IQ Score Guide / 135
Is 135 a Good IQ Score?
What an IQ of 135 means, where it ranks, and what it reveals about cognitive ability.
Where IQ 135 sits on the scale
An IQ of 135 is higher than 99% of people
In a room of 100 people, about 1 would score 135 or higher.
What an IQ of 135 means
An IQ of 135 is in roughly the top 1% of people, about 1 in 100. This is the level where strong reasoning starts to show up as original thinking, not just being quick at the work everyone else does. Scores like this are common in research, medicine and other demanding fields.
How people who score 135 actually do
We looked at the 200 people who have scored between 132 and 136 on the IQScore test. On average, their strongest area was spatial reasoning and their weakest was logical reasoning. Here is the typical breakdown by section.
Real data from 200 IQScore test-takers. Section figures are the average percentage answered correctly in each area. Updated July 2026.
Frequently asked questions
Is 135 a good IQ score?
Yes. An IQ of 135 is well above average and rare, scored by only about 1 in 100 people. It is above the Mensa cut-off of 130. Most people at this level find school and standard work easy rather than challenging.
What percentile is an IQ of 135?
An IQ of 135 is at about the 99th percentile. In plain terms, you score higher than around 99 out of every 100 people. The average score is 100.
What jobs suit an IQ of 135?
Most demanding careers are well within reach. Doctors, lawyers, researchers, engineers and senior leaders often score in this range. Keep in mind that people vary widely within any job, so the score is a rough guide, not a rule.
Can you improve an IQ of 135?
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
Famous people near IQ 135
Reported or estimated figures from third-party sources, none are clinically verified.
Barack Obama
Estimated around 135, the same as 135
Harvard Law Review president and 44th US President, graduated magna cum laude from Harvard Law School. Simonton's updated historiometric analysis estimates his IQ at approximately 130–140, with most published assessments clustering around 132–137.
Jodie Foster
Estimated around 132, 3 points below 135
Oscar-winning actress, graduated magna cum laude from Yale University with a degree in literature. IQ widely cited at 132 across biographical accounts and Hollywood career profiles.
Arnold Schwarzenegger
Estimated around 132, 3 points below 135
Seven-time Mr Olympia, action film star, and Governor of California, IQ reported at 132 across multiple published profiles, consistent with his ability to reach the top of three entirely separate fields.
From the IQScore blog
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.
What IQ Score Is Needed for Mensa? →
The threshold, the test, and what membership actually means.
The Dark Side of High Intelligence →
What the research says about the less-discussed costs of scoring at this level.
How Much of IQ Is Genetic? →
Twin studies and what the heritability data actually shows.
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