What is a normal range for hdl cholesterol?

>50 or >55: In general, for good heart health the generally recommended level for HDL is > 50 for men and > 55 for women. But it can be more complicated that that: you cannot rely completely on these simple numbers, and you can not look at numbers in isolation.

Depends: Generally above 40 is acceptable in men and above 50 acceptable in women. If 2 times the HDL is less than the trigyceride level your system may be out of balance due to stress or too many fats or carbs and not enough omega 3 fatty acids.

Varies : For men normal is >40 mg/dl, and for women >50 mg/dl. Our current guidelines suggest that >60 is a "negative" risk factor and <40 is a risk factor for heart disease. As usual exceptions exist, and there are examples of patients with low HDL who do not get heart disease and those with high HDL who do. Bottom line is extreme vaules at either end of the spectrum need evaluation by a lipid specialist.