— Occupational IQ research
Physicists — average IQ & cognitive profile
Avg IQ
132
Percentile
98th
SD above mean
+2.13
Strongest axes
Numerical & Matrix reasoning
Published occupational IQ research consistently places physicists at an average IQ of around 132 — the 98th percentile of the general adult population. This is one of the higher-IQ professions on record.
Why physicists cluster at this level
Physics PhDs and academic physicists post some of the highest occupational IQ averages on record. The field selects on abstract mathematical reasoning at extreme levels.
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 physicists scoring well above 147
- And highly successful physicists scoring well below 117
- 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 122–142: you're right in the typical range for physicists
- If you score above 147: you have meaningful cognitive headroom; you'll likely find the abstract demands of the role easier than peers
- If you score below 117: the profession is still entirely accessible to you — many physicists succeed at this level — but you may rely more on persistence, structured systems, and specialisation than peers do
Related profession comparisons
- Mathematicians — average IQ 132
- Research Scientists — average IQ 130
- Philosophers — average IQ 129
- Surgeons — average IQ 127
- University Professors — average IQ 126