In this article:

How to Find Correlation Coefficient in Google Sheets (2024)

May 8, 2024

Correlation Coefficient in Google Sheets

In Google Sheets, the correlation coefficient measures the strength and direction of a linear relationship between two variables. It's a statistical value that ranges from -1 to 1, where:

  • 1 indicates a perfect positive linear relationship,
  • -1 indicates a perfect negative linear relationship, and
  • 0 indicates no linear relationship.

Syntax

Google Sheets uses the CORREL function to calculate the correlation coefficient. The syntax for this function is:

CORREL(range1, range2)

Where: 

  • range1: The first range of values.
  • range2: The second range of values.

These ranges must be of equal size and contain numeric values. The CORREL function then calculates the Pearson correlation coefficient between these two ranges which helps you understand the linear relationship between them. This can be useful for various data analysis tasks, such as understanding how two variables move with respect to each other in financial, scientific, and other types of data.

How to Calculate Correlation Coefficient in Google Sheets

Follow the steps below to calculate correlation coefficient in Google Sheets, 

1. Enter Data into Two Columns

First, input your data into two columns. Let's use an example where column A represents the hours studied per week (Variable X) and column B represents test scores (Variable Y) for a group of students. Each row corresponds to a different student's data.

correlation coefficient google sheets

2. Choose an Empty Cell for the Correlation Result

Find an empty cell where you want the correlation coefficient result to appear. This is where Google Sheets will display the calculation.

google sheets correlation

3. Input the CORREL Function in the Formula Bar

In the selected cell, type =CORREL( to initiate the correlation coefficient calculation. This tells Google Sheets you're going to calculate the correlation coefficient.

correlation google sheets

4. Specify Data Ranges for Both Variables in the Formula

Continue your formula by specifying the data ranges for your two variables. If your data for hours studied is in cells A2 through A11, and your test scores are in cells B2 through B11, your formula should look like =CORREL(A2:A11, B2:B11). Make sure these ranges accurately reflect where your data is in the sheet.

correlation in google sheets

5. Execute the Function by Pressing Enter

Close the parentheses and press Enter. Google Sheets will now calculate the correlation coefficient for the data you specified and display the result in your selected cell.

6. Analyze the Correlation Coefficient Result

Look at the result to understand the relationship between your variables. A value near 1 suggests a strong positive relationship (as hours studied increases, so do test scores), a value near -1 indicates a strong negative relationship, and a value around 0 suggests no linear relationship.

We hope that you now have a better understanding of how to find correlation coefficients in Google Sheets. If you enjoyed this article, you might also like our article on how to add a secondary axis in Google Sheets or our article on MINIFs in Google Sheets.

Get Google Sheets productivity and automation tips delivered straight to your inbox
Thank you! Your submission has been received!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.
We'll email you 1-3 times a week — and never share your information.

Work less, automate more!

Use Lido to connect your spreadsheets to email, Slack, calendars, and more to automate data transfers and eliminate manual copying and pasting. View all use cases ->