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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
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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.
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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.