Margin of Error Calculator

When analyzing the results of a survey, the sheer amount of data to look at can be intimidating. With Jotform’s margin of error calculator, you can easily enter your values below to calculate the margin of error for your survey results in just a few easy clicks.

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Population Size

Confidence Level (%)

Sample Size

Margin of Error

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What is the margin of error in a survey?

Margin of error is a statistic that accounts for the amount of uncertainty your survey data might have in regards to how accurate the results of your sample size are for a wider population size. A confidence interval isn’t the same as the margin of error — it’s equal to twice the margin of error, because it accounts for the margin of error on both sides of the end result. By calculating your margin of error using the margin of error formula, you can determine your survey’s accuracy.

How does the margin of error work?

The margin of error shows you how the results of your survey data for your sample size can differ from the results for an entire population. If you know your population size, confidence level, and sample size, you can easily calculate it with the margin of error calculator above.

How can I calculate the margin of error?

To calculate the margin of error, follow these steps:

Determine your population size, confidence level, and sample size.
Enter your values into the calculator above.
View your results instantly!

Your margin of error can be calculated using this mathematical formula:

How do you create a sample size for a margin of error calculator?

Sample size is the number of people who take your survey. Your sample size can vary based on your industry, but a good rule is to include as many people as you can — as long as they fit within the desired characteristics of your total population. Once you have your sample size, enter it into the calculator along with your population size and confidence level.You can send your form to users included in the sample by sharing a direct link or embedding your form directly into your website or online participant portal.

How does sample size affect your margin of error?

The margin of error decreases as the sample size increases. This is because increasing the number of people you include in your sample size increases the survey accuracy in terms of how it reflects upon the wider population.

How do I understand my confidence level?

Confidence level refers to the percentage or certainty that your confidence interval will fall between a set of values. To understand your confidence level, consider that the confidence level is often expressed as a percentage, like 99%, 95%, and so on. For example, a 95% confidence level would mean that your team can be 95% certain about your results.

How can I reduce the margin of error in my survey results?

To get more reliable survey results, it’s important to try reducing your margin of error. Consider the following suggestions to reduce the margin of error for all of your surveys:

Collect more survey data
Reduce the data variability
Use a lower confidence level

What is a good margin of error?

A “good” margin of error is different based on which industry you belong to and what your specific goals are. It will also vary based on your sample size, population size, and confidence level. Most survey researchers consider a good margin of error to be between 4 and 8 percent at the 95 percent confidence level.

How do I create a survey?

Once you’ve calculated your margin of error above, you can create a survey for free with Jotform. Jotform’s online surveys work seamlessly on any device, so you can collect responses quickly and efficiently no matter where your survey respondents are located. You can also use Jotform’s powerful analytics and reporting features to generate visual reports and reveal important insights.

To create a survey, simply

Sign up for a free Jotform account
Build a survey from scratch or from a free survey template, with no coding required
Share your survey with a link or embed it in your website
Collect and view responses directly from your secure Jotform account

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How can I make my data analysis more reliable?

Making sure your data analysis is reliable will improve your survey accuracy. To ensure that your data analysis is reliable, take the following steps:

Keep your data-collection process consistent.

If you’re using different methods to survey people, how can you know that their responses are consistent and reliable? Make sure you use the same survey method for all of the people you’re surveying.

Know where your data is coming from.

Send your survey to specific people rather than sharing it publicly — otherwise anyone can fill out your survey and affect the accuracy of your data. Another way to know where your data is coming from is to check IP addresses. With Jotform, you can find the IP addresses of form respondents to help ensure the reliability of your data.

Generate reports.

When analyzing your survey data, transferring the data by hand to other platforms risks manual error. Jotform Report Builder lets you automatically turn your survey responses into visual reports in a few easy clicks, so you can rest assured that your report is being pulled directly from your survey data.

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Take advantage of the useful feedback gathered through your form with Jotform Report Builder. In just a few easy clicks, you can convert form responses into easy-to-download PDFs, share results via direct link, or embed results directly into your website.