IQ Score Guide / 138
Is 138 a Good IQ Score?
What an IQ of 138 means, where it ranks, and what it reveals about cognitive ability.
Where IQ 138 sits on the scale
An IQ of 138 is higher than 99% of people
In a room of 100 people, about 1 would score 138 or higher.
What an IQ of 138 means
An IQ of 138 is in roughly the top 1% of people, about 1 in 167. 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 138 actually do
We looked at the 3,273 people who have scored between 136 and 141 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 3,273 IQScore test-takers. Section figures are the average percentage answered correctly in each area. Updated October 2026.
Frequently asked questions
Is 138 a good IQ score?
Yes. An IQ of 138 is well above average and rare, scored by only about 1 in 167 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 138?
An IQ of 138 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 138?
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 138?
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.
No occupation averages 138
The highest measured occupational average is 124, so no job sits at 138. These are the closest.
Famous people near IQ 138
Reported or estimated figures from third-party sources, none are clinically verified.
Emma Watson
Estimated around 138
Played Hermione Granger across eight Harry Potter films while still at school, then graduated from Brown University with a degree in English literature in 2014.
Hillary Clinton
Estimated around 132, 6 points below 138
Former US Secretary of State and Yale Law School graduate, IQ estimated at 132 in published biographical and presidential spousal assessments.
Jodie Foster
Estimated around 132, 6 points below 138
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.
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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.
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.