— Occupational IQ research
Accountants — average IQ & cognitive profile
Avg IQ
114
Percentile
82th
SD above mean
+0.93
Strongest axes
Numerical reasoning
Published occupational IQ research consistently places accountants at an average IQ of around 114 — the 82th percentile of the general adult population. This sits modestly above the population mean.
Why accountants cluster at this level
Accounting selects on quantitative reasoning and detail orientation. CPAs average above the general population, with strong performance on numeric subtests.
What this number really means
An occupational IQ average is a statistical mean, not a hiring criterion. The within-profession standard deviation is typically 10-15 IQ points, which means:
- There are highly successful accountants scoring well above 129
- And highly successful accountants scoring well below 99
- Conscientiousness, domain knowledge, emotional regulation, and motivation account for far more variance in actual job performance than the difference between, say, IQ 115 and IQ 125 does
Find out YOUR exact IQ
Take a 20-minute calibrated test and see how you compare — not just on overall IQ, but across all six cognitive axes.
How to interpret your own score against this average
If you're considering this profession or already in it, here's how to read a personal IQ result in context:
- If you score 104–124: you're right in the typical range for accountants
- If you score above 129: you have meaningful cognitive headroom; you'll likely find the abstract demands of the role easier than peers
- If you score below 99: the profession is still entirely accessible to you — many accountants succeed at this level — but you may rely more on persistence, structured systems, and specialisation than peers do
Related profession comparisons
- Visual Artists — average IQ 114
- Nurses (RN) — average IQ 113
- Teachers — average IQ 112
- Professional Musicians — average IQ 116
- Programmers — average IQ 117