You finish an IQ test, the screen says 112, and the first question that pops up is always the same: is that good? On its own the number says very little, because IQ isn't an absolute measurement. It's a ranking that compares you with people your own age, so it helps to know where the average comes from first.
Why is the average exactly 100?
Because it's set that way. When an IQ test is built, it's given to thousands of people and the results are scaled so the average lands on 100. The spread is fixed as well, with a standard deviation of 15 points. So 100 doesn't mean "this is how smart most people are". It means "this is the middle of the group".
In practice, about two out of three people score between 85 and 115. Roughly 95 percent fall between 70 and 130. The further out you go, the faster the numbers thin out.
Score ranges and how common they are
The table below follows the Wechsler classification, the one clinicians use most often. The percentages are rounded.
| Score | Classification | Share of population |
|---|---|---|
| 130 and above | Very superior | 2% |
| 120–129 | Superior | 7% |
| 110–119 | High average | 16% |
| 90–109 | Average | 50% |
| 80–89 | Low average | 16% |
| 70–79 | Borderline | 7% |
| Below 70 | Extremely low | 2% |
That 112 sits in the high-average band, which roughly means you'd come out ahead of 78 or 79 people in a room of 100. Good, but not life-changing. The gap between 105 and 112 is the kind of difference the same person can show on two different days.
Does the average change with age?
Each age group is scored against itself, so the average for a 10-year-old is 100 and the average for a 60-year-old is also 100. What changes is how many questions you need to get right to earn that score.
Different abilities move in different directions as we get older. Processing speed and short-term memory slowly decline after our twenties, while vocabulary and general knowledge keep growing for a long time. That's why a good test doesn't lean on one skill. It mixes verbal, numerical, visual and memory questions.
How much should you trust an online result?
Honest answer: it gives you a good idea, not a diagnosis. The tests psychologists use are run in a quiet room, with a professional present and strict timing. A test you take at home on your phone, half paying attention, can't be that precise.
A well-built online test is still useful. It shows where you stand compared with the average and which areas come easier to you. Our free IQ test covers verbal, numerical, logic, memory and attention questions across 28 items, and the methodology page explains how it was put together and where its limits are. Short on time? The 12-question quick IQ test gives an estimate in about five minutes.
A few things worth keeping in mind when you read your result:
- Treat a single score as a range. If you got 108, your true value is most likely somewhere between 100 and 115.
- Being tired, hungry or rushed will make you look lower than you are.
- Retaking the same test raises your score, but that's familiarity with the questions, not a jump in intelligence.
What moves your score on the day
IQ is fairly stable over the long run, but your performance on a given day can swing. Lack of sleep is the biggest factor; one bad night can easily cost a few points on attention and memory questions. Phone notifications, a TV in the background or simply wanting to get it over with do the same.
If you're curious which part tripped you up, testing skills one by one gives a clearer picture. The memory test for short-term memory, the attention test for focus and impulse control, and the N-back test for working memory are good places to start. Each takes a few minutes.
Can you raise your score?
Permanently and quickly, not really. Raising your test performance is another matter, and the recipe is almost boringly simple: sleep well, take the test somewhere calm and get familiar with the question types. Over the long term, reading, learning new things and mentally demanding hobbies keep your thinking sharp.
Logic and memory games can be a fun help here. The puzzles on our brain games page won't magically boost your IQ, but they train you to stay focused and not rush a problem, which is exactly what makes a difference on test day.
In short
The average IQ is 100 and most people land between 85 and 115. Anything above 110 is above average, and 130 or more shows up in roughly one person in fifty. Think of your score as a rough position, not a label. If you're curious, find a quiet moment and take the test to see where you land.