Coefficient of Variation Calculator

What is Coefficient of Variation?

The coefficient of variation (CV) is a standardized measure of dispersion that expresses the standard deviation as a percentage of the mean. It's particularly useful when comparing the variability of datasets with different units or vastly different means.

Formula

Interpretation Guidelines

• CV < 15%: Low variability - data points are relatively consistent
• CV 15-30%: Moderate variability - reasonable dispersion around the mean
• CV > 30%: High variability - data points are widely spread

Common Use Cases

• Comparing consistency: Compare variability across datasets with different units (e.g., height in cm vs weight in kg)
• Quality control: Assess the reliability and consistency of manufacturing processes
• Investment analysis: Compare risk relative to expected return across different investments
• Method comparison: Evaluate which measurement technique produces more consistent results
• Assessing reliability: Determine if measurement instruments produce consistent readings

When to Use

Use the coefficient of variation when you want to compare variability across:

• Datasets with different measurement units
• Variables with vastly different means
• Multiple groups or conditions

Note: CV is only meaningful for ratio-scale data (where zero indicates absence of the quantity). It should not be used with interval data (like temperature in Celsius) or when the mean is close to zero.