Is an IQ of 57 Good? What It Means & Where You Stand

What Does an IQ of 57 Mean?

An IQ of 57 is in the mild to moderate disability range. Many individuals develop practical daily living skills, basic literacy, and can work in structured environments with support. The gap from average is significant, but with appropriate assistance, semi-independent living is often possible.

An IQ of 57 places you at the 0.2nd percentile, which means you scored higher than approximately 0.2% of the general population on a standardized intelligence test. This score falls into the Extremely Low range on the IQ scale. With a rarity of 1 in 500, this score is less common, but IQ is just one measure of cognitive ability.

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 57

Structured work environments with job coaching — food service, grounds keeping, stocking, and custodial work. Many build stable, long-term employment.

Cognitive Profile at IQ 57

IQ 57 falls in mild intellectual disability where verbal comprehension handles sentences of 6–8 words on familiar topics and short narratives about known events can be followed and briefly summarized. Working memory holds 4 items reliably and shows emerging spontaneous rehearsal. Processing speed is below the 4th percentile. Fluid intelligence demonstrates capacity for simple concrete pattern recognition and sequential reasoning when elements are visually presented. Reading may be at 1st–2nd grade level with systematic instruction. Mathematical concepts include addition and subtraction within 20 and basic coin recognition. The cognitive profile at 57 is meaningfully different from 50 — there is more language available as a learning channel, more capacity for rule-based reasoning, and more spontaneous use of memory strategies. Social cognition continues to be a relative strength.

What Research Says About IQ 57

NLSY79 analysis by Murray (1998, Income Inequality and IQ) shows that individuals in the IQ 55–70 range are disproportionately represented in manual service and trades occupations but achieve income and employment stability comparable to higher-IQ peers in those roles. Project Talent follow-up data show that IQ 57 correlates with approximately 6th–7th grade academic achievement under ideal educational conditions. Research by McDermott et al. (2011, Journal of Learning Disabilities) found that working memory — not processing speed — is the strongest predictor of academic achievement gains in the mild intellectual disability range, with direct implications for intervention design.

Day-to-Day Life with an IQ of 57

A person at IQ 57 might hold a steady job in a warehouse — scanning barcodes with a handheld device, filling orders from a pick list with visual product images, and operating a manual pallet jack. They have been employed there for 3 years and are considered a reliable team member. They live in a shared apartment, prepare several meals weekly, and shop at a familiar grocery store using a written list with picture aids. Reading is at early functional level — they can fill out simple forms, recognize prices, and read basic text messages. Social life includes friendships from work and a regular bowling night.

How Does an IQ of 57 Compare?

Here's how a score of 57 compares to nearby IQ scores:

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