Statistics & Probability

Coefficient of Variation Calculator

Compare variability between data sets with different units or scales.

By TheCalcTools Updated Formula checked and tested

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Coefficient of variation
Coefficient of variation
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Variance
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Coefficient of Variation Calculator by TheCalcTools

How the Coefficient of Variation Calculator works

Enter the mean and the standard deviation of your data.

The coefficient of variation expresses the standard deviation as a percentage of the mean.

A lower value means the data are more consistent relative to their size.

The formula

CV = σ ÷ |μ| × 100%

Worked example

Using the default values shown in the calculator:

Mean50
Standard deviation7.5
  1. CV = 7.5 ÷ 50 × 100 = 15.0%.
  2. The variance is 7.5² = 56.25.

Result:

Coefficient of variation15.00%
Variance56.2500

Frequently asked questions

When is CV useful?

When comparing the spread of data measured in different units, or with very different averages.

When should I avoid it?

When the mean is close to zero, because the ratio becomes unstable and meaningless.

Sources and further reading

Standard Error CalculatorFind the standard error from a standard deviation and sample size Z-Score CalculatorSee how many standard deviations a value is from the mean Mean, Median and Mode CalculatorPaste or type your numbers to get the mean, median, mode and range at once Average CalculatorPaste your numbers to find their average instantly Standard Deviation CalculatorPaste your data to get the standard deviation, variance and mean, for a sample or a… Variance CalculatorPaste your numbers to get the sample and population variance side by side

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This calculator gives estimates for information only. Check important results independently before you rely on them. See our disclaimer.