IQ SCORE CHART

IQ Score Meaning & Chart

What a specific IQ score tells you: where it sits on the bell curve, its percentile, how rare it is, and which classification it falls into. New to the concept? Start with what is IQ.

Population Median
100

Global normative midpoint

Standard Deviation
±15

Wechsler standard deviation scale

Average Range
85–115

68.2% of global population

The Normal Distribution (Bell Curve)

Drag the slider below to see where any IQ score falls on the standardized Gaussian distribution.

IQ 100
50th Percentile • Average
Low (60)Average (100)Very Superior (130)Max (145+)
70 (-2σ)85 (-1σ)100 (Mean)115 (+1σ)130 (+2σ)68.2%Average Range (85–115)13.6%13.6%2.2%
Percentile Rank
50th

Higher than 50% of people

Classification
Average

Normal cognitive baseline

Population Rarity
1 in 2

Represents 50% of the population

The 5 Cognitive Domains Measured

Modern cognitive science assesses intelligence as a multifaceted profile rather than a single number:

1. Logical Reasoning

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Evaluates deductive logic, syllogisms, condition evaluation, and cause-and-effect reasoning under structured constraints.

2. Numerical Reasoning

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Measures recognition of mathematical progressions, interleaved sequences, proportional relationships, and mental quantitative agility.

3. Spatial Reasoning

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Mental 2D/3D rotation, folded paper projections, isometric cube block counting, and geometric perspective transformations.

4. Pattern Recognition

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Raven-style progressive matrix solving, shape metamorphosis, and non-verbal logic. The purest empirical measure of fluid intelligence (g-factor).

5. Verbal Reasoning

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Conceptual relationships between words, lexical analogies, contextual inference, and semantic classification.

IQ Score Chart

Wechsler classification for deviation IQ scores (mean 100, SD 15). For more detail on each range, see the full IQ scale; to convert an exact score, use the percentile calculator.

IQ RangeClassificationPercentile EquivalentPopulation ShareSignificance
130+Very Superior98th+Mensa threshold
120–129Superior91st–97thWell above average
110–119High Average75th–90thAbove average
90–109Average25th–74thPopulation average
80–89Low Average9th–24thBelow average
70–79Borderline2nd–8thSupport often helpful
<70Extremely LowBelow 2ndClinical evaluation advised

Common Questions About IQ Scores

What is considered a normal or average IQ score?

The population average is 100 with a standard deviation of 15. That means about 68% of people score between 85 and 115 (±1 SD), and about 95% score between 70 and 130. On the Wechsler scale, 90–109 is labelled "Average".

Can a person’s IQ score change over time?

Adult IQ is fairly stable relative to peers, but test performance can move by several points between sessions because of sleep, stress, health, practice with similar items and the test version used.

What is the highest possible IQ score on a standardized test?

Clinical tests like the WAIS-IV top out around 160 (4 standard deviations above the mean, roughly 1 in 30,000 people). Scores of 180 or 200 reported online are statistical extrapolations, not measurements.

Does a high IQ guarantee career or life success?

No. IQ predicts how quickly people learn abstract material and correlates with academic results, but real-world success also depends heavily on conscientiousness, motivation, social skills, health and opportunity.