Free calculator
Chi-square p-value calculator
Enter your Pearson chi-square (χ²) test statistic and degrees of freedom (df) as a positive whole number. The page returns the usual right-tail p-value P(Χ² ≥ x) (what most software shows for a chi-square test) and the cumulative P(Χ² ≤ x). Use the Sheets and Excel section for CHISQ.DIST / CHISQ.DIST.RT. This is a statistic-to-p helper, not a full 2×2 or contingency test from raw counts.
When to use this calculator
You already have the test statistic and need a p-value—or you want to check a table or software value against transparent math before you file a model or a deck.
- Turn a published χ² and df into a p-value without re-entering the whole raw table in another tool.
- Audit a spreadsheet: compare
CHISQ.DIST/CHISQ.DIST.RTin Excel or Google Sheets to this page on the same inputs. - Teaching and homework: read right tail vs CDF on the same numbers—without installing software.
- Need a 2×2 or R×C test from counts? This v1 does not build the table; use your sheet’s
CHISQ.TEST(or a dedicated table tool) and paste the χ² here, or use the t-test and Z-score tools for other distributions.
Under the usual Pearson chi-square null setup, a χ² test statistic (non-negative) is compared to a chi-square distribution with ν degrees of freedom (df = ν on this page). The p-value reported for many tests is the upper (right) tail P(Χ_ν² ≥ x): the chance of a larger statistic if the null model is correct.
Right tail vs cumulative
We show P(Χ² ≥ x) (right tail) as the headline p-value, and P(Χ² ≤ x) (left area / CDF) as a check. A so-called “two-tailed” χ² p-value is not standard the same way as for t or Z; if your course asks for something other than the upper tail, compare their definition to the two lines here.
Degrees of freedom
df is not the sample size. For common tests it is set by the table shape (for example (r−1)(c−1) for an r×c test of independence) or the model in goodness-of-fit—enter the integer you already used in your test software.
What this page does not do
We do not recompute χ² from row/column counts or run Yates/Fisher—that belongs in a table workflow or a dedicated test tool. We also do not run G-tests or other variants here.
ν in formulas is the same df you type as an integer. For borderline p-values, remember discrete data and small counts may need a course-specific correction—this page is the continuous chi-square tail, like pchisq / CHISQ.DIST in common software.
For normal model Z and (x−μ)/σ stories instead of a χ² p-value, open the Z-score calculator.
For t and F tests, use the dedicated t-test calculator and your course or software for **F** tables.
To get SD and μ from a list before a different test, use the standard deviation calculator (and **variance** if you need **s²** first).
FAQs cover df choices, Excel/Sheets in de / fr, a 2×2 from counts, and the usual p < 0.05 phrasing for teaching.
Google Sheets & Excel
In English function packs, CHISQ.DIST(x, deg_freedom, cumulative) with cumulative = TRUE is the CDF P(Χ² ≤ x). CHISQ.DIST.RT(x, deg_freedom) is the right-tail p-value P(Χ² > x), i.e. 1 − CDF in continuous terms—match your software’s “≥” rule for the boundary case. If your app is in another language pack, use Formulas → Insert function to find the same chi-square distribution. Replace A2/B2 with your χ² and df cells below.
=CHISQ.DIST.RT(A2, B2)A2 = χ² test statistic, B2 = df (integer). Google Sheets also supports CHISQ.DIST.RT in current locales; confirm your UI language.
=CHISQ.DIST(A2, B2, TRUE)Same A2 and B2 as above; TRUE means cumulative distribution.
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Frequently asked questions
What is a chi-square p-value?
The usual p-value for a chi-square test is the right-tail (upper-tail) probability: P(Χ_ν² ≥ x) for your observed statistic x and ν degrees of freedom—i.e. how much probability lies at or beyond your test statistic in the χ²(ν) distribution, under the null model. Some tables show 1 − p (the CDF); this page shows both.
What should I enter for degrees of freedom?
Use the same df you used when you computed the χ² statistic. Examples: (r−1)(c−1) for a common r×c test of independence; or (k−1) for a k-cell goodness-of-fit with estimated parameters handled by your test. This tool expects a positive integer.
Which English Excel and Google Sheets functions match the right tail?
CHISQ.DIST.RT(x, deg_freedom) returns the right-tail p-value in current English Excel, consistent with the headline on this page. The CDF is CHISQ.DIST(x, deg_freedom, TRUE) in Excel and =CHISQ.DIST(…, TRUE) in Sheets with the same arguments. Always verify against your language pack; names differ by locale (see the DE/FR FAQ pair below).
Is a result “significant” if p < 0.05?
Many courses use α = 0.05 as a convention for reporting, but a p-value is a probability statement about the data under a model, not automatic proof. Report what your field expects and be careful with very large samples and pre-registration of hypotheses.
I only have a 2×2 count table. Can I paste it here?
Not in this v1: we do not type expected counts or a 2×2 for you. Build the table in a sheet and use CHISQ.TEST / CHITEST in Excel/Sheets to get the test output, then use this page to turn a statistic and df into a p-value for checking—or enter χ² and df from the software you trust.
Is this the same p-value as a t-test or a z-test?
No. t and Z p-values use t- or normal distributions, not a chi-square for the same test output. This page is only for a chi-square statistic and its df. Use the Z-score or t-test tool when your summary statistic is a Z or t value instead.
Do you use Yates’ correction or Fisher’s exact test?
Not here. Those are separate procedures for small samples or 2×2 special cases—this page is the continuity-corrected-free right-tail p from χ² and df for standard reference math.
Is this professional statistics advice?
No. It is a free educational calculator. For pre-planned study designs, preregistration, and regulated reporting, follow your institution, ethics board, and qualified statisticians.