Is an IQ of 113 Good? What It Means & Where You Stand

What Does an IQ of 113 Mean?

An IQ of 113 is solidly in the high average range at the 81st percentile. Only about 19% of people score higher. This is a genuine cognitive advantage — you handle complex information efficiently and likely excel in educational settings. The gap from the average of 100 is large enough to be consistently noticeable.

An IQ of 113 places you at the 81st percentile, which means you scored higher than approximately 81% of the general population on a standardized intelligence test. This score falls into the High Average range on the IQ scale. With a rarity of 1 in 5, 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 113

At 113, demanding professional careers are well within reach. Law, medicine, engineering, and senior management are all realistic paths. Graduate school is a natural fit with good study habits.

Cognitive Profile at IQ 113

At IQ 113, the high-average profile shows consistently strong and flexible verbal reasoning across the most demanding academic and professional domains, reliable and consistent fluid intelligence on novel and complex abstract problems, and academic capacity supporting successful completion of competitive doctoral programs in most disciplines. Verbal comprehension handles advanced primary literature in the most demanding academic disciplines with reliable analytical, synthetic, and evaluative reasoning. Working memory holds 10 items with rehearsal. Processing speed is at the 71st–72nd percentile. Fluid intelligence shows genuine and reliable novel problem-solving with strong consistency even on the most demanding abstract reasoning problems. Mathematical competence includes advanced quantitative methods in virtually all academic disciplines. The learning-rate advantage at IQ 113 is now consistently visible in demanding multi-year academic and professional training programs.

What Research Says About IQ 113

NLSY79 data show IQ 113 individuals achieving 4-year college enrollment at 78% and bachelor's degree completion at approximately 73%. Median earnings are approximately 20–21% above the US median. Gottfredson (1997) identifies IQ 110–120 as the range from which most professionals in law, medicine, engineering, and academic research are drawn based on occupational IQ norm studies. Schmidt & Hunter (1998) estimate that at IQ 113, job performance advantages in complex occupations are large and reliably detected across virtually all organizational samples. SMPY research (Lubinski et al., 2006) documents that IQ 113 individuals who pursued doctoral programs achieved tenure and publication rates comparable to peers scoring 5–10 points higher.

Day-to-Day Life with an IQ of 113

A person at IQ 113 works as a partner at a top-10 management consulting firm — leading complex strategy engagements for Fortune 500 clients, managing teams of consultants and analysts, developing client relationships, contributing to firm thought leadership, and mentoring junior consultants. They completed an MBA at a top-5 program with honors and spent 15 years rising through the consulting hierarchy. They own their home, manage complex personal finances, and are active in civic and professional leadership. Clients regard them as one of the most strategically insightful consultants they have worked with. Their intellectual contributions to client engagements are recognized as distinctive within the firm.

How Does an IQ of 113 Compare?

Here's how a score of 113 compares to nearby IQ scores:

Famous People with an IQ Around 113

The following well-known figures have estimated IQ scores close to 113:

• LeBron James — NBA legend, 4x champion, business mogul (estimated IQ: 110–120)
• Stephen Curry — NBA champion, greatest shooter in basketball history (estimated IQ: 105–120)
• Keanu Reeves — Actor (The Matrix, John Wick), philanthropist (estimated IQ: 110–120)
• Lionel Messi — Football/soccer GOAT, 8 Ballon d'Or awards (estimated IQ: 105–115)
• Serena Williams — Tennis GOAT, 23 Grand Slam titles, entrepreneur (estimated IQ: 105–118)

Careers That Suit an IQ of 113

People with an IQ around 113 are well-suited for the following career paths:

• Mechanic — average IQ range: 95–110
• Physical Therapist — average IQ range: 108–120
• Pharmacist Technician — average IQ range: 95–108
• Carpenter — average IQ range: 95–108
• Airline Pilot — average IQ range: 105–120

See the full IQ by career chart for all professions.

Explore Other IQ Scores

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