— Occupational IQ research
Research Scientists — average IQ & cognitive profile
— Don't just read about it
Find out YOUR exact IQ
20-min calibrated test · real psychometrics
Start →
Avg IQ
130
Percentile
98th
SD above mean
+2.00
Strongest axes
Pattern & Logical reasoning
Published occupational IQ research consistently places research scientists at an average IQ of around 130 — the 98th percentile of the general adult population. This is one of the higher-IQ professions on record.
— Try one before you read on
DEAF is to EAR as BLIND is to ?
Deafness is a condition of the ear. Blindness is a condition of the eye.
That was 1 question. Take the full 20-min test →
Why research scientists cluster at this level
→Pause. Find out YOUR IQ before you keep reading.Research scientists (PhDs in physics, chemistry, biology) consistently average among the highest IQ scores of any profession. Doctoral programmes select for top-decile fluid intelligence.
What this number really means
→Curious how YOU score? 20-min calibrated test.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 research scientists scoring well above 145
- And highly successful research scientists scoring well below 115
- 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
→The numbers above? Find out where YOU land.If you're considering this profession or already in it, here's how to read a personal IQ result in context:
- If you score 120–140: you're right in the typical range for research scientists
- If you score above 145: you have meaningful cognitive headroom; you'll likely find the abstract demands of the role easier than peers
- If you score below 115: the profession is still entirely accessible to you — many research scientists succeed at this level — but you may rely more on persistence, structured systems, and specialisation than peers do
Related profession comparisons
→Knowing about IQ ≠ knowing yours. Take the test.- Philosophers — average IQ 129
- Physicists — average IQ 132
- Mathematicians — average IQ 132
- Surgeons — average IQ 127
- University Professors — average IQ 126