---
title: SQL Between Operator
---
## SQL Between Operator

The BETWEEN Operator is useful because of the SQL Query Optimizer. Although BETWEEN is functionally the same as:
x <= element <= y, the SQL Query Optimizer will recognize this command faster, and has optimized code for running it.

This operator is used in a WHERE clause or in a GROUP BY HAVING clause.

Rows are selected that have a value greater than the minimum value and less than the maximum value.  

It's important to keep in mind that the values entered in the command are **excluded** from the result. We get just what is between them.

Here is the syntax for using the function in a WHERE Clause:

```sql
select field1, testField
from table1
where testField between min and max
```

Here is an example using the student table and the WHERE clause:
 
```sql
-- no WHERE clause
select studentID, FullName, studentID
from student;
    
-- WHERE clause with between
select studentID, FullName, studentID
from student
where studentID between 2 and 7;
```

![image-1](https://github.com/SteveChevalier/guide-images/blob/master/between01.JPG?raw=true)

Here is an example using the campaign funds table and the having clause.
This will return rows where the sum of the donations for a candidate are between $3 Million and $18 Million based on the HAVING clause in the GROUP BY part of the statement.  More on aggregation in that guide.

 
```sql
select Candidate, Office_Sought, Election_Year, format(sum(Total_$),2)
from combined_party_data
where Election_Year = 2016
group by Candidate, Office_Sought, Election_Year
having sum(Total_$) between 3000000 and 18000000
order by sum(Total_$) desc; 
```

![image-1](https://github.com/SteveChevalier/guide-images/blob/master/between02.JPG?raw=true)