— Occupational IQ research

Software Engineers — average IQ & cognitive profile

Published occupational IQ research consistently places software engineers at an average IQ of around 120 — the 91th percentile of the general adult population. This sits well above the population mean and reflects the cognitive demands of the role.

Why software engineers cluster at this level

Coding work selects strongly on abstract reasoning, working memory, and pattern recognition. Senior engineers and ML/systems specialists average noticeably higher than entry-level web developers.

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 software engineers scoring well above 135
• And highly successful software engineers scoring well below 105
• 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 110–130: you're right in the typical range for software engineers
• If you score above 135: you have meaningful cognitive headroom; you'll likely find the abstract demands of the role easier than peers
• If you score below 105: the profession is still entirely accessible to you — many software engineers succeed at this level — but you may rely more on persistence, structured systems, and specialisation than peers do

Related profession comparisons

• Engineers — average IQ 121
• CEOs — average IQ 121
• Commercial Pilots — average IQ 119
• Lawyers — average IQ 122
• Professional Writers — average IQ 118

Related reading

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