Calculation Issues

How to Calculate Population Variance Instead of Sample Variance in Excel

Kushani Nimanthika Oct 9, 2026 870 views

Question details

The user needs to calculate the population variance for a dataset in Excel rather than the sample variance.

How to Calculate Population Variance Instead of Sample Variance in Excel

Product: Excel
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Performing statistical analysis on a dataset that represents a complete population.
Observed behavior: The Excel Descriptive Statistics tool and standard VAR/VAR.S formulas default to returning the sample variance, leaving the user without the population variance.

Before you start

Verify that your dataset represents an entire population rather than a sample, and ensure your target data range contains only numeric values without text strings.

Solution 1Recommended

Use the VAR.P Function to Calculate Population Variance

Manually apply the VAR.P formula to calculate the exact variance of an entire population dataset.

Excel's Data Analysis descriptive statistics tool provides sample variance by default. To obtain the population variance, you must use the dedicated VAR.P function directly in your spreadsheet.

Select an output cell

Click on an empty cell where you want the population variance result to appear.

Enter the VAR.P formula

Type =VAR.P( into the formula bar or directly into the cell.

Select your data range

Highlight the range of cells containing your population data (for example, A2:A100).

Complete the calculation

Close the parenthesis by typing ) and press the Enter key to display the calculated population variance.

Use the VAR.P Function to Calculate Population Variance

Exclude Headers: Ensure the selected data range contains only the intended numeric values. Exclude column headers or unrelated cells to prevent calculation errors.

Powerful Spreadsheet Alternative

Calculate Statistical Variance Effortlessly with WPS Office

WPS Spreadsheet offers full support for advanced statistical functions, including VAR.P and VAR.S. It handles complex datasets smoothly and accurately, making statistical analysis highly efficient.

1. Open your dataset: Launch WPS Spreadsheet and open the file containing your population data.
2. Input the variance formula: Select an empty cell and enter =VAR.P( to begin the calculation.
3. Define the range and calculate: Highlight your numeric data range, close the parenthesis, and press Enter to instantly get your population variance.

100% compatible with Microsoft Excel formulas and .xlsx filesIntuitive and fast interface for seamless statistical analysisFree, lightweight, and easy-to-use alternative for data management

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between VAR.P and VAR.S in Excel?

VAR.P calculates the variance based on the entire population, while VAR.S calculates the variance based on a sample of the population. VAR.S divides by N-1, whereas VAR.P divides by N.

Why does the Descriptive Statistics tool only output sample variance?

Excel's Descriptive Statistics add-in is designed for general statistical inference, which typically relies on sample data. Therefore, it uses the sample variance formula by default. Population variance must be calculated manually using VAR.P.

Does the VAR.P function ignore empty cells and text?

Yes, VAR.P automatically ignores empty cells, text, and logical values within the selected range. If you need text and logical values to be evaluated as part of the calculation, use the VARPA function instead.

Excel & Data Problems