How big is a blue whale?

Blue whale · Balaenoptera musculus

Length (typical adult): 24–27 m 80–90 ft range
Maximum length: up to 34 m 110 ft maximum
Maximum mass: up to 150 t 330,000 lb maximum
Typical mass: 91–140 t 200,000–300,000 lb range

Everything is drawn to the same scale, standing on the same ground line. Silhouettes are simplified outlines scaled to the measured dimension. A faded outline shows the top of a size range.

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Dimensions

Measurements of Blue whale
Measurement	Metric	Imperial	Notes	Source
Length (typical adult)	24–27 m	80–90 ft	Commonly observed adult length. Range: varies	[2]
Maximum length	up to 34 m	up to 110 ft	Antarctic blue whales; North Atlantic and North Pacific blue whales grow up to about 90 ft. Maximum	[1]
Maximum mass	up to 150 t	up to 330,000 lb	Maximum weight in NOAA's species summary (Antarctic population). Maximum	[1]
Typical mass	91–140 t	200,000–300,000 lb	Average adult weight. Range: varies	[2]

About the blue whale

The blue whale is the largest animal known to have lived. Most adults seen today are around 80 to 90 ft long, and Antarctic blue whales, the largest population, can reach about 110 ft. NOAA Fisheries gives a maximum weight of about 330,000 lb, and females are generally larger than males.

Antarctic blue whales are generally larger than other subspecies. In the North Atlantic and North Pacific, blue whales grow up to about 90 ft and weigh over 100,000 lb. [1]
As in many other baleen whales, female blue whales are generally larger than males. [1]
Calves are about 23 ft long at birth and weigh 5,000 to 6,000 lb. Some individuals have been recorded at over 100 ft. [2]
The National Park Service says blue whales can grow to about 100 ft and may weigh around 160 tons. [3]

How many fit?

≈ 14–17 × Human · height lined up end to end match the Blue whale · length (typical adult)
≈ 1,800 × Human · body mass on the scales weigh as much as Blue whale · maximum mass
≈ 2.1 × City bus · length over bumpers lined up end to end match the Blue whale · length (typical adult)
≈ 9.8–12 × City bus · curb weight on the scales weigh as much as Blue whale · maximum mass

Counts divide one sourced figure by another. "End to end" uses each object's main measurement; weight and volume rows appear only when both figures are sourced.

How it compares

14–17× A blue whale is about 14–17 times as long as an average adult is tall. See side by side
2.1× A blue whale is about 2.1 times as long as a city bus. See side by side
2.2× A blue whale is about 2.2 times as long as a Brachiosaurus is tall. See side by side
1.1× A blue whale is about as long as a tennis court. See side by side
1/1.5 A Boeing 737 is about 1.5 times as long as a blue whale. See side by side
1/2.3 The Leaning Tower of Pisa is about 2.3 times as tall as a blue whale is long. See side by side

Factors compare the length (typical adult) of a blue whale with each object’s own main measurement (height for a human). Where a size varies, the factor is given as a range.

Notes on these figures

NOAA Fisheries gives no typical adult length range, so the typical range comes from The Marine Mammal Center, a nonprofit marine mammal hospital and research centre.
NOAA words the maximum weight two ways on the same page: 'Up to 330,000 pounds' in the summary and 'more than 330,000 pounds' for Antarctic whales in the text.
The National Marine Sanctuary Foundation gives fully grown lengths of '70 to nearly 90 feet' and weights up to 300,000 lb, slightly lower than The Marine Mammal Center's typical length.

Sources

NOAA Fisheries, Blue Whale. Accessed 24 September 2026.
The Marine Mammal Center, Blue Whale. Accessed 24 September 2026.
U.S. National Park Service, Blue Whale. Accessed 24 September 2026.
National Marine Sanctuary Foundation, Sea Wonder: Blue Whale. Accessed 24 September 2026.

Blue whale drawn to scale