— Occupational IQ research

Commercial Pilots — average IQ & cognitive profile

Published occupational IQ research consistently places commercial pilots at an average IQ of around 119 — the 90th percentile of the general adult population. This sits well above the population mean and reflects the cognitive demands of the role.

Why commercial pilots cluster at this level

Airline transport pilots score particularly high on spatial reasoning, processing speed, and divided attention. Military pilot selection tests (e.g., AFOQT, ASTB) are essentially IQ tests with motor add-ons.

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 commercial pilots scoring well above 134
• And highly successful commercial pilots scoring well below 104
• 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

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 109–129: you're right in the typical range for commercial pilots
• If you score above 134: you have meaningful cognitive headroom; you'll likely find the abstract demands of the role easier than peers
• If you score below 104: the profession is still entirely accessible to you — many commercial pilots succeed at this level — but you may rely more on persistence, structured systems, and specialisation than peers do

Related profession comparisons

• Software Engineers — average IQ 120
• Professional Writers — average IQ 118
• Engineers — average IQ 121
• Programmers — average IQ 117
• CEOs — average IQ 121

Related reading

• What does an IQ of 120 mean?
• Full IQ-to-percentile chart
• What is the average IQ?