IQ 135: A Closer Look at Its Meaning, Impact, & Significance

An IQ of 135 indicates an exceptionally high level of intelligence, gifted with impressive memory, processing speed, logical reasoning, and critical thinking, which can help you succeed in any endeavor you wish to undertake.

To gain a deeper understanding of this score, we’ve consulted our experts and learned what an IQ of 135 really means, why it is significant, which celebrities share it, and what careers it’s great for.

In this article, we will share our findings with you.

Key Takeaways

• An IQ of 135 means that your cognition is highly developed, allowing you to thrive in almost any field you choose.
• People with an IQ of 135 are usually original, introspective, open-minded, and excellent decision-makers.
• Famous people with an IQ of 135 are Arnold Schwarzenegger, Dennis Miller, Tommy Lee Jones, and Michael Stevens.
• People with an IQ of 135 make excellent engineers, entrepreneurs, and physicists.

Understanding the Average IQ

The average IQ is any score in the 85–115 range since the majority (68%) of the population lands on this part of the scale. However, the true average is considered to be 100, as this score actually indicates you’ve performed as well as 50% of your peer group on an IQ test.

To understand what that means, you must first know how IQ tests calculate the intelligence quotient. Namely, they compare your performance to your peer group’s, express it in percentiles, and finally translate those into a corresponding score.

In other words, if your IQ score is 100, you’re in the 50th percentile, which means you’ve performed as well as 50% of your peers. Every score can be similarly converted into percentiles—for example, an IQ of 120 is the 91st percentile, while an IQ of 80 is the 9.12th.

Aside from the average IQ, there are two more broad categories of intelligence to consider: low IQ (below 85) and high IQ (above 115). These three can be further divided into more descriptive subcategories.

These subcategories may differ to some extent from test to test. However, generally speaking, those differences aren’t too significant, and Stanford-Binet’s test is undoubtedly the most widespread.

How High Is Your IQ? Test It to Find Out!

If you’d like to know which category your IQ belongs to, test yourself with our professionally designed IQtest.net. Using the most advanced psychometric methods, this IQ test calculates your score with the accuracy and precision of a standardized test.

However, unlike standardized tests, IQtest.net is free, meaning that you can retake it as many times as you want. That can be particularly useful when you’re training your mental abilities—the IQ test can serve as a cognitive exercise and a tool to track your progress.

How Good Is the IQ 135?

IQ 135

An IQ of 135 is exceptionally good, as it indicates that your cognitive skills, such as memory, concentration, attention span, logic, deduction, and pattern recognition, are highly developed.

This score also allows you to think outside the box, effectively solve problems, and easily grasp different perspectives.

In fact, an IQ of 135 is the 99th percentile, which makes people with this score eligible for most high-IQ societies, including Mensa.

However, while an IQ of 135 is gifted, it’s important to note that it isn’t a genius intelligence level. Although there is some debate regarding the score that marks the beginning of genius IQ, it’s generally considered to start at 145 rather than 130.

Still, people with an IQ of 135 are just as capable of achieving great things and prospering in all fields as those who are officially considered geniuses.

Moreover, they are less likely to feel as alienated as people with higher scores, considering that it’s somewhat more accessible for them to meet like-minded individuals. As a result, they tend to have a fulfilling social life and don’t stand out as much.

Characteristics of People With 135 IQ

People with an IQ of 135 are usually unique, highly rational, reflective, and open-minded. However, it’s important to remember that this group isn’t a monolith—not everyone with an IQ of 135 will have the same traits, nor does personality necessarily depend on intelligence.

That said, let’s take a look at what typically characterizes an IQ of 135 in more detail:

• Originality. Highly intelligent people tend to be more original and creative, as they enjoy exploring different viewpoints, processing various ideas, and then coming up with their own perspectives. In other words, they are more likely to seek out variety, which usually results in greater creativity. Our article on IQ and creativity explores this topic in more depth.
• Excellent decision-making skills. Thanks to their ability to forecast different outcomes of a specific situation, people with an IQ of 135 tend to be good at making decisions. As such, they make great employees who especially thrive in responsible positions.
• Introspection. People with an IQ of 135 enjoy thinking about their own thought processes and feelings and understand how important it is to know yourself. As a result, they spend a lot of time in reflection and introspection, which raises their self-awareness.
• Open-mindedness. Highly intelligent people seek new experiences and ideas, aware that sticking to only what they know can’t lead to growth and progress. That’s why they frequently enjoy traveling and meeting new people, but it’s also why they are more likely to experiment with illegal substances.

Famous People With an IQ of 135

Although IQ can only be established using an IQ test, experts can make educated guesses about someone’s intelligence based on their accomplishments or education. As a result, it is possible to estimate celebrity IQs, even if they haven’t been officially announced.

Keeping that in mind, here are four celebrities who likely have an IQ of 135.

#1. Arnold Schwarzenegger

Arnold Schwarzenegger, an Austrian-American actor and the former governor of California, may be famous for his muscles and action roles, but he’s certainly not lacking in the IQ department.

In fact, if we take into account that he moved to the US young to pursue his acting career and succeeded despite his dyslexia and poor English, it’s clear that Schwarzenegger is gifted.

Of course, he wouldn’t have come as far as he did without hard work, but his intelligence is undeniable.

As an action hero, he’s appeared in over 40 films, including the Terminator series, Conan the Barbarian, Eraser, End of Days, Predator, The Expendables, and more.

#2. Dennis Miller

Dennis Miller, an American comedian, political commentator, and talk show host, is living proof that high intelligence and a sense of humor often go hand in hand.

Even in his early childhood, Dennis Miller wanted to be a comedian and quickly became known for his humor among his peers. However, upon graduating from high school, he decided to become a sports writer and enrolled at Point Park University.

At university, he wrote a sports column for a local newspaper, mixing humor with the reporting. Eventually, he graduated with a degree in journalism, only to realize that the profession didn’t interest him very much.

Having worked a series of odd jobs, Miller finally decided to try his hand at stand-up and, bit by bit, found his footing in this industry. With time, he became one of the most successful anchors on SNL, got his own talk shows on HBO and CNBC, and hosted his own radio program.

#3. Tommy Lee Jones

American actor Tommy Lee Jones had a long and successful career, appearing in numerous films and receiving various accolades, including a Golden Globe Award and an Academy Award.

But what may come as a surprise is that before he started appearing on the big screen, Tommy Lee Jones attended Harvard, from which he graduated cum laude with a degree in English.

Soon after, Jones moved to New York to pursue an acting career, landing his first supporting role on Broadway in 1969. A year later, he acted in his first film role, where he coincidentally had to play a Harvard student.

Slowly but surely, Jones became more prominent and eventually began appearing in blockbusters such as The Fugitive, Natural Born Killers, Batman Forever, No Country for Old Men, Jason Bourne, Ad Astra, and more.

#4. Michael Stevens

Michael Stevens, best known as the host of Vsauce, is an online video creator with over 20 million followers who specializes in educational content. In fact, his channel, Vsauce, is dedicated to exploring scientific, psychological, and philosophical topics and presenting them in an easy-to-digest way.

Considering the nature of his channel, it’s not particularly surprising that Michael Stevens has a high IQ, nor that he graduated from the University of Chicago with a degree in psychology and English literature.

Still, he’s certainly worth mentioning, as he challenges the widespread belief that YouTubers and other online creators aren’t particularly intelligent or highly educated.

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Best Careers for People With 135 IQ

Best Careers for People With 135 IQ

The best careers for people with an IQ of 135 are usually those that challenge them mentally; in other words, professions that require excellent problem-solving abilities, decision-making skills, deduction, and creativity.

Keeping that in mind, let’s take a look at suitable jobs for an IQ of 135:

• Engineers. Engineers can have various responsibilities depending on the field they work in, but generally speaking, they are in charge of designing and evaluating systems, processes, or technologies. Unsurprisingly, they must be highly creative and detail-oriented, as well as possess developed logical-mathematical intelligence.
• Entrepreneurs. Since starting a profitable business is exceptionally challenging, entrepreneurs must be highly motivated, resilient, and excellent at critical and strategic thinking. Naturally, they must also be creative; otherwise, it will be difficult for them to come up with suitable solutions to potential problems.
• Physicists. Physicists concern themselves with the natural world and the rules and principles that govern it. Generally, they study theory, perform experiments, or use their knowledge in practice to develop equipment and materials.

Final Thoughts

With an IQ of 135, there are hardly any obstacles on your path to success, at least in the cognitive sense. After all, this score is characterized by exceptional cognition, excellent decision-making and problem-solving skills, and highly developed critical and abstract thinking.

However, self-development and learning are still essential if you genuinely want to progress in life. Relying solely on intelligence can only take you so far—hard work is what enables you to reach your full potential.

Find out what different IQ levels signify through these articles:

• IQ 130
• IQ 140
• IQ 145