Is 138 a Good IQ Score?

What an IQ of 138 means, where it ranks, and what it tells you about cognitive ability.

138

IQ Score

99th

Percentile

Very Superior

Classification

1 in 167

Rarity

What an IQ of 138 means

An IQ of 138 puts you at the 99th percentile, in the top 1% of the population. Roughly 1 in 100 people reach this level. This is where cognitive ability begins to correlate with genuinely original contributions — not just mastery of existing knowledge, but identifying problems others have not yet seen. Senior research roles, elite advisory positions, and advanced academic institutions draw heavily from this range.

IQ 138 in context

IQ 138 sits 8 points above the Mensa threshold of 130, placing it at the 99th percentile. Roughly 1 in 100 people score at this level. The two-standard-deviation mark sits at IQ 130; IQ 138 is 8 points into that upper tail. Studies of high-ability adults consistently show that individuals in the IQ 138 range enter selective universities, advanced research positions, and cognitively demanding careers at substantially higher rates than the general population. The 38-point distance from the mean translates to a measurable difference in processing speed, working memory capacity, and the ability to manage complex multi-step reasoning tasks — the kinds of demands that separate elite professional performance from competent performance.

Frequently asked questions

Is 138 a good IQ score?

Yes. IQ 138 is in the top 1% — Very Superior range, 99th percentile. Roughly 1 in 100 people score here. Most people at this level find standard academic and professional environments understimulating rather than challenging.

What percentile is an IQ of 138?

The 99th percentile. That means 99% of the population scores at or below 138. Fewer than 1 in 100 people score at this level. The population mean is 100 with a standard deviation of 15.

What careers are associated with an IQ of 138?

Research, medicine, law, mathematics, and senior academic roles draw heavily from this range. Roughly 1 in 100 people score at this level — the cognitive demands of most professional fields feel tractable rather than effortful here.

Can you improve an IQ of 138?

Scores at this level have high genetic loading — heritability runs 50–80% in adults. Sleep, nutrition, and working memory training have documented effects on fluid intelligence, but the honest expectation is modest gains. Large jumps are not supported by the evidence.

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.

Hillary Clinton

Former US Secretary of State and Yale Law School graduate — IQ estimated at 132 in published biographical and presidential spousal assessments.

Jodie Foster

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

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.

Nicole Kidman

Oscar-winning actress — IQ reportedly assessed at 132, cited in biographical material. Kidman reportedly skipped two school years and was described by teachers as exceptionally fast at abstract reasoning.

From the IQScore blog

Further reading selected for this score range.

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.

Fluid vs Crystallised Intelligence →

The two cognitive systems, and why the distinction matters at high scores.