IQ 100 is average, 120 is around the top 9%, and 130 is around the top 2%
IQ is a score placed on a scale with a mean of 100 and a standard deviation of 15. The number itself does not determine a person's value or future. It shows a statistical position when people are read on the same scale.
Commonly searched numbers can be read this way.
| IQ | Approximate position in the group | How to read it |
|---|---|---|
| 100 | Around the average | Close to the middle of the group |
| 110 | Around the top 25% | Somewhat above average |
| 115 | Around the top 16% | Moderately high range |
| 120 | Around the top 9% | Higher range |
| 130 | Around the top 2% | Quite high range |
IQ 100 is not a label meaning "ordinary." It is the middle of the scale. IQ 120 is around the top tenth, and IQ 130 is around the top 2%.
IQ bands should be read as estimates
IQ is not a number for ranking people by one-point differences. Tests include measurement error, and the same person can score somewhat differently depending on physical condition, tension, sleep, and test format.
For that reason, it is more natural to read IQ as a band than as a tiny one-point distinction.
| Band | Approximate position |
|---|---|
| 130 or higher | Quite high range |
| 120-129 | Higher range |
| 110-119 | Somewhat above average |
| 90-109 | Average range |
| 80-89 | Somewhat below average |
| 70-79 | Quite low range |
For example, there is usually little reason to treat IQ 98 and IQ 102 as different ability levels. Even if the score crosses 100, they are practically in almost the same band.
Labels vary by test
The names used for IQ bands vary by test and publisher. The same IQ 115 may be described with labels such as "above average," "high average," or "higher side."
The important point is not the label itself. What matters is where the score sits on a scale with a mean of 100 and a standard deviation of 15, and which test produced the number.
IQ band names are practical guides. Looking at distance from the mean is less misleading than focusing on one-point labels.
Overall IQ alone can hide profile differences
Even with an overall IQ of 120, the score may hide a strongly uneven profile, for example verbal comprehension around 140 and processing speed around 90. In that case, the overall score looks high, but processing speed may create substantial load in daily situations.
Conversely, even when overall IQ is in the average range, one specific domain may be high, or one specific domain may carry strong load. IQ is best used as an entry point and read together with differences across domains.
BrainTypeIQ is an online IQ test with 9 tasks that shows overall IQ and differences across the cognitive profile. It is not a substitute for a diagnostic assessment, but it can be an entry point for reading not only the overall score, but also the balance of verbal comprehension, reasoning, working memory, and processing speed.