Written and reviewed by FormulaCraft Team. Each formula on this page is run through our verification engine before publishing.
Last reviewed:
STDEV.P vs STDEV.S: population vs sample deviation in Excel and Sheets
Excel & Google Sheets
=STDEV.S(A2:A6)✓
Verified example
Computed by a real spreadsheet engine on the sample data below.
| Value |
| 10 |
| 20 |
| 30 |
| 40 |
| 50 |
=STDEV.S(A2:A6)→15.8113883008
Try it with your data
Edit the grid or formula, then run it through a real spreadsheet engine — no signup.
Sample data — click any cell to edit
Runs server-side · free · no signup
Step by step
- 1STDEV.S(A2:A6) divides by n−1 (Bessel's correction) for a sample — here about 15.81.
- 2STDEV.P(A2:A6) divides by n for a full population — here about 14.14.
- 3Pick STDEV.S when the rows are a sample of something larger; STDEV.P when they are the whole group.
Tips
- STDEV (no suffix) is the legacy alias for STDEV.S and still works.
- Sample deviation is always slightly larger than population deviation on the same data.
Need it for your exact data?
Describe your columns in plain English and get the precise formula for your sheet, with the right Excel or Sheets syntax.
Frequently asked
Which one should I use by default?
Most real-world data is a sample, so STDEV.S is the safer default. Use STDEV.P only when you truly have every member of the population.