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PEARSON Function

Excel 2007+

Summary

The PEARSON function calculates the Pearson product-moment correlation coefficient, measuring the linear relationship strength between two data sets. Values range from -1.0 (perfect negative correlation) to +1.0 (perfect positive correlation), with 0 indicating no linear relationship.

Syntax

PEARSON(array1, array2)

Parameters

Parameter	Type	Required	Description
array1	`Array`	Yes	Set of independent values - typically the predictor or x-axis data
array2	`Array`	Yes	Set of dependent values - typically the response or y-axis data

Using the PEARSON Function

PEARSON is essential for statistical analysis to determine if two variables have a linear relationship. Use it in data analysis, research, quality control, and predictive modeling to quantify correlation strength before regression analysis.

Common PEARSON Examples

Basic Correlation Analysis

=PEARSON(A2:A6,B2:B6)

Calculates correlation between independent values (9,7,5,3,1) and dependent values (10,6,1,5,3), returning approximately 0.699379 indicating moderate positive correlation.

Sales vs Advertising Spend

=PEARSON(C2:C10,D2:D10)

Measures correlation between monthly ad spend and sales revenue.

Frequently Asked Questions

A result of 0.8 indicates strong positive linear correlation between the two data sets.

Yes, empty cells, text, and logical values are ignored, but zero values are included.

PEARSON returns #N/A error if array1 and array2 don't have the same number of data points.

Common Errors and Solutions

#N/A Error

Cause: Arrays have different numbers of data points or are empty

Solution: Ensure both arrays contain the same number of numeric values

#VALUE! Error

Cause: Arrays contain non-numeric data that can't be ignored

Solution: Clean your data to contain only numbers or valid references

Notes

Correlation coefficient ranges: -1.0 to 1.0
Perfect correlation = ±1.0, No correlation = 0
Use with scatter plots for visual confirmation
Consider CORREL function (identical results)
Requires minimum 2 data points per array

Compatibility

Available in: Excel 2007, Excel 2010, Excel 2013, Excel 2016, Excel 2019, Excel 2021, Microsoft 365

Not available in: Excel 2003 and earlier

Content last reviewed: December 9, 2025
Update frequency: As needed
Excel versions tested: Excel 2007+