IQ 120 — How Rare It Is, What It Means & Famous People With This Score
An IQ of 120 is higher than 90.9% of people. It sits 1.33 standard deviations above the average and is classed as superior.
| Percentile | 90.9th |
|---|---|
| How rare | higher than 90.9% of people |
| People alive with this score or higher | about 748 million of 8.2 billion |
| Standard deviations above the average of 100 | +1.33 |
| Classification | superior |
| Mensa (top 2%, 130 and above) | just below |
Is 120 a good IQ?
Yes. An IQ of 120 is higher than 90.9% of people. The usual gifted line, and the Mensa line, is 130.
How many people have an IQ of 120 or higher?
About 748 million of the world’s 8.2 billion people, on the normal curve (average 100, standard deviation 15) used by modern tests.
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What Does an IQ of 120 Mean?
An IQ of 120 is classified as "Superior" and places you well above the general population in cognitive ability. About 9.1% of people score at or above this level.
Twenty questions, eight minutes on the clock, and a percentile measured against everyone who has taken it. No sign-up.
Take the IQ test →Individuals with this IQ typically perform well in academic and professional settings, particularly in fields requiring analytical thinking, complex problem-solving, and learning agility.
Where IQ 120 Falls on the Bell Curve
The highlighted area shows the percentage of the population scoring at or above IQ 120. The dashed line marks the exact position of this score on the normal distribution.
No geniuses in our database have an estimated IQ of exactly 120.
Explore geniuses with nearby IQ scores below, or browse all IQ rankings.
Explore Other IQ Scores
About IQ Scores: IQ (Intelligence Quotient) scores follow a normal distribution with a mean of 100 and a standard deviation of 15. Historical IQ estimates for famous individuals are approximations based on their demonstrated achievements, not direct test results. These estimates should be considered illustrative rather than definitive.
