An IQ of 115 sits in the above average range, around the 84.13th percentile. Here is what that means, and what it does not.
Reference score
115
Percentile
84.13%
At or above
1 in 6
Reference scale
100 mean / 15 SD
Prepared by IQInsight · Calculation guide · Updated
115 marks one standard deviation above the reference mean.
The calculation is especially straightforward at 115: (115 − 100) ÷ 15 = 1. The normal model puts about 84.13% of values below that point and 15.87% at or above it. That is approximately one in six values, not one in six correct answers. It is also not exactly the 85th percentile, even though that can sound like a convenient rounded label.
The interval from 100 to 115 contains about 34.13% of the model. The interval from 115 to 130 contains about 13.59%. Both intervals span 15 score points, but their population proportions differ because the curve is denser near its center. Equal score steps do not create equal percentile steps.
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 15.87% of scores fall at or above 115. That is approximately one in 6. 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
For a reported score of 115, ask whether the original report supplies a percentile and an uncertainty interval. One standard deviation is a useful location on a scale, not a list of skills you must have. Examples of your work or study give information that this coordinate cannot provide.
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 115 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.
Is 115 the same as the 85th percentile?+
Not exactly. On the mean-100, SD-15 normal model it is about the 84.13th percentile. A rounded description can help orientation, but an exact threshold should use the specific instrument’s published norms and rules.
Is 115 a good IQ score?+
On a theoretical scale with mean 100 and standard deviation 15, 115 is in the above average range, around the 84.13th percentile. Whether a particular test result supports that interpretation depends on the quality and standardization of that test.
How rare is an IQ of 115?+
Under that normal-distribution model, about 15.87% of values are at or above 115, approximately 1 in 6. 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.
