IQ 125 — How Rare It Is, What It Means & Famous People With This Score
An IQ of 125 is higher than 95.2% of people. About 1 in 21 people score 125 or above — about 392 million people alive today. It sits 1.67 standard deviations above the average and is classed as superior.
| Percentile | 95.2th |
|---|---|
| How rare | 1 in 21 |
| People alive with this score or higher | about 392 million of 8.2 billion |
| Standard deviations above the average of 100 | +1.67 |
| Classification | superior |
| Mensa (top 2%, 130 and above) | just below |
Is 125 a good IQ?
Yes. An IQ of 125 is higher than 95.2% of people. The usual gifted line, and the Mensa line, is 130.
How many people have an IQ of 125 or higher?
About 392 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 125 Mean?
An IQ of 125 is classified as "Superior" and places you well above the general population in cognitive ability. About 4.8% 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 125 Falls on the Bell Curve
The highlighted area shows the percentage of the population scoring at or above IQ 125. 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 125.
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.
Sources and method
Scores on this page use the deviation-IQ scale of the modern Wechsler and Stanford–Binet tests: mean 100, standard deviation 15. Percentiles and rarity figures are computed from the normal distribution. Published tests report full-scale scores only up to about 160 (the WAIS-IV range is 40 to 160), so rarity figures above that level are statistical, not measured.
- Pearson Assessments: Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale, Fourth Edition (WAIS-IV) — the deviation-IQ scale (mean 100, standard deviation 15) and the full-scale range of 40 to 160.
- Stanford–Binet Intelligence Scales (overview) — the same mean-100, standard-deviation-15 scale on the Stanford–Binet.
- IQ classification (overview) — how test publishers label score bands.
- American Mensa: How to Join Mensa — admission at the top 2% (98th percentile) on an approved test.
- American Psychological Association: Intelligence — what intelligence tests measure.
- Normal distribution (overview) — the percentile and rarity arithmetic.
Method and sources updated 24 October 2026 · Geniuses.Club editorial team
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