IQ 198 — How Rare It Is, What It Means & Famous People With This Score
An IQ of 198 is beyond the 99.9999999th percentile: 1 in 31.1 billion on the normal curve. On today’s 8.2 billion people that is fewer than one person. It sits 6.53 standard deviations above the average and is classed as profoundly gifted.
| Percentile | beyond the 99.9999999th |
|---|---|
| How rare | 1 in 31.1 billion |
| People alive with this score or higher | fewer than one — on the normal curve, no one alive |
| Standard deviations above the average of 100 | +6.53 |
| Classification | profoundly gifted |
| Mensa (top 2%, 130 and above) | qualifies |
Is 198 a good IQ?
It is not a score any modern adult test can give: they top out at 160. On the normal curve it is 1 in 31.1 billion, so claims of an IQ of 198 are estimates, not measurements.
How many people have an IQ of 198 or higher?
On the normal curve used by modern tests, fewer than one person alive: 1 in 31.1 billion. Every published claim this high is an estimate.
Standard versions of the leading adult tests, the WAIS-IV and the Stanford–Binet 5, top out at 160. Scores above that come from old ratio formulas used on children, from extended norms or from extrapolation, so treat them as estimates, not measurements.
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Take the IQ test →What Does an IQ of 198 Mean?
An IQ of 198 is extraordinarily rare — approximately 1 in 31.1 billion of the world's population. At this level, individuals demonstrate cognitive capabilities so far beyond the norm that standard IQ tests may not accurately measure their abilities. Many testing instruments have a ceiling around 160-170, making scores above this range estimates based on exceptional achievement.
People at this level have historically been responsible for paradigm-shifting discoveries, revolutionary theories, and works of profound creative genius. The gap between an IQ of 198 and the average of 100 represents a cognitive difference roughly equivalent to 6.5 standard deviations above the mean.
Where IQ 198 Falls on the Bell Curve
The highlighted area shows the percentage of the population scoring at or above IQ 198. The dashed line marks the exact position of this score on the normal distribution.
Famous People With an IQ of 198
There is 1 genius in our database with an estimated IQ of 198:
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.
