What does an IQ of 120 mean?
An IQ of 120 falls in the "superior" range. It places you ahead of about 91 out of 100 people, or roughly the top 9%.
A score of 120 is between one and two standard deviations above the average of 100. On standard clinical scales it lands in the "superior" band, comfortably above the typical range.
About 1 in 11 people reach 120 or higher. At this level, abstract reasoning and learning new material tend to come quickly, which is why scores in this range are common among people in study-heavy fields.
What an IQ of 120 does not tell you
A 120 is a strong score, but it is not a guarantee of success or a ceiling for anyone below it. IQ correlates with some outcomes on average, yet individual results depend far more on effort, opportunity, and interest than on a test number.
Common questions
Is an IQ of 120 good?
Yes. A 120 is in the superior range, ahead of about 91% of people. It is well above average without being extremely rare.
Is an IQ of 120 gifted?
It is approaching, but below, the usual gifted cutoff of around 130. A 120 is often described as "superior" rather than "gifted".
How rare is an IQ of 120?
About 1 in 11 people score 120 or above (roughly the top 9%).
Other IQ scores
Testrize provides a free, educational estimate of cognitive skills. It is not a clinical or diagnostic IQ test, and online scores should not be used for official purposes.