IQ scores
What an IQ of 120 means
An IQ of 120 is at the 91 percentile on the standard scale. About 1 person in 11 scores this high or higher. It falls in the range usually labelled high.
IQ 120 at a glance
| Percentile | 91 |
| Rarity | 1 in 11 (this high or higher) |
| Range | High (about 7 in 100 of people) |
| Distance from average | 1.33 standard deviations above |
| Same result on SD 16 | 121 |
| Same result on SD 24 (Cattell) | 132 |
What it tells you
A score of 120 is clearly above average. People in this range typically find abstract and academic material easier than most, but the score says nothing about effort, interests or skill in any particular field.
Scores in this range are common among university graduates, which is a statement about who goes to university as much as about the score.
How sure can you be of a score of 120?
That depends on the test. On a long, supervised assessment the margin of error is a few points. On a short online test it is around ten, so a reported 120 means a true score probably somewhere between 109 and 131. That span runs from the 73 to the 98 percentile.
Scores also depend on the scale. If your 120 came from a test using a standard deviation of 16 or 24, it is not the same as 120 here; the percentile calculator converts between them.
Nearby scores
- IQ 115: 84 percentile.
- IQ 125: 95 percentile.
- The full IQ scale, with every range.