This page is a quick reference checkpoint for DENSE_RANK in SQL Server: behavior, syntax rules, edge cases, and a minimal example; plus the official vendor documentation.
DENSE_RANK assigns a ranking number to each row, giving equal values the same rank but without gaps after ties.
Returns the rank of each row within its partition with no gaps in ranking values; ties receive the same rank; nondeterministic.
If this behavior feels unintuitive, the tutorial below explains the underlying pattern step-by-step.
DENSE_RANK() OVER ( [ PARTITION BY ... ] ORDER BY ... )
SELECT department, salary, DENSE_RANK() OVER (PARTITION BY department ORDER BY salary DESC) AS salary_dense_rank FROM employees;
If you came here to confirm syntax, you’re done. If you came here to get better at window functions, choose your next step.
DENSE_RANK is part of a bigger window-function pattern. If you want the “why”, start here: Ranking Functions
Reading docs is useful. Writing the query correctly under pressure is the skill.
For the authoritative spec, use the vendor docs. This page is the fast “sanity check”.
View SQL Server Documentation →Looking for more functions across all SQL dialects? Visit the full SQL Dialects & Window Functions Documentation.