"I scored 118 — is that good?" An IQ number on its own says little until you know what it is compared with. Modern IQ tests are built so that the average is 100 and the standard deviation is 15, and every score is really a statement about where you stand in a reference group. Here is how to read it.
The short answer
- 90–109 is the average range — about half of all people score here.
- 110–119 is high average, 120–129 very high.
- 130 and above is extremely high, roughly the top 2–3%.
- Below 90, the bands mirror those above: 80–89 low average, 70–79 very low, under 70 extremely low.
So a "good" score depends on what you mean: anything from 110 up is above average, and 120+ is higher than about 9 in 10 people.
IQ ranges and how common they are
With a mean of 100 and an SD of 15, scores follow the bell curve. The share of people in each descriptive band:
| IQ range | Description | Share of people |
|---|---|---|
| 130 and above | Extremely high | about 2.5% |
| 120–129 | Very high | about 7% |
| 110–119 | High average | about 17% |
| 90–109 | Average | about 50% |
| 80–89 | Low average | about 16% |
| 70–79 | Very low | about 6.5% |
| Below 70 | Extremely low | about 2% |
IQ to percentile table
A percentile tells you what share of people score below you.
| IQ | Percentile (scores below you) | Share scoring higher |
|---|---|---|
| 85 | 15.9% | 84.1% |
| 90 | 25.2% | 74.8% |
| 100 | 50% | 50% |
| 105 | 63.1% | 36.9% |
| 110 | 74.8% | 25.2% |
| 115 | 84.1% | 15.9% |
| 120 | 90.9% | 9.1% |
| 125 | 95.2% | 4.8% |
| 130 | 97.7% | 2.3% |
| 135 | 99.0% | 1.0% |
| 140 | 99.6% | 0.4% |
| 145 | 99.87% | 0.13% |
High-IQ society Mensa, for example, accepts scores at or above the 98th percentile on an approved, supervised test — about 131 on a scale with an SD of 15.
Every score has a margin of error
No test measures perfectly. A good result is reported as a range: "112, very likely between 105 and 119". Two people scoring 112 and 115 on the same test may well have the same ability. That is why our IQ Test shows a 90% range under the score, and why you should not read much into a difference of a few points.
Why your score can differ between tests
- Different reference groups. A score is only comparable with the group the test was normed on — age, country and year matter.
- Different abilities. A matrix test measures non-verbal reasoning; a full battery adds vocabulary, memory and speed. People rarely score the same on all of them.
- Practice. Taking similar tests again tends to lift scores a little as the format becomes familiar.
- The day itself. Sleep, stress and distraction all shift results.
- Older norms. Average raw scores rose for decades in many countries (the Flynn effect), so a test normed long ago can flatter today's test-takers.
How to check your own score
- Take the adaptive matrix test on our IQ Test page, in a quiet place.
- Note the score and the range.
- Look up the percentile in the table above, or read it straight from the result screen.
- If you take it again, compare ranges, not single numbers.
FAQ
What is the average IQ? 100 by definition, in the group the test was normed on.
Is 120 a good IQ? Yes — it is higher than about 91% of people.
Can IQ change? Scores are fairly stable in adults but not fixed; education, health and practice on a test format all have some effect.
Does a high IQ guarantee success? No. IQ predicts some outcomes on average, but effort, knowledge, skills and circumstances matter at least as much.
Try it now
Find out where you stand with the free adaptive IQ test. It runs in your browser, gives you a score with a range and a percentile, and lets you review every puzzle.