What Does an IQ of 100 Mean?
An IQ of 100 is exactly average. Half of all people score higher and half score lower, and it sits right in the middle of the “Average” range (90–109).
What else is worth knowing about an IQ of 100?
100 is the median by definition: test norms are adjusted so that exactly half of people score above it. Because tests are re-normed every few years, 100 always describes the average of today’s population, not of earlier generations.
IQ 100 in numbers
- Classification
- Average
- Scores lower than 100
- 50%
- How rare
- Exactly average
- Distance from average
- 0 standard deviations
- Mensa level (top 2%)
- No, Mensa usually needs about 130+
What the “Average” range means
Scores from 90 to 109 are average, the range where half of all people fall. An average IQ is no limit: effort, interests and experience matter far more for most goals.
How does IQ 100 compare?
Frequently asked questions
Is an IQ of 100 good?
An IQ of 100 is average, which is completely normal. Half of all people score between 90 and 109.
What percentile is an IQ of 100?
An IQ of 100 is higher than about 50% of the population, and about 50% of people score higher.
How rare is an IQ of 100?
Very common: it’s within the average range, where half of all people score.