rounded?

Money is shown to the nearest whole unit, percentages to one decimal place and everything else to two. What you see is rounded; the calculation itself carries the unrounded value forward.

QAnything to watch out for?

Test after 9–12 hours of fasting — triglycerides swing sharply with meals.

Related calculators

Mean Arterial PressureGet MAP and pulse pressure from systolic and diastolic readings.Pulse PressureThe gap between your systolic and diastolic readings.LDL Cholesterol (Friedewald)Calculate LDL from the three numbers on your lipid panel.Non-HDL CholesterolTotal minus HDL — every atherogenic lipid added together.

These calculators help you understand health figures; they do not replace diagnosis or prescription. See a clinician if you have symptoms.