IQ Score Guide / 131

Is 131 a Good IQ Score?

What an IQ of 131 means, where it ranks, and what it tells you about cognitive ability.

131
IQ Score
98.1th
Percentile
Very Superior
Classification

What an IQ of 131 means

This places you in the top 2% of the population — the threshold for Mensa membership. Exceptional abstract reasoning, rapid pattern recognition, and the capacity to identify connections others miss are hallmarks of this range.

Careers that commonly score in this range

Research ScientistMean ~130–140 in published occupational studies
SurgeonCognitive demands of surgical decision-making correlate with 130+ range
Senior Academic / ProfessorParticularly in mathematics, physics, philosophy
Top-tier Software EngineerFAANG engineers cluster near this range in self-reported data

Notable people reportedly in this range

All figures are estimates or reported by third-party sources — none are clinically verified.

George W. Bush

43rd US President — Yale and Harvard Business School graduate. Analysis of his 1206 SAT score (1964 scale) using the Frey-Detterman correlation estimates his IQ at approximately 120–125.

Oprah Winfrey

Media executive, actress, and philanthropist — Tennessee State University graduate and one of the most successful self-made entrepreneurs in US history. Published profiles estimate her IQ at approximately 115–120, with particular strength in emotional and interpersonal intelligence.

J.K. Rowling

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.

Colin Powell

Former US Secretary of State and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs — CCNY graduate and career military officer. IQ widely cited at approximately 127–132 in published assessments of senior military and political leadership cognitive profiles.

Recommended reading for this score range

The Intelligence Trap

The Intelligence Trap

David Robson

Why high IQ consistently fails to prevent poor decisions — and the evidence-based fixes.

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Thinking, Fast and Slow

Thinking, Fast and Slow

Daniel Kahneman

The definitive account of human cognitive architecture from a Nobel Prize-winning psychologist.

View on Amazon →

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Nearby scores

126127128129130132133134135136

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