An IQ of 130 is higher than about 97.7% of people: roughly 1 person in 44 scores 130 or more. It is the most common threshold for intellectual giftedness and roughly the level Mensa asks for.
Where 130 sits on the IQ scale
IQ scores have a mean of 100 and a standard deviation of 15, so 130 is 2.00 standard deviations above average.
Why 130?
130 is two standard deviations above the mean. Many schools and psychologists use it as the cut-off for giftedness, and Mensa asks for the top 2%, which is about 130 on this scale.
How sure can you be of a score?
Every IQ score comes with a margin of error. On a full clinical test it is about ±5 points; on short online tests it is wider. A score just above or below 130 should be read as “around 130”.
Check your own score
Our free IQ test gives your IQ with its margin of error in about 15 minutes. The full report narrows the margin with adaptive questions.
Frequently asked questions
Is 130 IQ gifted?
Yes, by the most common definition, though some definitions also require creativity and motivation.
What percentile is 130?
About the 98th percentile.
Sources
- Wechsler, D. (2008). WAIS-IV: Technical and interpretive manual. Pearson.
- Terman, L. M. (1925). Genetic studies of genius, vol. 1. Stanford University Press.