STEM vs Humanities Students IQ
GRE score data provides the largest and most systematic comparison of cognitive ability across academic disciplines. Physics, mathematics, and philosophy students consistently lead all fields on the quantitative and analytical GRE. Humanities fields show more within-discipline variation — philosophy scores near STEM levels while education and social work score considerably lower. The STEM–humanities IQ gap exists primarily on quantitative subtests; on verbal reasoning, the gap narrows substantially and sometimes reverses for the most verbal humanities disciplines.
STEM Students
Typical range: 114–122
STEM students — particularly in mathematics, physics, and computer science — average in the 114–122 range. Heavy quantitative demands select for strong fluid intelligence and mathematical reasoning. Math and physics students consistently rank among the highest-scoring academic disciplines.
Humanities Students
Typical range: 108–116
Humanities students average approximately 112 — well above the general population but 6 points below STEM peers on average. Philosophy and linguistics students tend to score highest within humanities, approaching STEM averages. Literature and history students average somewhat lower.
Key Findings
- STEM students average approximately 118 IQ; humanities students average approximately 112 — a gap of about 6 points.
- Mathematics, physics, and computer science students score highest of all academic disciplines on both IQ tests and GRE scores.
- Philosophy students score comparably to engineering students on analytical reasoning, narrowing the STEM–humanities gap significantly.
- Humanities students average higher on verbal IQ subtests than the aggregate STEM average — the gap is primarily quantitative.
- Education and social work students score at the low end of the academic distribution, pulling the humanities average down.
Verdict
STEM students average approximately 6 IQ points higher than humanities students — a real but modest gap. The difference is largest when comparing mathematics and physics students against literature and education students, and smallest when comparing computer science against philosophy and linguistics. Both groups draw from the top 25–30% of the general IQ distribution. Importantly, STEM students show stronger quantitative and spatial reasoning while humanities students often show comparable or stronger verbal reasoning — the aggregate IQ gap partly reflects IQ tests' heavier quantitative loading.
For more context, see what different IQ scores actually mean and explore famous people's IQ scores.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are STEM students smarter than humanities students?
On average IQ tests, STEM students score about 6 points higher. This gap is primarily driven by quantitative reasoning differences — STEM fields select heavily for mathematical ability. On verbal reasoning, the gap between humanities and STEM students narrows substantially, and philosophy students match or exceed most STEM disciplines.
Which academic major has the highest average IQ?
Physics and mathematics students consistently rank highest in GRE and IQ studies, followed closely by philosophy, computer science, and economics. These fields select strongly for abstract and analytical reasoning — the core of general intelligence.
Do humanities degrees make you less intelligent?
No. Humanities degrees build strong verbal reasoning, critical analysis, historical understanding, and communication skills — all components of crystallized intelligence measured by IQ tests. Humanities students are cognitively accomplished; they simply excel more in verbal than quantitative domains.
Is it true that philosophy students score as high as science students?
Largely yes. Philosophy students score among the highest of any academic major on the GRE analytical writing section and score comparably to physical science students on verbal and analytical measures. The stereotype of philosophy as cognitively less demanding than science is not supported by admissions data.
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MyIQScores Editorial Team
Researchers in cognitive psychology, psychometrics & educational science
Last updated
May 10, 2026
All content on MyIQScores is reviewed for scientific accuracy against peer-reviewed research in cognitive psychology and psychometrics. Our editorial team cross-references each article with published literature before publication and updates pages whenever new research warrants a revision.