IQ Score Guide / 140
Is 140 a Good IQ Score?
What an IQ of 140 means, where it ranks, and what it reveals about cognitive ability.
Where IQ 140 sits on the scale
An IQ of 140 is higher than 100% of people
Fewer than 1 in 100 people score 140 or higher, closer to 1 in 250.
What an IQ of 140 means
An IQ of 140 is in roughly the top 1% of people, about 1 in 250. 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 140 actually do
We looked at the 2,476 people who have scored between 139 and 143 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 2,476 IQScore test-takers. Section figures are the average percentage answered correctly in each area. Updated October 2026.
Frequently asked questions
Is 140 a good IQ score?
Yes. An IQ of 140 is well above average and rare, scored by only about 1 in 250 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 140?
An IQ of 140 is at about the 100th percentile. In plain terms, you score higher than around 100 out of every 100 people. The average score is 100.
What jobs suit an IQ of 140?
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 140?
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 140
The highest measured occupational average is 124, so no job sits at 140. These are the closest.
Famous people near IQ 140
Reported or estimated figures from third-party sources, none are clinically verified.
Ben Affleck
Estimated around 140
Oscar-winning writer, director, and actor, reportedly tested at approximately 140, cited in multiple Hollywood profiles. Affleck won the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay for Good Will Hunting, which he co-wrote with Matt Damon.
Kobe Bryant
Estimated around 144, 4 points above 140
Five-time NBA champion and winner of an Academy Award for the animated short Dear Basketball. Raised partly in Italy, he spoke fluent Italian and Spanish as well as English.
Barack Obama
Estimated around 135, 5 points below 140
Harvard Law Review president and 44th US President, graduated magna cum laude from Harvard Law School. Published historiometric assessments estimate his IQ at approximately 130–140, with most clustering around 132–137.
Find out your actual IQ score
Free · 36 questions · Instant results · No sign-up
Take the Free IQ Test →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.