Variance calculator
Compute the sample variance and mean of a list of numbers.
Related tools
All Statistics & probability tools →Enter Numbers (comma-separated) and the Variance calculator works out Sample variance, Mean straight away. For instance, with Numbers (comma-separated) = 4, 8, 15, 16, 23, 42 it returns Sample variance = 182 and Mean = 18.
How to use it
- Enter your values: Numbers (comma-separated).
- Read the result instantly: Sample variance, Mean.
Frequently asked questions
How does the Variance calculator work?
It takes Numbers (comma-separated) and derives Sample variance and Mean from them. The calculation is live as you type, so the result updates on every change.
Which values does the calculator ask for?
A single value: Numbers (comma-separated). Nothing else is required — no account, no file upload.
What does a typical calculation look like?
With Numbers (comma-separated) = 4, 8, 15, 16, 23, 42, the calculator returns Sample variance = 182 and Mean = 18. Those figures come from running this exact tool, so you can reproduce them by entering the same values.
How much does the result change with different inputs?
It moves a lot. Using Numbers (comma-separated) = 4, 8, 17, 18, 28, 53 instead, Sample variance goes from 182 to 311.067 — which is why it is worth testing a few scenarios rather than trusting a single figure.
What does it give for smaller values?
Scaled down to Numbers (comma-separated) = 4, 8, 15, Sample variance comes out at 31. The relationship is worth checking at both ends before you rely on a single result.
When would I actually use this?
Summarising a dataset before drawing conclusions from it, checking whether a difference between two groups is real, and putting an interval around an estimate.
What is the most common mistake?
Reading a p-value as the probability that the hypothesis is wrong. It is the probability of seeing data at least this extreme if the null were true — a different statement, and a much weaker one.
What is the difference between the Variance calculator and the Coefficient of variation calculator?
This one returns Sample variance; the Coefficient of variation calculator returns Coefficient of variation and Standard deviation. That is the whole difference — open the one whose figure you need.
Is there a tool for the next step?
Correlation coefficient calculator is the closest one after this: Compute Pearson's correlation coefficient between two lists of numbers.
What else is worth having open alongside it?
Expected value calculator and Geometric mean calculator — they come up in the same task often enough to be worth a second tab.