Residual stress in sputter-deposited molybdenum thin films was studied via a X-ray diffraction with PSD (position sensitive detector) and MCA (multi-channel analyzer). The average strain tensor of the film was determined from sin²Ψ method. Measuring time could be reduced significantly and average stress tensor of a thin film was evaluated easily using PSD and MCA. Instrumental errors due to beam optics and misalignment were corrected with a random molybdenum specimen. Orientation distribution function was calculated from the measured pole figures. Assuming plane stress state conditions average stress tensor of the film was evaluated from the volume averaged stiffness tensor. The measured residual stress from PSD was compared with the biaxial stress evaluated from substrate curvature method.