IQ scores
What an IQ of 125 means
An IQ of 125 is at the 95 percentile on the standard scale. About 1 person in 20.9 scores this high or higher. It falls in the range usually labelled high.
IQ 125 at a glance
| Percentile | 95 |
| Rarity | 1 in 20.9 (this high or higher) |
| Range | High (about 7 in 100 of people) |
| Distance from average | 1.67 standard deviations above |
| Same result on SD 16 | 127 |
| Same result on SD 24 (Cattell) | 140 |
What it tells you
A score of 125 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 125?
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 125 means a true score probably somewhere between 114 and 136. That span runs from the 82 to the 99.2 percentile.
Scores also depend on the scale. If your 125 came from a test using a standard deviation of 16 or 24, it is not the same as 125 here; the percentile calculator converts between them.
Nearby scores
- IQ 120: 91 percentile.
- IQ 130: 98 percentile.
- The full IQ scale, with every range.