Where 130 sits on the bell curve
This score is 30 points above the average of 100, or 2.00 standard deviations. The shaded part of the curve, everyone who scores lower, covers about 97.7% of people.
What an IQ of 130 means
130 is two standard deviations above the mean and the first score of the Very Superior range. It is the line most people know: Mensa admits people who score in the top 2% on an approved, supervised test, which corresponds to about 130, and many gifted programmes use the same guide.
The Very Superior range runs from 130 to 160 and beyond. Range names come from the Wechsler scales; they are labels for parts of the curve, not hard lines, so 129 and 131 reflect almost the same performance.
Whether 130 counts as a good score depends on the comparison: against everyone, or against the people you study or work with.
How rare is an IQ of 130?
If scores follow the standard bell curve, this is how many people you would expect to reach this score or higher:
- In a class of 30: fewer than one
- In an office of 250: about 5.7
- In a town of 10,000: about 228
- In a city of 1 million: about 22,750
130 compared with nearby scores
| IQ | Percentile | Range | How rare |
|---|---|---|---|
| 120 | 91st | Superior | 1 in 11 |
| 125 | 95th | Superior | 1 in 21 |
| 130 | 98th | Very Superior | 1 in 44 |
| 135 | 99.02nd | Very Superior | 1 in 102 |
| 140 | 99.62nd | Very Superior | 1 in 261 |
"How rare" counts people at that score or higher.
130 and the usual reference points
- 30 points above 100, the average by definition.
- 15 points above 115, one standard deviation above average (about the 84th percentile).
- Exactly 130: two standard deviations above average and the usual Mensa line (top 2%).
- 15 points below 145, three standard deviations above average (about 1 in 741).
How much to trust a single score
No test measures IQ exactly. Clinical tests such as the Wechsler scales report a confidence interval of roughly 5 points either side, so a measured 130 is best read as "probably between 125 and 135". Shorter online tests carry wider ranges, which is why our free test shows a 90% range next to every result.
Scores also move between sittings. Tiredness, stress and practice with the puzzle types can each shift a result by a few points, so the range name tells you more than the exact number.
Frequently asked questions
Is 130 a good IQ score?
Yes. An IQ of 130 is in the Very Superior range (130 to 160) and higher than about 98% of people. About 1 in 44 people score 130 or higher.
What percentile is an IQ of 130?
An IQ of 130 is at about the 98th percentile. On the standard scale (mean 100, standard deviation 15) it is +2.00 standard deviations from the average.
How rare is an IQ of 130?
About 1 in 44 people score 130 or higher, which is 2.3% of the population.
Is 130 enough for Mensa?
On the standard scale, yes: Mensa admits the top 2% on an approved, supervised test, which is about 130. An online score does not count for admission; you would need to sit a supervised test.
How accurate is an online IQ score of 130?
Treat it as a range, not an exact number. Clinical tests report a confidence interval of roughly 5 points either side, and short online tests have wider ranges, so read any single result as a band rather than an exact point.
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