IQ Percentile Calculator
Calculation Results
Percentile Rank:
Understanding the IQ Percentile Calculator
An IQ percentile indicates how your intelligence quotient score compares to the rest of the population. IQ scores follow a Normal Distribution, commonly known as the Bell Curve. By understanding your percentile, you can determine exactly where you stand in relation to others.
What is a Percentile Rank?
A percentile rank is not the same as a percentage score on a test. If you are in the 90th percentile, it does not mean you got 90% of the questions correct. Instead, it means you performed better than 90% of the people who took the same test.
The Role of Mean and Standard Deviation
Most modern IQ tests, such as the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS) or the Stanford-Binet, use a specific mathematical framework:
- Mean (Average): Usually set at 100. This is the peak of the bell curve.
- Standard Deviation (SD): Usually 15. This measures the spread of the scores.
With an SD of 15, about 68% of the population falls between an IQ of 85 and 115. About 95% falls between 70 and 130.
Common IQ Percentile Examples
| IQ Score (SD 15) | Percentile Rank | Classification |
|---|---|---|
| 145 | 99.8th | Very Gifted |
| 130 | 97.7th | Gifted (Mensa Level) |
| 115 | 84.1st | High Average |
| 100 | 50.0th | Average |
| 85 | 15.9th | Low Average |
How the Calculation Works
To find the percentile, we first calculate the Z-score, which tells us how many standard deviations a score is from the mean. The formula is:
Z = (Score – Mean) / SD
Once we have the Z-score, we use the cumulative distribution function (CDF) of the standard normal distribution to determine the area under the curve to the left of that score, which represents the percentile.
Why Percentiles Matter
Raw IQ scores can be confusing because different tests might use different scales (e.g., Cattell uses an SD of 24). Percentiles provide a universal language. Being in the 98th percentile means the same thing regardless of whether the test mean is 100 or 1000—it means you are in the top 2% of the population.