IQ Score Guide / 124
Is 124 a Good IQ Score?
What an IQ of 124 means, where it ranks, and what it reveals about cognitive ability.
Where IQ 124 sits on the scale
An IQ of 124 is higher than 95% of people
In a room of 100 people, about 5 would score 124 or higher.
What an IQ of 124 means
An IQ of 124 is in about the top 5% of people, or 1 in 18. This is the range where a lot of graduates from strong universities and people in demanding, analytical jobs are found. Difficult material tends to feel manageable rather than overwhelming.
How people who score 124 actually do
We looked at the 3,083 people who have scored exactly 124 on the IQScore test. On average, their strongest area was spatial reasoning and their weakest was numerical reasoning. Here is the typical breakdown by section.
Real data from 3,083 IQScore test-takers. Section figures are the average percentage answered correctly in each area. Updated October 2026.
Frequently asked questions
Is 124 a good IQ score?
Yes. An IQ of 124 is clearly above average. It sits 6 points below the Mensa cut-off of 130, but in much the same territory. Demanding, analytical work tends to come comfortably.
What percentile is an IQ of 124?
An IQ of 124 is at about the 95th percentile. In plain terms, you score higher than around 95 out of every 100 people. The average score is 100.
What jobs suit an IQ of 124?
This range lines up with a lot of graduate-level work: medicine, law, engineering, teaching and management. People here tend to do well in roles that involve analysis or leading others.
Can you improve an IQ of 124?
A little. Scores this high are strongly shaped by genetics, so big jumps are unlikely. Good sleep, regular exercise and a clear head on the day all help, but expect small gains rather than large ones.
Careers that commonly score in this range
Occupational averages from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth. An average, not a requirement.
Famous people near IQ 124
Reported or estimated figures from third-party sources, none are clinically verified.
Lyndon B. Johnson
Estimated around 123, 1 point below 124
36th US President, Southwest Texas State University graduate and skilled legislative strategist. Published historiometric estimates put his IQ at approximately 120–126, placing him solidly in the high-average range.
John F. Kennedy
Estimated around 119, 5 points below 124
35th US President, reportedly scored approximately 119 on Navy Officer Candidate School aptitude tests during WWII, a figure independently cited in multiple presidential biographies as the closest approximation to his IQ.
J.K. Rowling
Estimated around 129, 5 points above 124
Author of the Harry Potter series, University of Exeter graduate in French and Classics. Published assessments estimate her IQ at approximately 128–136, consistent with the internal consistency and narrative complexity of a seven-volume fictional universe.
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Further reading selected for this score range.
What Is a Good IQ Score? →
Where every score lands, and what counts as good, average, or gifted.
IQ Score Ranges Explained →
Every band from below average to genius, and what each one means.
IQ Score by Age →
How scores shift with age, and what stays fixed over a lifetime.
Fluid vs Crystallised Intelligence →
The two cognitive systems behind every IQ score.
Average IQ by Profession →
Where scores in this range cluster across careers.
How Much of IQ Is Genetic? →
What twin studies say about scores in the superior range.