Is an IQ of 58 Good? What It Means & Where You Stand

What Does an IQ of 58 Mean?

An IQ of 58 is in the upper moderate intellectual disability range at the 0.3th percentile — about 1 in 330 people score at this level. Many individuals develop functional reading and math skills, communicate effectively, and hold supported jobs. With proper instruction and community support, a meaningful degree of independence in daily life is achievable. The transition from moderate to mild disability classification is nearby, and some individuals function closer to the mild range in practice.

An IQ of 58 places you at the 0.3th percentile, which means you scored higher than approximately 0.3% of the general population on a standardized intelligence test. This score falls into the Moderate Intellectual Disability range on the IQ scale. With a rarity of 1 in 330, 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.

How Precise Is a Score of 58?

Less precise than a single number suggests. Professionally administered IQ tests carry a standard error of measurement of roughly 3–5 points, which means a measured score of 58is best read as a range of about 53 to 63 — and scores from short online tests vary even more. Test-retest studies show the same person's score can shift by several points between sessions due to sleep, stress, motivation, practice effects, and simple chance. Different tests (WAIS, Stanford-Binet, Raven's) can also yield somewhat different numbers for the same person. Treat any single figure — including this one — as an estimate with a margin of error, not a fixed property. Our methodology page explains how our own estimate is calculated.

What an IQ of 58 Does Not Establish

An IQ score summarizes performance on abstract reasoning tasks at one point in time. It is not a medical or psychological diagnosis, and a score of 58 on its own does not determine your career ceiling, academic future, creativity, emotional intelligence, judgment, or character. Research links IQ to average outcomes across large groups, but individual outcomes vary enormously at every score level. If you need a clinically valid assessment — for educational placement, a disability evaluation, or gifted-program admission — only a licensed psychologist can provide one. See our disclaimer for the full limitations.

Career Context for an IQ of 58

Supported and sometimes competitive employment in food service, retail, custodial work, and simple manufacturing is achievable for many individuals. Job coaching, workplace accommodations, and ongoing support enable stable, long-term employment.

A note on career framing: occupational IQ averages describe broad group tendencies from research samples — they are not entry requirements, and employers do not screen candidates by IQ. Interest, training, persistence, and opportunity shape careers far more than a test score.

Cognitive Profile at IQ 58

At IQ 58, the mild intellectual disability profile shows meaningful verbal reasoning capacity and increasing use of language as a learning tool compared to lower scores. Verbal comprehension handles multi-sentence passages on familiar topics and can extract main ideas from simple narratives. Working memory holds 4 items with spontaneous rehearsal on familiar verbal material. Processing speed remains significantly below average. Fluid intelligence shows capacity for rule learning and simple analogical reasoning when content is concrete and familiar. Academic skills with systematic instruction may reach 2nd–3rd grade level. Mathematical concepts include addition and subtraction within 20, money counting, and simple time management. Self-advocacy — expressing preferences, asking for help, reporting a problem to a supervisor — is an emerging and teachable skill at this level that meaningfully improves workplace and community outcomes.

What Research Says About IQ 58

Schalock et al. (2010, Intellectual Disability: Definition, Classification, and Systems of Supports) document that the supports paradigm fundamentally reframes IQ 55–65 outcomes — focusing on what supports are needed rather than what the person cannot do. Research by Wehmeyer et al. (2007, American Journal on Mental Retardation) found that self-determination — choosing one's own goals and acting on them — is associated with better employment outcomes and quality of life at IQ 55–65 independent of IQ level within this range. Flynn (2009, What Is Intelligence?) notes that real-world ability improvements at IQ 55–65 are among the most striking Flynn Effect findings.

Day-to-Day Life with an IQ of 58

A person at IQ 58 may work full-time at a landscaping company — mowing, edging, planting, and managing a basic equipment maintenance checklist. They have earned a driver's license with extended testing and drive themselves to work. They manage a bank account with a smartphone app, track a weekly budget, and pay rent with staff assistance for the paperwork. At home in their own apartment, they are fully independent in self-care and domestic routines. Reading is at functional level for daily needs — they read simple text messages, product labels, familiar menus, and basic work instructions. Complex reading like contracts or medical forms requires support.

How Does an IQ of 58 Compare?

Here's how a score of 58 compares to nearby IQ scores:

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