Is an IQ of 114 Good? What It Means & Where You Stand

What Does an IQ of 114 Mean?

An IQ of 114 is solidly in the high average range, just one point below 115. At the 82nd percentile, you score higher than about 82% of people. This is a genuine cognitive advantage — people at this level tend to do well academically, learn new skills efficiently, and handle complex professional work. The distinction between 114 and 115 is meaningless; both represent the same cognitive profile.

An IQ of 114 places you at the 82nd percentile, which means you scored higher than approximately 82% 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 6, 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 114

At 114, most professional careers are comfortable fits. Teaching, nursing, business management, engineering technology, and many STEM-adjacent roles are natural paths. Graduate school is achievable with strong study habits.

Cognitive Profile at IQ 114

IQ 114 sits in the high-average range where cognitive advantages in verbal reasoning and fluid intelligence are consistently and reliably differentiated from the population mean in demanding academic and professional contexts. Verbal reasoning handles advanced primary literature in the most demanding disciplines with reliable analytical, synthetic, and critical reasoning. Working memory holds 10 items with rehearsal. Processing speed is at the 73rd percentile. Fluid intelligence shows genuine and reliable novel problem-solving with strong consistency on the most demanding abstract reasoning problems encountered in doctoral research and complex professional settings. Mathematical competence includes advanced quantitative methods in virtually all academic disciplines. The individual at IQ 114 learns new complex material at a rate substantially above average — an advantage that is now clearly visible in demanding multi-year academic programs and produces systematically faster acquisition of new domain knowledge throughout a professional career.

What Research Says About IQ 114

NLSY79 data document that IQ 114 individuals achieve 4-year college enrollment at 80% and bachelor's degree completion at approximately 75%. Median earnings are approximately 22–23% above the US median. Research by Deary et al. (2007) found that IQ 114 predicts professional and high-level managerial occupational attainment with strong consistency in longitudinal cohorts. Schmidt & Hunter (1998) estimate that at IQ 114, job performance advantages in complex occupations are large and consistently detected across organizational research contexts. Project Talent follow-up data place IQ 114 at the 16th to 14th percentile of selective college graduates — a position associated with reliable academic success in demanding programs.

Day-to-Day Life with an IQ of 114

A person at IQ 114 works as an anesthesiologist — managing complex anesthetic plans for surgical cases, monitoring physiologic parameters in real time, making rapid dose adjustments, managing difficult airway scenarios, supervising residents and CRNAs, and participating in hospital quality and patient safety leadership. They graduated from medical school in the top 20% of their class and completed residency at a highly selective program. They own their home, manage complex finances, and are active in anesthesiology specialty leadership. They are regarded by surgical colleagues, trainees, and hospital administrators as among the most skilled and reliable anesthesiologists on staff.

How Does an IQ of 114 Compare?

Here's how a score of 114 compares to nearby IQ scores:

Frequently Asked Questions

Famous People with an IQ Around 114

The following well-known figures have estimated IQ scores close to 114:

• Kim Kardashian — Media mogul, entrepreneur, law student (estimated IQ: 115–125)
• Taylor Swift — Singer-songwriter, music industry mogul (estimated IQ: 115–125)
• Kanye West — Rapper, producer, fashion designer, Yeezy (estimated IQ: 115–130)
• LeBron James — NBA legend, 4x champion, business mogul (estimated IQ: 110–120)
• Beyoncé — Singer, performer, business mogul, cultural icon (estimated IQ: 115–125)

Careers That Suit an IQ of 114

People with an IQ around 114 are well-suited for the following career paths:

• Lawyer — average IQ range: 115–130
• Engineer — average IQ range: 115–128
• Software Developer — average IQ range: 110–125
• Teacher — average IQ range: 105–120
• Nurse — average IQ range: 105–115

See the full IQ by career chart for all professions.

Explore Other IQ Scores

Take our free IQ test to find out where you stand, or learn more about what IQ really measures.