--- title: "STDEV.S function in Excel: syntax and examples | PracticeExcel" description: "How to use STDEV.S in Excel and Google Sheets: the standard deviation of a sample, what it tells you and when to use STDEV.P instead." canonical_url: "https://practiceexcelonline.com/functions/stdev-s" locale: en meta: "og:description": "How to use STDEV.S in Excel and Google Sheets: the standard deviation of a sample, what it tells you and when to use STDEV.P instead." "og:image": "https://practiceexcelonline.com/_og/d/c_Page%2Ctitle_~U1RERVYuUyBmdW5jdGlvbiBpbiBFeGNlbDogc3ludGF4IGFuZCBleGFtcGxlcw%2Cdescription_~SG93IHRvIHVzZSBTVERFVi5TIGluIEV4Y2VsIGFuZCBHb29nbGUgU2hlZXRzOiB0aGUgc3RhbmRhcmQgZGV2aWF0aW9uIG9mIGEgc2FtcGxlLCB3aGF0IGl0IHRlbGxzIHlvdSBhbmQgd2hlbiB0byB1c2UgU1RERVYuUCBpbnN0ZWFkLg%2Ceyebrow_Excel%2Bfunctions%2Csite_practiceexcel%2Ccode_~U1RERVYuUyhudW1iZXIxLCBbbnVtYmVyMl0sIC4uLik%2Cp_Ii9mdW5jdGlvbnMvc3RkZXYtcyI%2Cs_Ba9C1GD9kKvKBSsl.png" "og:image:height": "600" "og:image:type": image/png "og:image:width": "1200" "og:title": "STDEV.S function in Excel: syntax and examples | PracticeExcel" "twitter:image": "https://practiceexcelonline.com/_og/d/c_Page%2Ctitle_~U1RERVYuUyBmdW5jdGlvbiBpbiBFeGNlbDogc3ludGF4IGFuZCBleGFtcGxlcw%2Cdescription_~SG93IHRvIHVzZSBTVERFVi5TIGluIEV4Y2VsIGFuZCBHb29nbGUgU2hlZXRzOiB0aGUgc3RhbmRhcmQgZGV2aWF0aW9uIG9mIGEgc2FtcGxlLCB3aGF0IGl0IHRlbGxzIHlvdSBhbmQgd2hlbiB0byB1c2UgU1RERVYuUCBpbnN0ZWFkLg%2Ceyebrow_Excel%2Bfunctions%2Csite_practiceexcel%2Ccode_~U1RERVYuUyhudW1iZXIxLCBbbnVtYmVyMl0sIC4uLik%2Cp_Ii9mdW5jdGlvbnMvc3RkZXYtcyI%2Cs_Ba9C1GD9kKvKBSsl.png" --- > Index of every page on this site: [llms.txt](https://practiceexcelonline.com/llms.txt) # **The STDEV.S function** Estimates the standard deviation of a sample, which is how far the values typically sit from their average. Text and empty cells in a range are ignored. = STDEV.S( ## **Syntax** ``` STDEV.S(number1, [number2], ...) ```
**number1 **
The first number or range in the sample.
**number2, ... **(optional)
More numbers or ranges, up to 255 in all.
## **Examples** D1=STDEV.S(B2:B6) | | A | B | C | D | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 1 | Day | Sales | | **23.02172887** | | 2 | Mon | 120 | | | | 3 | Tue | 95 | | | | 4 | Wed | 140 | | | | 5 | Thu | 110 | | | | 6 | Fri | 80 | | | D1=STDEV.S(B2:B6)/AVERAGE(B2:B6) | | A | B | C | D | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 1 | Day | Sales | | **0.211208522** | | 2 | Mon | 120 | | | | 3 | Tue | 95 | | | | 4 | Wed | 140 | | | | 5 | Thu | 110 | | | | 6 | Fri | 80 | | | B1=STDEV.S(2,4,4,4,5,5,7,9) | | A | B | | --- | --- | --- | | 1 | | **2.138089935** | ## **Questions**
### Should I use STDEV.S or STDEV.P? Use STDEV.S when your data is a sample from something bigger, such as 50 survey answers or a few weeks of sales. Use STDEV.P when the data is the whole population, every value there is. STDEV.S divides by one less than the count, so it is a little larger.
### Is STDEV.S the same as STDEV? Yes. STDEV is the older name and gives the same result. Excel keeps it for older workbooks.
## **Related functions** - [**STDEV.P**](https://practiceexcelonline.com/functions/stdev-p) - [**AVERAGE**](https://practiceexcelonline.com/functions/average) - [**MEDIAN**](https://practiceexcelonline.com/functions/median) - [**CORREL**](https://practiceexcelonline.com/functions/correl) ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@graph":[{"@id":"https://practiceexcelonline.com/#identity","@type":"Organization","name":"PracticeExcel","url":"https://practiceexcelonline.com/","logo":{"@id":"https://practiceexcelonline.com/#logo"}},{"@id":"https://practiceexcelonline.com/#website","@type":"WebSite","inLanguage":"en-US","name":"PracticeExcel","url":"https://practiceexcelonline.com/","alternateName":["Practice Excel Online","PracticeExcelOnline.com"],"publisher":{"@id":"https://practiceexcelonline.com/#identity"},"workTranslation":{"@id":"https://excelopgaver.dk/#website"}},{"@id":"https://practiceexcelonline.com/functions/stdev-s#webpage","description":"How to use STDEV.S in Excel and Google Sheets: the standard deviation of a sample, what it tells you and when to use STDEV.P instead.","name":"STDEV.S function in Excel: syntax and examples","url":"https://practiceexcelonline.com/functions/stdev-s","@type":["WebPage","FAQPage"],"breadcrumb":{"@id":"https://practiceexcelonline.com/functions/stdev-s#breadcrumb"},"isPartOf":{"@id":"https://practiceexcelonline.com/#website"},"mainEntity":[{"@id":"https://practiceexcelonline.com/functions/stdev-s#/schema/question/1"},{"@id":"https://practiceexcelonline.com/functions/stdev-s#/schema/question/2"}],"potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https://practiceexcelonline.com/functions/stdev-s"]}],"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https://practiceexcelonline.com/#logo"}},{"@id":"https://practiceexcelonline.com/functions/stdev-s#breadcrumb","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","name":"Home","item":"https://practiceexcelonline.com","position":1},{"@type":"ListItem","name":"Excel functions","item":"https://practiceexcelonline.com/functions","position":2},{"@type":"ListItem","name":"STDEV.S function in Excel: syntax and examples","position":3}]},{"@id":"https://practiceexcelonline.com/functions/stdev-s#article","description":"How to use STDEV.S in Excel and Google Sheets: the standard deviation of a sample, what it tells you and when to use STDEV.P instead.","headline":"STDEV.S function in Excel: syntax and examples","inLanguage":"en-US","thumbnailUrl":"https://practiceexcelonline.com/_og/d/c_Page%2Ctitle_~U1RERVYuUyBmdW5jdGlvbiBpbiBFeGNlbDogc3ludGF4IGFuZCBleGFtcGxlcw%2Cdescription_~SG93IHRvIHVzZSBTVERFVi5TIGluIEV4Y2VsIGFuZCBHb29nbGUgU2hlZXRzOiB0aGUgc3RhbmRhcmQgZGV2aWF0aW9uIG9mIGEgc2FtcGxlLCB3aGF0IGl0IHRlbGxzIHlvdSBhbmQgd2hlbiB0byB1c2UgU1RERVYuUCBpbnN0ZWFkLg%2Ceyebrow_Excel%2Bfunctions%2Csite_practiceexcel%2Ccode_~U1RERVYuUyhudW1iZXIxLCBbbnVtYmVyMl0sIC4uLik%2Cp_Ii9mdW5jdGlvbnMvc3RkZXYtcyI%2Cs_Ba9C1GD9kKvKBSsl.png","@type":["Article","TechArticle"],"author":{"@id":"https://practiceexcelonline.com/#identity"},"image":{"@id":"https://practiceexcelonline.com/#/schema/image/1"},"isPartOf":{"@id":"https://practiceexcelonline.com/functions/stdev-s#webpage"},"mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https://practiceexcelonline.com/functions/stdev-s#webpage"},"publisher":{"@id":"https://practiceexcelonline.com/#identity"}},{"@id":"https://practiceexcelonline.com/functions/stdev-s#/schema/question/1","@type":"Question","inLanguage":"en-US","name":"Should I use STDEV.S or STDEV.P?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Use STDEV.S when your data is a sample from something bigger, such as 50 survey answers or a few weeks of sales. 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