IQ 120: A Closer Look at Its Meaning + Best Career Choices

An IQ of 120 is on the upper end of the intelligence scale, meaning that people with this IQ are cognitively superior to most of their peers. As a result, they tend to be well-adjusted and seek challenging career paths and experiences that stimulate them mentally.

To gain a better understanding of this IQ score, we’ve consulted our experts and discovered the typical characteristics of the IQ of 120 as well as how this score affects people in their personal and professional lives.

Let’s explore some of these findings.

Key Takeaways

• An IQ of 120 is considered high since the normal IQ range is between 85 and 115.
• An IQ of 120 means that your cognitive abilities are highly developed, allowing you to grasp complex abstract concepts, solve problems effectively, and make sound decisions.
• The most suitable careers for someone with an IQ of 120 are those that are mentally challenging and stimulate the brain.
• Celebrities with an IQ of 120 include Angelina Jolie, Jennifer Lawrence, and Chris Brown.

What Is a Normal IQ Range?

A normal IQ range is considered to be between 85 and 115, as that is where 68% of the population lands after taking an IQ test. However, the true average IQ is 100, also known as the 50th percentile.

To understand what the 50th percentile means, you must first be familiar with how IQ tests actually work. Simply put, they calculate your score by comparing your performance to that of your peers. That comparison is then expressed in percentages, each of which has a corresponding score.

In other words, the 50th percentile means that you’ve performed as well as 50% of your peers, which puts you in the very middle of the scale.

Scores below 85, the cutoff point for average IQ, are considered low, while those above 115 are high.

Is Your IQ Higher Than Normal?

If you want to know where you land on the IQ score chart above, you can find out using IQtest.net. Our professionally designed free IQ test uses the latest psychometric methods to calculate your score with a degree of precision usually encountered only in standardized IQ tests.

In addition, since IQtest.net is free to use, you can use it as a practice tool and track your progress as you slowly improve your cognitive abilities over time.

What Does an IQ of 120 Mean, and How Good Is It?

What Does an IQ 120 Mean, and How Good Is It?

An IQ of 120 is generally considered high or superior if we follow Stanford-Binet’s more specific classification. People with this IQ score belong to the 91st percentile, meaning they’ve performed better than the majority of their peers on the test.

In other words, a person with an IQ of 120 is gifted with highly developed cognition, the ability to grasp most abstract concepts with ease, and excellent analytical skills. Moreover, this IQ is characterized by a propensity towards independent thinking, creativity, and self-improvement.

As a result, people with this score usually perform well academically, often obtaining bachelor’s and master’s degrees, and make fantastic employees in numerous cognitively challenging professions.

They don’t normally struggle with their personal and social lives, either. After all, high IQ and emotional intelligence frequently go hand in hand, so they tend to have highly developed social skills as well as a good understanding of themselves.

Of course, high intelligence may come with some drawbacks, such as overthinking and excessive worry, which may lead to inaction and procrastination. However, this depends far more on specific personality traits than on IQ itself.

3 Jobs Best Suited for People With a 120 IQ

People with an IQ of 120 are well suited for most jobs, but they typically shine the most in fields that challenge their cognition and take advantage of their highly developed analytical and problem-solving skills. These careers offer them the stimulation they need, without which they might become restless and bored.

Taking that into account, here are three jobs where an IQ of 120 thrives:

#1. Optometrist

an image of optometrist that has IQ 120

Optometrists provide primary health care for eyes, such as conducting eye exams and vision tests, prescribing glasses, contacts, and other vision aids, and identifying and treating common eye diseases, such as glaucoma.

However, since they don’t have a degree from medical school, they can’t perform surgery and usually don’t deal with more complex eye problems. Instead, they refer their patients to an ophthalmologist.

Still, optometrists play a crucial role in eye health care, and, as such, they need to possess vast knowledge, excellent critical thinking and problem-solving skills, as well as a great eye for detail.

In addition, since they work with patients on a daily basis, they need to be active and compassionate listeners, great communicators, and possess a high level of interpersonal intelligence.

#2. Pharmacist

an image of a pharmacist

Pharmacists are experts on medication who can work in different types of organizations and have a vast range of responsibilities.

For instance, a pharmacist working in a pharmacy dispenses medication according to a physician’s prescription, advises patients on the correct use and potential side effects of certain medicines, and maintains registries, inventories, and stock in the pharmacy.

On the other hand, industrial pharmacists are in charge of designing, developing, and testing new medications, as well as marketing them once they are complete.

Regardless of where they work, pharmacists must be responsible, highly intelligent, and able to keep up with all the latest trends in this fast-changing industry. On top of that, they should possess great people skills to effectively communicate with patients, doctors, or other pharmacists on the research team.

#3. Accountant

an image of accountant that has IQ 120

Accountants collect and keep track of financial information in a company, thus helping the management make well-informed business decisions. They also propose financial actions based on their analyses, take care of any financial business transactions, and ensure that the company follows specific legislation related to finance.

In other words, accountants must be very comfortable with numbers, have an excellent eye for detail, and be able to make sound decisions based on the data they’ve thoroughly analyzed.

As a result, an accounting job is perfectly suitable for people with an IQ of 120. Their highly developed cognition allows them to correctly analyze information, handle multiple tasks simultaneously, and remain accurate despite the large amounts of numerical data.

Top 3 Celebrities With an IQ of 120

If you have an IQ of 120, your intelligence level is on par with the following three world-famous celebrities.

#1. Angelina Jolie

an image of Angelina Jolie that has IQ 120

Angelina Jolie is one of the most recognizable actresses in the world, famous for her beauty, talent, and humanitarian work. From the first major film she featured in, Hackers, in 1995, until today, she’s been in almost 50 movies and received numerous accolades for her roles.

In addition, she’s been directing her own films, starting with the 2011 movie In the Land of Blood and Honey. Having achieved moderate success, she’s since directed four more movies, some of which she also starred in.

What may be less known about her is that she’s also highly intelligent, with an IQ of 120. Although she never focused on academic pursuits, instead prioritizing acting and modeling even in her teen years, her interest in social issues and openness towards other cultures and the world at large speak volumes.

#2. Jennifer Lawrence

an image of Jennifer Lawrence

Jennifer Lawrence is yet another actress with an impressive IQ score who established herself through numerous roles in various genres and won many accolades over the course of her career.

Just like Angelina Jolie, Jennifer Lawrence knew she wanted to become an actress from an early age. As a result, she dropped out of school at 14 and began acting in smaller roles for cable TV.

Her big break came in 2010, when she starred in the movie Winter’s Bone. After that, she landed roles in the X-Men series, the Hunger Games series, Passengers, Mother!, Don’t Look Up, and more. To this day, she’s one of the highest-paid actresses in the world.

#3. Chris Brown

an image of Chris Brown that has IQ 120

American R&B singer, rapper, dancer, and songwriter Chris Brown has often been dubbed the “King of R&B” and, soon after his debut, compared to the likes of Usher and Michael Jackson.

Like Jennifer Lawrence, Chris Brown dropped out of high school to pursue his music career when he was only 16. His first album, titled simply Chris Brown, was already a commercial success, with the lead single “Run It!” landing on the top of the Billboard Hot 100.

Unfortunately, Chris Brown’s IQ of 120 wasn’t enough to keep him out of trouble. Over the years, he’s been involved in many incidents, the most famous one being the assault on his then-girlfriend and another famous singer, Rihanna.

Although this has somewhat slowed down his career for a while, he’s still considered one of the best R&B musicians of all time, and his fans still count in the tens of millions.

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Final Thoughts

An IQ of 120 indicates that your cognition is highly developed and you have no trouble grasping and handling complex or abstract concepts. In addition, you’re an independent thinker and thus a valuable asset to any profession, particularly those that require you to employ your mental faculties.

Still, you can always develop your intelligence further, even when it’s on the higher end of the scale. IQtest.net and its tasks designed to challenge your cognition will help you with that, as long as you stay consistent in your practice.

Find out what different IQ levels mean and how they compare:

• IQ 115
• IQ 125
• IQ 130