How To Calculate Standard Deviation In Google Sheets
When working with samples in Google Sheets, it’s often helpful to use statistical calculations to learn more about the samples and underlying populations.
Standard deviation is a measure of the amount of variation in a sample.
Low standard deviations mean that values in the sample tend to be close to the mean value, while high standard deviations mean the sample values are more spread out.
Google Sheets makes it easy to calculate standard deviation for a sample using the built in formula. Follow these steps to learn how:
Step 1
The formula we’re going to use to calculate standard deviation is the STDEV() formula.
Click on the cell you want to add the standard deviation calculation in and type equals, followed by the formula name, STDEV, and open parenthesis: “=STDEV(”.
Step 2
Immediately after typing the open parenthesis, use the mouse to select the range in the spreadsheet that contains the data you want to calculate standard deviation on. The reference to the range will be added as a parameter in the formula you’re typing
Step 3
Type the closing parenthesis and hit enter to finish your formula. The standard deviation for that sample will appear in the cell
Any time you update the data in the input range, the standard deviation will recalculate
Summary
Example Spreadsheet: Make a copy of the example spreadsheet
In this tutorial, I covered how to calculate standard deviation in Google Sheets. Want more? Check out all the Google Sheets Tutorials.