IQ 145: How Good Is It & Is It a Sign of Genius?

An IQ of 145 is an impressively high score that indicates a genius level of intelligence—in fact, geniuses are officially considered to have an IQ in the 145–160 range. As a result, an IQ of 145 comes with enormous cognitive potential that can be used to effect real change in the world.

To learn more about this IQ score, we’ve consulted our team of experts and discovered what an IQ of 145 means, what characterizes it, and which famous people have it.

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

Key Takeaways

• An IQ of 145 indicates a genius level of intelligence with highly developed cognitive abilities, excellent memory, and incredible reasoning and deductive prowess.
• People with an IQ of 145 have enormous potential to realize most of their goals, as well as to bring significant changes to their fields or even the world.
• Famous people with an IQ of 145 include Napoleon Bonaparte, Barack Obama, and Warren Buffett.

A Closer Look at the Average IQ Score

Officially, the average IQ is 100, but since the majority (68%) of the population scores between 85 and 115, that range represents the average intelligence.

As a result, scores below 85 are considered low IQ, while scores above 115 indicate high IQ and potential giftedness, especially if the result is higher than 130.

Typically, IQ is calculated using standardized IQ tests, which measure the development of your cognitive abilities such as memory, processing, concentration, deductive reasoning, and logic. Then, they represent the results on an IQ scale, which ranges from 40 to 160.

But what about the scores that are higher or lower than this range?

While it is possible to have an IQ beyond this scale, current IQ tests can’t accurately measure it. Generally speaking, they are the most reliable when calculating average scores; borderline scores present a somewhat greater challenge.

How IQ Tests Measure IQ

The difficulty IQ tests have with borderline scores comes from the way they calculate the intelligence quotient. Namely, your score doesn’t reflect your performance on the test but rather your performance compared to your peers.

Depending on how well you’ve performed, your result is first expressed in a percentile and then transformed into an IQ score—the actual number between 40 and 160.

In other words, if you’ve outperformed 99.99% of your peers, you’ll belong to the 99.99th percentile, which corresponds to the highest IQ score of 160, the same as Albert Einstein’s IQ and Stephen Hawking’s IQ.

However, if we say that your score is 170, the percentage difference will be only 0.003%, which is too miniscule for an IQ test to pick up. The same rules apply to the bottom of the scale as well.

Discover Your IQ Score: Is It Above Average?

If you want to know where you rank on the IQ scale, IQtest.net can measure your score accurately and precisely. Our professionally designed IQ test uses the latest psychometric methods to test your cognitive abilities and show you which areas of your cognition could use improvement.

In addition, you can use our free IQ test to boost your cognition and track your progress as you work on it. After all, there is no limit to how many times you can retake the test, so make sure to test your intelligence frequently.

IQ 145: Meaning & Characteristics

IQ 145: Meaning & Characteristics

An IQ of 145 puts you squarely in the genius category; in fact, this score is considered the official starting point for the genius IQ range.

Of course, there is some debate about this, with some claiming that an IQ of 130 should be the threshold. However, the general consensus is that an IQ above 130 indicates giftedness, but geniuses are only those with an IQ of 145 and above.

In any case, an IQ of 145 comes with highly developed cognition, excellent memory, superb pattern recognition, and the ability to quickly spot connections between objects and concepts, draw conclusions, and predict future outcomes.

In other words, people with an IQ of 145 harness great potential that, if used correctly, may help them achieve great things and even effect change in the world.

However, individuals with this score are quite rare, which isn’t surprising when we consider that an IQ of 145 is the 99.86th percentile. Only a tiny percentage of people can complete the test with such an impressive performance.

Impressive as it may be, this level of intelligence doesn’t come without any drawbacks. People with an IQ of 145 can feel alienated, as they might find it difficult to meet many like-minded peers. In such cases, joining a high-IQ society can be an excellent choice.

3 Celebrities With an IQ of 145 Revealed

Before we reveal three celebrities with an IQ of 145, it’s important to note that none of these people have officially announced their scores to the public or even said they’ve ever taken an IQ test.

Still, professionals can make educated guesses about their intelligence based on their education and accomplishments.

Keeping that in mind, let’s take a look at three famous individuals with genius IQs.

#1. Napoleon Bonaparte

Napoleon Bonaparte as a person with IQ 145

Napoleon Bonaparte isn’t a celebrity in a traditional sense; in fact, it would be more accurate to say that he’s a famous historical figure born in the 18th century.

Still, his intelligence, military prowess, and strategic ability undoubtedly prove his IQ is as high as 145. His education was also impressive for his time—he attended three schools, including a military college and a military academy in Paris, and took great interest in reading works on tactics and strategy.

This interest would soon prove useful, as Napoleon Bonaparte spent most of his life fighting various wars. First, there was the French Revolution, in which he took a stand against the royalists and fought them in numerous battles.

However, even after defeating the royalists, his battles weren’t over. After he came into power in 1799 and became emperor in 1804, he fought in a series of conflicts with the Coalition, composed of several countries, including Great Britain, Austria, Prussia, Spain, the Ottoman Empire, Switzerland, and more.

These wars and French conquests continued until 1815, which brought the Battle of Waterloo and Napoleon’s defeat. Afterward, he was exiled to the island of Saint Helena, his second exile in a year after the short time he spent on Elba.

However, this exile was also his final—he died on the island six years later.

#2. Barack Obama

Barack Obama talking on the phone

Barack Obama is the 44th president of the United States. He served from 2009 to 2017 as a member of the Democratic Party. His two presidential terms are significant for US history because he was the first-ever African American to hold the office.

He spent most of his childhood in Honolulu with his maternal grandparents and only moved to Los Angeles to attend Occidental College. After two years, he transferred to Columbia University to study political science and international relations.

However, his academic pursuits didn’t stop there, as in 1988, he enrolled in Harvard Law School and graduated with a Juris Doctor in 1991. Having obtained a law degree, he joined a law firm specializing in civil rights.

During his two presidential terms, Obama made health care more affordable and accessible and fought for better consumer rights and fair pay, regardless of gender. He was even awarded a Nobel Peace Prize in 2009, becoming the fourth US president to receive it.

#3. Warren Buffett

Warren Buffett wallpaper by ginettex from Wallpapers.com

Warren Buffett is one of the most well-known American investors, businessmen, and philanthropists, and he often ranks among the top ten wealthiest people in the world.

His interest in business started at a young age when he sold chewing gum, weekly magazines, and Coca-Cola and bought a pinball machine, which he eventually sold for $1,200.

These early successes inspired him to skip college and fully commit himself to business, but his father was firmly against that, so Buffett enrolled at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, only to transfer to the University of Nebraska two years later. There, he graduated with a degree in business administration.

Upon discovering that Benjamin Graham taught at Columbia Business School, Buffett enrolled there and obtained his Master of Science in economics. After that, he could finally fully focus on business.

Over the years, Buffett amassed wealth working as an investment salesman, stockbroker, and partnership owner. Eventually, he took control of Berkshire Hathaway, a textile manufacturing company, which made him a billionaire.

Today, Warren Buffett owns stakes in numerous corporations, including Coca-Cola, Visa, Apple, Bank of America, and Chevron.

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Final Thoughts

An IQ of 145 is exceptionally high and, as such, isn’t frequently encountered in the general population. People with this IQ are rightfully considered geniuses, as they have no trouble grasping complex concepts, drawing connections between seemingly unrelated ideas, and developing highly original thoughts.

Still, a high IQ isn’t a guarantee of success, even if it does make it much easier to achieve. In other words, it’s essential to work on your skills and knowledge regardless of your intelligence; otherwise, you won’t be able to reach your full potential.

Uncover what different IQ scores mean by exploring these articles:

• IQ 140
• IQ 150
• IQ 155