Coefficient of variation
Coefficient of variation expresses the standard deviation as a percentage of the mean, making relative variability comparable across datasets with very different magnitudes or units.
Also known asCV
See it move
A side-by-side comparison contrasts a large logistics firm and a small rival on the coefficient of variation. The large firm delivers a mean of 5,000 parcels per week with a standard deviation of 200, giving a CV of 4%. The small rival averages only 80 parcels per week with a standard deviation of 16 but a CV of 20%, making it five times more volatile in relative terms despite its far smaller absolute standard deviation.
The formula
Variables
- sample standard deviation
- sample mean
Result expressed as a percentage. Meaningful only when the mean is strictly positive. Higher CV indicates greater relative variability.
Check yourself
Firm A dispatches a mean of 1,200 parcels per week with a standard deviation of 60. Firm B dispatches a mean of 80 parcels per week with a standard deviation of 12. A logistics manager wants to compare the relative variability of the two firms' weekly volumes. What do the coefficients of variation reveal?