An IQ of 110 sits in the above average range, around the 74.75th percentile. Here is what that means, and what it does not.
Reference score
110
Percentile
74.75%
At or above
1 in 4
Reference scale
100 mean / 15 SD
Prepared by IQInsight · Calculation guide · Updated
110 is above average on this scale, not 110% intelligence.
A score of 110 is ten points above the reference mean. Dividing by the standard deviation of 15 gives a z-score of about 0.67. The normal model puts it near the 74.75th percentile: about one quarter of values are at or above this threshold. The distinction matters because a percentile is a position in a distribution, not a percentage of questions answered correctly.
Compared with 100, the percentile rises from 50 to about 74.75. Compared with 115, it is about 9.39 percentile points lower. Those gaps describe the scale. They do not establish how two people would perform on a particular task, and they cannot tell you whether a small difference between two test results is meaningful.
How the percentile is calculated.
The reference uses a mean of 100 and a standard deviation of 15. First convert the score to a z-score, then find the area below it on the standard normal curve.
Theoretical normal distribution. Mean 100, standard deviation 15. This does not measure your IQ or compare you with IQInsight users.
Put the number in perspective.
In a normal distribution with mean 100 and standard deviation 15, about 25.25% of scores fall at or above 110. That is approximately one in 4. The figure describes the reference model; it is not a count of people we have tested.
The quality of the test matters.
A number alone does not show how accurately it was measured. An established, professionally administered test has supporting evidence and defined interpretation rules. An online exercise without representative norms cannot establish the same conclusions.
Nearby scores on the same scale.
Theoretical percentiles, mean 100 and standard deviation 15
If you found 110 on another test, first check whether that test uses a mean of 100 and an SD of 15. On that scale it is above the midpoint, but the number does not specify which tasks you found easy or difficult. Look at the test’s domain results and conditions before drawing a practical conclusion.
A score alone cannot tell you how a person thinks through a problem. This published sample illustrates a reasoning method; it is not calibrated to a 110 IQ level and does not predict a score.
Double the current term, then add the next counting number, starting with +1: 3, 7, 16, 35, 74. What comes next?
A. 148
B. 149
C. 152
D. 153
Reveal the answer and reasoning
Answer: 153. The additions are +1, +2, +3 and +4. The next transition is 74×2+5=153.
Check an alternative: 148. Doubling 74 leaves out the addition.
Try this approach. Write both parts of every transition and advance the changing part.
This is one of our public sample questions. Seeing the solution may make a future attempt more familiar. Explore the sample report to see how answers are explained.
A few things you might be wondering.
Clear answers, before you begin.
Does 110 mean I am 10% more intelligent than average?+
No. IQ scale points are not a ratio measure of intelligence. The difference between 100 and 110 is ten scale points, or two thirds of a standard deviation on the reference used here. It is not a percentage increase in a person’s abilities.
Is 110 a good IQ score?+
On a theoretical scale with mean 100 and standard deviation 15, 110 is in the above average range, around the 74.75th percentile. Whether a particular test result supports that interpretation depends on the quality and standardization of that test.
How rare is an IQ of 110?+
Under that normal-distribution model, about 25.25% of values are at or above 110, approximately 1 in 4. This is a mathematical reference, not observed IQInsight user data.
Does this number describe all of my abilities?+
No. IQ scores do not describe every skill, interest, quality or circumstance. A score on an unstandardized online exercise is especially limited and should not be treated as a diagnosis or a prediction of personal success.
Can I compare scores from different tests?+
Only with care. Tests can differ in norms, scales, questions, administration and reliability. Similar-looking numbers are not necessarily equivalent measurements.
Can I get my result without paying?+
Yes. IQInsight is designed to provide the estimated score, theoretical percentile and all four domain breakdowns for free. The optional report explains the answers in more detail.
