Short answer: An IQ of 113 is high average: higher than about 81 percent of people, roughly 1 in 5. It falls in the WAIS-IV's 110 to 119 band, seven points below the Superior range that starts at 120. On an SD 16 scale it reads as about 114; on the SD 24 Cattell scale, about 121. It is comfortably above the population median of 100.
Shaded: the share of people who score higher on a mean-100, SD-15 scale.
At a glance
| Percentile | 80.69th (19.3% score higher) |
|---|---|
| Rarity | About 1 in 5 score this high or higher |
| Wechsler classification | High Average |
| Stanford-Binet 5 classification | High average |
| On an SD 16 scale | About 114 |
| On an SD 24 (Cattell) scale | About 121 |
| Mensa eligible? | No (cutoff 130) |
Reading a 113
An IQ of 113 sits 0.87 standard deviations above the mean. It ranks at the 80.69th percentile; 19.3 percent of people score higher. In a class of 30, about six students would match or beat it.
Both major test families use the same words here. The WAIS-IV and WAIS-5 call 110 to 119 High Average, and the Stanford-Binet 5 uses high average for the same range. The full ladder of labels is in IQ scale classification.
113 and the top fifth
| IQ | Percentile | Scoring higher | Rarity |
|---|---|---|---|
| 105 | 63.1 | 36.9% | 1 in 2.7 |
| 110 | 74.8 | 25.2% | 1 in 4 |
| 113 | 80.7 | 19.3% | 1 in 5.2 |
| 115 | 84.1 | 15.9% | 1 in 6.3 |
| 117 | 87.1 | 12.9% | 1 in 7.8 |
| 120 | 90.9 | 9.1% | 1 in 11 |
The High Average band from 110 to 119 holds about 16 percent of the population. A 113 sits in its lower half, just inside the top fifth overall. Neighboring pages: IQ 110, IQ 115, IQ 117; the whole distribution is on the IQ rarity chart.
High average versus superior
Seven points separate 113 from the Superior band at 120. That is less than half a standard deviation, but it moves a person from the 81st to the 91st percentile. On a single test, the gap is also close to the error margin: a measured 113 carries a 95 percent confidence band of roughly 108 to 118.
Labels exaggerate the break. A 119 and a 121 carry different names and describe nearly identical performance. The pages for IQ 120 and IQ 122 show what the next band looks like.
Is 113 a good IQ? The school evidence
The best large-scale data on what a score like this means comes from English schools. Ian Deary and colleagues tracked more than 70,000 children from a cognitive test at 11 to national GCSE exams at 16, publishing in Intelligence in 2007. The correlation between general intelligence and overall results was .81.
Their benchmark was five or more good GCSE passes. Among pupils of average intelligence, 58 percent reached it. One standard deviation higher, the equivalent of an IQ of 115, the figure rose to 91 percent. A 113 sits just below that mark, a strong position for academic work.
The same study carries a warning against reading too much into test scores. Girls showed no advantage in measured intelligence, yet outperformed boys in every subject except physics. Effort, habits and interest shape results on top of ability. For the wider picture, see what counts as a high IQ.
How to get an accurate reading
A dependable score comes from a standardized battery, such as the WAIS-IV, WAIS-5 or Stanford-Binet 5, administered by a licensed psychologist. Ask for the confidence interval, not only the headline number. Our free IQ test is a practice screener that gives a ballpark figure; are online IQ tests accurate? explains what it can and cannot tell you.
Scores near 113
Frequently asked questions
Is 113 a good IQ?
Yes. A 113 is higher than about 81 percent of people and falls in the High Average band on both the Wechsler and Stanford-Binet scales. Large studies link scores at this level with strong school results on average, although effort and circumstances shape individual outcomes.
Is an IQ of 113 above average?
Yes. The average IQ is 100 by design, and the Average band runs from 90 to 109. A 113 sits above that band, in the High Average range from 110 to 119, and outscores roughly four people in five.
What percentile is an IQ of 113?
On a scale with a mean of 100 and a standard deviation of 15, an IQ of 113 is at the 80.69th percentile. About 19.3 percent of people score higher, which is roughly 1 person in 5.
Is 113 enough to do well at university?
Universities do not admit students by IQ, and no score guarantees or rules out success. The evidence suggests a 113 is an advantage in academic work: in a study of more than 70,000 English pupils, those near one standard deviation above average met the national exam benchmark far more often than average pupils.
Sources
- Deary, Strand, Smith & Fernandes (2007), Intelligence and educational achievement (ERIC record) — 70,000+ pupils; correlation .81; 58% vs 91% benchmark; sex differences
- Deary et al. (2007), Intelligence 35, 13-21 — Journal record
- IQ classification (Wikipedia) — WAIS-IV and Stanford-Binet 5 bands
- Intelligence quotient (Wikipedia) — Deviation IQ scale; confidence intervals
Editorial standard: IQ figures for historical figures are retrospective estimates and are labeled as such; scores for living people appear only when the person disclosed them or a reputable outlet reported them. Corrections: contact the editors.
