IQ Score Guide / 87
Is 87 a Good IQ Score?
What an IQ of 87 means, where it ranks, and what it reveals about cognitive ability.
Where IQ 87 sits on the scale
An IQ of 87 is higher than 19% of people
In a room of 100 people, about 81 would score 87 or higher.
What an IQ of 87 means
An IQ of 87 is below average, around the 19th percentile. Some heavily academic subjects may take more effort, but skilled trades, hands-on work and supervisory roles are well within reach. Scores can also shift with effort, especially before the mid-twenties.
IQ 87 in context
IQ 87 sits 13 points below the average of 100. Around 81 out of every 100 people score higher than this.
Frequently asked questions
Is 87 a good IQ score?
It is below average, but far from limiting. Some academic, exam-style work may take more effort, while practical and hands-on careers suit this range well. Scores can also move with effort, especially at a young age.
What percentile is an IQ of 87?
An IQ of 87 is at about the 19th percentile. In plain terms, you score higher than around 19 out of every 100 people. The average score is 100.
What jobs suit an IQ of 87?
Plenty of skilled, practical careers fit this range well, from trades and services to operations and supervisory roles. Reliability and experience count for a great deal here.
Can you improve an IQ of 87?
Often, yes, especially at a young age. Scores in this range tend to respond more to better sleep, nutrition, learning and support than higher scores do. Steady effort has been shown to move scores by several points.
Careers that commonly score in this range
Occupational averages from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth. An average, not a requirement.
Famous people near IQ 87
Reported or estimated figures from third-party sources, none are clinically verified.
Mike Tyson
Estimated around 89, 2 points above 87
Undisputed world heavyweight boxing champion, sports psychology assessments cited in biographical literature place his IQ at approximately 89. Tyson struggled with reading until tutored in juvenile detention, and went on to become one of the most tactically sophisticated boxers of his era.
Elvis Presley
Estimated around 93, 6 points above 87
The King of Rock and Roll, reportedly scored 93 on an IQ test at Humes High School in Memphis, a figure cited in Peter Guralnick's authorised biography and corroborated by other published biographical accounts.
Mick Jagger
Estimated around 93, 6 points above 87
Rolling Stones frontman, attended the London School of Economics on a full grant before leaving to pursue music. Biographers estimate his IQ at approximately 90–96 based on academic performance records and early standardised testing.
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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.
Can You Improve Your IQ? →
What the evidence says about moving scores in this range.
The Role of Education in IQ →
How structured learning affects measured cognitive ability.
What Sleep Deprivation Does to Your IQ →
Sleep has a bigger short-term effect on scores than most interventions.