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STDEVPA Function

Excel 2007+

Summary

The STDEVPA function calculates the standard deviation for an entire population, uniquely including text and logical values in the computation. It measures the dispersion of data points from their mean, treating TRUE as 1, FALSE as 0, and numeric text as numbers.

Syntax

STDEVPA(value1, [value2], ...)

Parameters

Parameter	Type	Required	Description
value1	`Any`	Yes	First value, cell reference, or array containing population data
[value2], ...	`Any`	No	Optional values, references, or arrays (up to 254 more arguments)

Using the STDEVPA Function

Use STDEVPA when analyzing complete populations where logical values and text representations matter. Ideal for datasets with TRUE/FALSE flags, status indicators, or mixed data types where every value contributes to the population analysis.

Common STDEVPA Examples

Basic Population Analysis

=STDEVPA(A3:A12)

Calculates standard deviation for tool strength data (result: 26.05), treating range as entire population.

Including Logical Values

=STDEVPA(10, TRUE, FALSE, 15, "20")

Returns standard deviation where TRUE=1, FALSE=0, "20"=20 (result: ~5.89).

Mixed Data Types

=STDEVPA(B1:B10, C1:C5)

Combines two ranges including numbers, text numbers, and logicals.

Frequently Asked Questions

Use STDEVPA when you want logical values (TRUE/FALSE) and text numbers included. Use STDEVP to ignore logicals and non-numeric text.

STDEVPA treats data as entire population (÷n). STDEVA treats data as sample (÷n-1).

Yes, it processes arrays and references, ignoring empty cells but including logicals and numeric text.

Common Errors and Solutions

#VALUE! error

Cause: Arguments contain unresolvable text or error values

Solution: Remove error cells or use IFERROR to handle problematic values

Incorrect results with samples

Cause: Using population formula on sample data

Solution: Switch to STDEVA for sample data

Notes

Divides by n (population method)
TRUE evaluates as 1, FALSE as 0
Text like "123" counts as 123
Empty cells in ranges ignored
Error values propagate #VALUE!
For large datasets, results ≈ STDEVA

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+