Is 143 a Good IQ Score?

What an IQ of 143 means, where it ranks, and what it tells you about cognitive ability.

143

IQ Score

100th

Percentile

Very Superior

Classification

1 in 500

Rarity

What an IQ of 143 means

An IQ of 143 puts you at the 100th percentile, in the top 0% of the population. Roughly 1 in 999 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 143 in context

IQ 143 sits 13 points above the Mensa threshold of 130, placing it at the 100th percentile. Roughly 1 in 20000 people score at this level. The two-standard-deviation mark sits at IQ 130; IQ 143 is 13 points into that upper tail. Studies of high-ability adults consistently show that individuals in the IQ 143 range enter selective universities, advanced research positions, and cognitively demanding careers at substantially higher rates than the general population. The 43-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 143 a good IQ score?

Yes. IQ 143 is in the top 0% — Very Superior range, 100th percentile. Roughly 1 in 999 people score here. Most people at this level find standard academic and professional environments understimulating rather than challenging.

What percentile is an IQ of 143?

The 100th percentile. That means 100% of the population scores at or below 143. Fewer than 1 in 999 people score at this level. The population mean is 100 with a standard deviation of 15.

What careers are associated with an IQ of 143?

Research, medicine, law, mathematics, and senior academic roles draw heavily from this range. Roughly 1 in 999 people score at this level — the cognitive demands of most professional fields feel tractable rather than effortful here.

Can you improve an IQ of 143?

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.

Shakira

Colombian singer and global superstar — reportedly scored 140 on a formal IQ test, as cited in multiple biographical sources. She speaks five languages and studied philosophy alongside her music career.

Madonna

One of the best-selling music artists of all time — IQ estimated at 140 in published biographical assessments, consistent with her documented strategic control over her own career for four decades.

Ben Affleck

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.

Emmanuel Macron

President of France — graduated from Sciences Po and the École Nationale d'Administration, one of France's most selective institutions. French academic press estimates his IQ at approximately 145 based on ENA admissions records.

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.