IQ Score Guide / 147

Is 147 a Good IQ Score?

What an IQ of 147 means, where it ranks, and what it reveals about cognitive ability.

147
IQ Score
100th
Percentile
Very Superior
Classification
1 in 1,000
Rarity

Where IQ 147 sits on the scale

7085100115130

An IQ of 147 is higher than 100% of people

Fewer than 1 in 100 people score 147 or higher, closer to 1 in 1,000.

What an IQ of 147 means

An IQ of 147 sits in the top fraction of one percent, around 1 in 1,000 people. Problems that most people find genuinely hard tend to feel straightforward at this level. The trade-off is that ordinary school and work can feel slow or unchallenging.

IQ 147 in context

IQ 147 sits 47 points above the average of 100. Only about 1 in 1,000 people score 147 or higher, so it is genuinely rare.

Frequently asked questions

Is 147 a good IQ score?

Yes. An IQ of 147 is well above average and rare, scored by only about 1 in 1000 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 147?

An IQ of 147 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 147?

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 147?

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

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

Famous people near IQ 147

Reported or estimated figures from third-party sources, none are clinically verified.

Emmanuel Macron

Estimated around 145, 2 points below 147

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.

Dolph Lundgren

Estimated around 150, 3 points above 147

Actor and chemical engineer, holds a master's degree in chemical engineering from the University of Sydney and was awarded a Fulbright Scholarship to MIT. IQ reportedly assessed at 150–160 in published profiles.

Mark Zuckerberg

Estimated around 152, 5 points above 147

Meta co-founder and CEO, reportedly scored a near-perfect 1590 on his SAT (pre-1995 scale) before attending Harvard. Multiple published profiles estimate his IQ at approximately 150–152.

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.

Nearby scores

142143144145146148149150151152

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