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STDEV.S
STDEV.S is the modern replacement for the legacy STDEV function and calculates sample standard deviation using n-1 (Bessel's correction). Choose it when your data is a sample drawn from a larger population and you want an unbiased estimate of the population's spread.
Excel
=STDEV.S(B2:B5)Google Sheets
=STDEV.S(B2:B5)✓
Verified example
Computed by a real spreadsheet engine on the sample data below.
| Customer | Wait (s) |
| C1 | 45 |
| C2 | 120 |
| C3 | 30 |
| C4 | 90 |
=STDEV.S(B2:B5)→41.3067791046
Try it with your data
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Sample data — click any cell to edit
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How it works
- 1Reference your sample range: =STDEV.S(B2:B5).
- 2STDEV.S applies n-1 correction, giving a slightly larger value than STDEV.P for the same data.
- 3Prefer STDEV.S over the legacy STDEV for clarity and consistency in modern workbooks.
Need a version for your data?
Try: “Calculate sample standard deviation for a random sample of customer wait times”