What does an IQ of 118 mean?
An IQ of 118 is above the population average but below the "superior" threshold — the High Average band (110–119). You scored higher than about 88% of people, an above-average result that tends to show up most in academic and analytical settings.
- Classification
- High Average
- Percentile
- 88th
- Scores higher than
- 88% of people
- Rarity
- about 1 in 9
- vs. average (100)
- +18 points
Key takeaways
- An IQ of 118 is classified as High Average (110–119).
- It is about the 88th percentile — higher than 88% of people.
- Roughly one in six people scores in the 110–119 range.
Is an IQ of 118 good?
Yes — an IQ of 118 is a clearly above-average result. You tend to pick up abstract ideas and spot patterns faster than most people, which is a real advantage in study and analytical work. As always, the score measures reasoning only; it doesn't capture drive, creativity, or the specific knowledge that turns ability into results.
How rare is an IQ of 118?
An IQ of 118 is moderately uncommon: about 12% of people score this high or higher, while 88% score lower. It's a comfortable edge over the average without being rare.
What an IQ of 118 looks like in practice
People in the high-average range often find formal learning a little easier and enjoy problems with structure. The gap over the population average is real but gentle — it usually shows as quicker uptake rather than a dramatic difference.
What makes an IQ of 118 distinctive
At 118 you're at the very top of the High Average band, just two points below the Superior threshold of 120. It's an above-average result that's starting to become uncommon — higher than the large majority of people — and close to the line where 'above average' tips into 'noticeably strong.'
An IQ of 118 in your Cognitive DNA
A near-Superior score like 118 is rarely flat. In the Cognitive DNA view it typically reflects two or more strands sitting in the 'strong' band, with the composite held just under 120 by a weaker area. Identifying that lagging strand — often processing speed or spatial reasoning — is exactly where someone at this level learns the most about their own profile.
IQ 118 compared to nearby scores
No short test pins ability to a single point. An IQ of 118 is best read as the centre of a range — roughly 114 to 122 — rather than an exact value, and it is not meaningfully different from scores a few points either side. When you compare two people, overlapping ranges matter more than the point scores.
Where 118 sits on the IQ scale
| IQ Range | Classification | % of People | What it means |
|---|---|---|---|
| ≤69 | Extremely Low | ~2.2% | Well below average. On clinical tests this range may warrant professional assessment. |
| 70–79 | Borderline | ~6.7% | Below average reasoning on this scale. |
| 80–89 | Low Average | ~16.1% | Slightly below the population average. |
| 90–109 | Average | ~50% | The middle of the distribution — where most people score. |
| 110–119 | High Average | ~16.1% | Above average reasoning ability. |
| 120–129 | Superior | ~6.7% | Notably above average — roughly the top 10%. |
| 130–144 | Gifted | ~2.1% | The conventional 'gifted' threshold (130) and above — top ~2%. Mensa qualifies here. |
| 145+ | Highly Gifted | ~0.1% | Exceptionally rare — the far right tail of the distribution. |
Frequently asked questions
Is an IQ of 118 good?+
Yes. An IQ of 118 is above average — ahead of about 88% of people — and reflects strong everyday reasoning, especially on academic and analytical tasks.
What percentile is an IQ of 118?+
An IQ of 118 is about the 88th percentile on the standard mean-100, SD-15 scale — meaning you score higher than roughly 88% of people.
How rare is an IQ of 118?+
A score of 118 is about 1 in 9, based on the normal distribution of IQ in the population.
Is an IQ of 118 considered high?+
Yes. An IQ of 118 is above the population average of 100, placing you ahead of most people on measured reasoning, though below the top few percent.
Is an IQ of 118 close to gifted?+
Not quite — 'gifted' conventionally starts at 130. 118 is at the top of the High Average band, two points below the Superior range (120–129) and well below the gifted line, but it's a clearly above-average score.
How far is an IQ of 118 from the Superior range?+
Just two points. Superior begins at 120, so 118 sits at the very top of High Average — close enough that on another day the same person might test either side of the line.
Related guides
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