Last updated: 3 October 2026
Reviewed by Jordan Morley, FA Level 2 Football Coach
Kill percentage = kills ÷ total attack attempts. Hitting efficiency is more complete: (kills − errors) ÷ attempts. A player with 45% kills but 20% errors has much lower efficiency than one with 40% kills and 5% errors. Hitting efficiency of .250+ is good at competitive level; .350+ is elite. Because errors are costly, efficient attacking without errors is generally preferred over high-risk power hitting.
- Kill % = kills ÷ attempts
- Efficiency = (kills − errors) ÷ attempts
- Errors heavily drag efficiency
- 0.250+ good, 0.350+ elite
In practice
Kill percentage in volleyball (kills divided by total attack attempts) gives a cleaner measure of a hitter's scoring efficiency than raw kill count, since it accounts for how many swings it took to generate those points — a hitter converting a high percentage of their attempts is adding value even with a relatively modest total kill count compared to a high-volume but less efficient attacker.
FAQ
What's considered a good kill percentage in volleyball?
Above 40% is generally considered strong for an outside hitter; middle blockers and more efficient hitters sometimes reach 50%+ due to higher-percentage shot selection close to the net.
Is kill percentage the same as attack efficiency?
They're related but distinct — kill percentage only counts kills against attempts, while attack efficiency also factors in attacking errors and blocked attempts, giving a fuller picture of net offensive value.