IQ Score Chart: What Each Score Means
An IQ of 100 is average, and about half of all people score between 90 and 109. The chart below shows what each range is called, how common it is and how your result on our free IQ test maps onto it.
IQ score chart: ranges and labels
Most modern IQ tests use a scale with an average of 100 and a standard deviation of 15. The labels below follow the commonly used Wechsler style of grouping. The share of people is what the normal curve predicts, so it is a model and not a head count.
| IQ score | Common label | Share of people |
|---|---|---|
| 130 and above | Very superior | about 2.2% |
| 120 to 129 | Superior | about 6.7% |
| 110 to 119 | High average | about 16.1% |
| 90 to 109 | Average | about 50% |
| 80 to 89 | Low average | about 16.1% |
| 70 to 79 | Borderline | about 6.7% |
| 69 and below | Extremely low | about 2.2% |
A label describes a score. It does not describe a person. Two people with the same score can be strong in very different ways.
What percentile is my IQ?
A percentile tells you how many people score below you. With a standard deviation of 15, the common cut points work out like this.
| IQ score | Higher than about |
|---|---|
| 70 | 2 in 100 people |
| 85 | 16 in 100 people |
| 100 | 50 in 100 people |
| 115 | 84 in 100 people |
| 120 | 91 in 100 people |
| 130 | 98 in 100 people |
| 145 | 99.9 in 100 people |
How does this test map to the chart?
Our test has 50 points. We correct for lucky guesses and spread the rest over 70 to 145. This table shows the points you need for each band on our test.
| Points out of 50 | Estimated IQ | Label on the result screen |
|---|---|---|
| 43 to 50 | 130 to 145 | Very superior |
| 37 to 42 | 120 to 129 | Superior |
| 32 to 36 | 110 to 119 | High average |
| 22 to 31 | 90 to 109 | Average |
| 17 to 21 | 80 to 89 | Low average |
| 0 to 16 | 70 to 79 | Below average |
This table is ours. It was not built from a group of test takers, so a score of 120 here is not the same as a 120 on a clinical test. Our result screen also says "Below average" for the lowest band instead of the clinical labels, because a short online quiz should not hand out a label like that. The method page explains the maths.
What does a score of 130 or more mean?
A score of 130 or higher is the top two percent on a clinical scale, and it is the usual entry point for societies that admit people on test results. A short online quiz cannot show a score that high with any confidence. If you reach the top band here, treat it as a sign that you handled the hard questions well, and nothing more.
What does a low score mean?
Very little. Tiredness, a noisy room, a small screen or a dislike of puzzles can all pull a score down. Many people also score lower on a first try than on a second. If your result surprised you, take the test again on another day, but not straight away, and read how accurate online IQ tests are.
What an IQ score does not tell you
IQ is a measure of certain kinds of reasoning. It does not measure creativity, kindness, work ethic, knowledge, taste or how well you get along with others. It is one number from one test on one day.
Curious where you land? The test has 25 questions and the result is free.
Take the free IQ test