Is 138 a High IQ? Percentile, Rarity & Meaning
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Is 138 a High IQ?
Yes. A 138 IQ is a high score when it comes from a properly normed IQ test. On the common mean-100, SD-15 scale, 138 is approximately the 99.44th percentile. That means it is higher than about 99.44% of the norm group.
Another way to say it: under a normal-distribution model, about 0.56% of people score at or above 138. That is roughly 1 in 178 people. The exact rarity can vary by test norms, score scale, and rounding rules.
Quick answer
Yes. IQ 138 is very high: about the 99.44th percentile on an SD-15 scale.
138 IQ Percentile and Rarity
The percentile comes from converting the IQ score into a z-score: (138 - 100) / 15 = 2.53. A z-score of about 2.53 corresponds to a percentile near 99.44. This is why 138 sits clearly above common high-score thresholds such as 120, 125, and 130.
| IQ | Approx. percentile | Interpretive context |
|---|---|---|
| 120 | 90.88th | Above average |
| 130 | 97.72nd | Very high |
| 132 | 98.35th | Very high |
| 138 | 99.44th | Exceptionally high |
| 145 | 99.87th | Extremely high |
What a 138 IQ Usually Means
A 138 IQ indicates very strong performance on the tasks included in the assessment. Depending on the test, that may reflect verbal reasoning, fluid reasoning, visual-spatial ability, working memory, processing speed, or some combination of those domains.
It does not mean the person is equally strong at every mental skill. A composite score can hide uneven profiles. Someone may score extremely high in reasoning but closer to average in processing speed, or very high in verbal tasks but less high in visual-spatial tasks.
Cautions About Calling 138 High
The word high is justified for 138, but the source of the result matters. A 138 from a professional, standardized assessment is much more interpretable than a 138 from a short online quiz with unknown norms. Always check the test name, standard deviation, norm group, and confidence interval.
Also avoid treating 138 as a fixed identity. It is a strong estimate of performance under specific conditions. Real-world achievement still depends on effort, knowledge, opportunity, health, communication, and judgment.
Frequently Asked Questions
FAQ
Is 138 IQ gifted?
It is above many gifted cutoffs, but program rules vary and may consider more than IQ.
Is 138 close to 140 IQ?
Mathematically it is close, and the practical difference may be smaller than measurement error depending on the test.
Can online tests measure 138 accurately?
Some can provide estimates, but many lack enough ceiling, norms, and reliability evidence for precise upper-range interpretation.
Summary
A 138 IQ is definitely high on the common SD-15 IQ scale. It is about the 99.44th percentile, or roughly the top 0.56%. Interpret it with the test's norms, confidence interval, and domain profile rather than treating the point score as perfectly exact.