Is an IQ of 106 Good? What It Means & Where You Stand

What Does an IQ of 106 Mean?

An IQ of 106 is solidly average, just 6 points above the mean. At the 66th percentile, you score higher than about two-thirds of the population. This slight edge is barely perceptible in daily life — you might pick up new information marginally faster or score slightly better on standardized tests, but the difference from 100 is functionally insignificant. This is a perfectly normal, healthy score.

An IQ of 106 places you at the 66th percentile, which means you scored higher than approximately 66% of the general population on a standardized intelligence test. This score falls into the Average range on the IQ scale. With a rarity of Common, this score is within the range where most people score.

To understand how IQ scores are calculated and what they measure, see our complete guide on what IQ is and how it works. For a full breakdown of all score ranges and their meanings, visit our IQ score ranges page.

Career Context for an IQ of 106

A 106 IQ places no limitations on career choice. You are squarely in the range where success depends on skills, training, and effort rather than cognitive ability. Every mainstream career path is accessible.

Cognitive Profile at IQ 106

At IQ 106, the above-average profile shows increasingly reliable verbal reasoning across the most complex academic and professional domains, solid fluid intelligence on a broad range of novel and abstract problems, and academic capacity supporting confident performance across competitive 4-year and graduate programs. Verbal comprehension handles complex academic texts in demanding disciplines with reliable analytical, inferential, and evaluative reasoning. Working memory holds 9 items with rehearsal. Processing speed is at the 58th–60th percentile. Fluid intelligence shows genuine reliable novel problem-solving across the full range of academic and occupational abstract reasoning demands. Reading at advanced college level enables confident engagement with academic literature in demanding disciplines. The person at IQ 106 learns new complex material slightly faster than the average person — an advantage that is small in any single episode but accumulates meaningfully across years of sustained academic or professional development.

What Research Says About IQ 106

NLSY79 data document that IQ 106 individuals achieve 4-year college enrollment at 62% and bachelor's degree completion at approximately 55%. Employment rates exceed 98% and median earnings are approximately 6–7% above the US median. Research by Deary et al. (2007) found that IQ 106 predicts occupational prestige scores in the professional and managerial range in the Scottish longitudinal cohort with good consistency. Schmidt & Hunter (1998) estimate that at IQ 106, job performance in complex occupations is consistently above average, with the IQ-performance correlation becoming more visible as job complexity increases.

Day-to-Day Life with an IQ of 106

A person at IQ 106 works as a NASA aerospace engineer — designing satellite components, running complex trajectory simulations, managing technical risk assessments, writing requirements documents, and collaborating on multi-national mission teams. They completed a master's degree in aerospace engineering with a 3.7 GPA. They own their home, manage complex finances, and are active in professional engineering organizations. They have published 4 peer-reviewed papers. They are regarded by colleagues and mission directors as a highly capable technical contributor. Their IQ score is unknown to colleagues and entirely irrelevant to their professional standing.

How Does an IQ of 106 Compare?

Here's how a score of 106 compares to nearby IQ scores:

Famous People with an IQ Around 106

The following well-known figures have estimated IQ scores close to 106:

• Canelo Alvarez — Undisputed super middleweight boxing champion, pound-for-pound elite (estimated IQ: 108)
• Tom Cruise — Mission: Impossible franchise, Top Gun, commitment to practical stunts (estimated IQ: 110)
• Jennifer Lawrence — Youngest Best Actress Oscar winner, Hunger Games franchise, relatable public persona (estimated IQ: 110)
• Adam Sandler — SNL comedian, consistent box office performer, Uncut Gems dramatic revelation (estimated IQ: 108)
• Amy Schumer — Inside Amy Schumer, Trainwreck, stand-up comedian and writer (estimated IQ: 110)

Careers That Suit an IQ of 106

People with an IQ around 106 are well-suited for the following career paths:

• Librarian — average IQ range: 108–120
• Social Media Manager — average IQ range: 102–115
• Athletic Trainer — average IQ range: 100–112
• Film Director — average IQ range: 110–130
• Psychiatric Nurse — average IQ range: 108–118

See the full IQ by career chart for all professions.

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