What Does Your IQ Score Actually Mean?

IQ scores are calibrated to a normal distribution with mean 100 and standard deviation 15.

The tiers

• <70: Extremely low (2.5% of population)
• 70–84: Below average (14%)
• 85–115: Average (68%)
• 116–130: Above average (14%)
• >130: Gifted (2.5%)
• >145: Highly gifted (0.13%)

What it predicts

IQ correlates modestly with academic achievement, job performance in complex roles, and income — but the correlations are weaker than pop-science headlines suggest. Grit, conscientiousness, and social skills predict outcomes at least as well.

What it doesn't measure

Creativity, emotional intelligence, wisdom, practical skill, motivation, resilience. Someone with average IQ and strong conscientiousness typically outperforms someone with high IQ and low conscientiousness.