Question
What IQ is considered low?
Short answer
On the WAIS-IV, scores of 80 to 89 are labeled Low Average, 70 to 79 Borderline, and 69 or below Extremely Low. Below 90 is below the Average band, and below 85 is more than one standard deviation under the mean. A label describes a test result, not a person, and is never a diagnosis on its own.
Want your own number? The test is 25 visual puzzles, about 12 minutes, no sign-up.
The lower WAIS-IV labels
| Label | Scores | Share of people |
|---|---|---|
| Low Average | 80 to 89 | 15.6% |
| Borderline | 70 to 79 | 6.5% |
| Extremely Low | 69 and below | 2.1% |
The labels come from the WAIS-IV classification (Wikipedia: IQ classification); the shares come from the normal curve. About 95% of people score between 70 and 130 (the 68-95-99.7 rule), so scores below 70 are uncommon.
Try one · Quantitative Reasoning
Which number comes next?
19, 32, 23, 37, 27, 42, ?
Tap the option you think is right, or show the answer.
Show the answer
The next number is 31 (option 3).
How to solve it
- The gaps jump around, so look at every other number.
- The 1st, 3rd, 5th numbers (19, 23, 27) go up by 4 each time.
- The 2nd, 4th, 6th numbers (32, 37, 42) go up by 5 each time.
- The missing number continues the first series: 27 + 4 = 31.
That was 1 puzzle. The full test has 25.
A label is shorthand, not a verdict
Labels group scores into ranges for convenience. A score near a boundary could land on either side on another day: clinical manuals report a confidence interval, often around plus or minus 5 points at 95% (Wechsler, 2008). An 88 and a 91 are, for practical purposes, the same result even though they carry different labels.
An IQ score also measures one kind of reasoning on one kind of test. It does not measure kindness, practical skill, knowledge, work ethic or what a person can learn with time and support.
If you scored lower than you expected
- Think about the conditions: were you tired, rushed, interrupted, or on a phone?
- Was the format new to you? Practice with the format helps you show your real ability.
- Remember that short online tests have wide error ranges.
If you have real concerns about learning or thinking, a licensed psychologist can give a full standardized assessment. No online test, including IQ Octopus, can diagnose anything. For context on all seven labels, see the guide to IQ classification or what is a normal IQ range.
Sources
- IQ classification. Wikipedia. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IQ_classification
- 68-95-99.7 rule. Wikipedia. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/68%E2%80%9395%E2%80%9399.7_rule
- Wechsler, D. (2008). WAIS-IV Technical and Interpretive Manual. Pearson.