CCAT to IQ at a glance

A CCAT score of 30 points to an IQ of about 109, with a likely range of 96–122. A 24, which Criteria reports as the 50th percentile, points to about 102, and a 40 to about 120.

Criteria has not published how the CCAT relates to IQ, and the percentile table here comes from a test-prep source rather than from Criteria. This is the least documented conversion on the site, so the ranges are wide.

Notable CCAT scores and the IQ they point to
CCAT score	Percentile among test-takers	Estimated IQ	Likely range
12	8th	88	75 to 101
16	18th	93	80 to 106
20	32th	97	85 to 110
24	50th	102	89 to 115
28	68th	107	94 to 119
31	80th	110	97 to 123
34	87th	113	100 to 126
36	92th	116	103 to 129
40	97th	120	108 to 133
44	99th	125	112 to 138
50	100th	132	119 to 145

CCAT to IQ conversion chart

Every row below comes from the same model as the calculator. The likely range covers about four in five people at that score. The last column shows what the IQ would be if the CCAT were a perfect measure of IQ, which is the number many other converters publish.

CCAT to IQ chart (0 to 50, the number of questions answered correctly)
CCAT score	Test-taker percentile	Estimated IQ	Likely range	If a perfect measure
10	5.5	86	74 to 99	80
12	8	88	75 to 101	82
14	12.8	91	78 to 104	86
16	17.5	93	80 to 106	89
18	24.8	95	82 to 108	92
20	32	97	85 to 110	95
22	41	100	87 to 113	99
24	50	102	89 to 115	102
26	59	104	91 to 117	105
28	68	107	94 to 119	109
30	76	109	96 to 122	112
32	82.4	111	98 to 124	115
34	87.2	113	100 to 126	118
36	92	116	103 to 129	122
38	94.5	118	105 to 130	124
40	97	120	108 to 133	128
42	98	122	109 to 135	131
44	99	125	112 to 138	135
46	99.3	126	113 to 139	136
48	99.6	128	115 to 141	139
50	99.9	132	119 to 145	145

IQ to CCAT: what score to expect

Going the other way, this table shows the CCAT score people at each IQ typically get. Scores at the same IQ vary widely, so the range matters more than the middle figure.

Typical CCAT score by IQ
IQ	Typical CCAT score	Likely range	How rare is this IQ
80	14	6 to 22	1 in 11 at or below
90	19	11 to 27	1 in 4 at or below
100	23	15 to 31	1 in 2 at or above
110	27	20 to 35	1 in 4 at or above
115	30	22 to 38	1 in 6 at or above
120	32	24 to 40	1 in 11 at or above
125	34	26 to 42	1 in 21 at or above
130	36	28 to 44	1 in 44 at or above
135	38	30 to 47	1 in 102 at or above
140	40	33 to 49	1 in 261 at or above

One IQ, several tests: CCAT next to other scores

The same IQ shows up as very different numbers on different tests. This table shows the typical score at each IQ on CCAT and on the tests closest to it. Read across a row to compare, for example, what an SAT and an ACT would each be for the same person.

Typical score by IQ across CCAT, Wonderlic, ASVAB, GMAT, SAT
IQ	CCAT	Wonderlic	ASVAB	GMAT	SAT
100	23	21	50	525	990
110	27	25	70	565	1140
120	32	28	86	605	1280
130	36	32	95	645	1410
140	40	36	98	675	1530

These are typical scores, not guarantees. Every test has its own likely range, shown on its page.

What the CCAT measures

The Criteria Cognitive Aptitude Test is a pre-employment screen. Its 50 questions cover verbal ability, maths and logic, and spatial reasoning, and most people cannot finish all 50 in the 15 minutes allowed. Criteria describes it as a measure of cognitive aptitude, often called general intelligence or g.

That description is Criteria's own. We found no independent study that compares CCAT scores with a Wechsler test or with Raven's matrices. The reliability figure of about .86 that circulates online is also secondary. What we do have from Criteria itself is one anchor: a raw score of 24 is the 50th percentile of its global norm group.

How employers use CCAT scores

Employers use the CCAT as one input to a hiring decision, often with a threshold that varies by role, with higher bars for roles that involve heavy learning and analysis. Those thresholds are not IQ cut-offs, and companies rarely publish them.

Because the test is speeded and its questions are of a familiar type, practice raises scores. People who take the CCAT more than once, or who prepare, typically improve. If you are comparing your score with a friend's, ask whether each of you practised.

The applicant pool

The norm group is job applicants, mostly for mid-level and senior roles, from many countries. That group is slightly above the general population in education, so the model assumes a mean IQ of about 102.

That figure is an assumption. If you believe applicants are more or less able than that, the whole table would shift by the same amount.

What to do with your CCAT score

If you took the CCAT for a job, the number you care about is the employer's threshold, and this page cannot tell you that. What it can tell you is roughly where you sit among applicants, and that a score a few points either side of a cut-off is not a meaningful difference. Two sittings a few weeks apart can differ by that much.

If you took a practice version, remember that practice tests use different questions and often different scoring from the real one. A practice score of 32 is a signal that you are comfortable with the format, not a prediction of a real result. The best use of the estimate here is as a reality check on how much weight one 15-minute screen deserves when you think about your own ability.

What your CCAT score means

Percentiles are approximate. The estimated IQ column shows the most likely value, with the likely range in brackets.

What CCAT score bands mean
Score	Estimated IQ	What it means
0 to 15	70 to 92	Below the median of the applicant pool. Time pressure and unfamiliar question types lower scores here as much as ability does.
16 to 23	93 to 101	Slightly below the median of 24. Many people who go on to succeed in their roles score here.
24 to 29	102 to 108	Around the median to somewhat above. The estimated IQ is close to or a little above 100.
30 to 35	109 to 114	Above average, roughly the top 25% down to the top 10% of applicants.
36 to 42	116 to 122	Strong. Roughly the top 8% down to the top 2%.
43 to 50	123 to 132	Very rare on a 15-minute timed test.

Why a CCAT score is not an IQ

Little independent evidenceWe found no published comparison of the CCAT with an IQ test. The correlation used is an assumption.
The percentiles are secondaryOnly the 50th-percentile anchor (a raw 24) is from Criteria. The rest of the table comes from a test-prep source.
It is speededMost people do not finish, so part of the score is speed at familiar question types, which practice improves.
Scores are role-dependentEmployers set their own thresholds, so the same score can pass for one job and fail for another.

The evidence behind these numbers

Evidence grade: Weak

Only one norm point is from the publisher, and no independent study links the CCAT to IQ. The rest is assumption, which is why the ranges are wide.

Published facts we used

A raw score of 24 is the 50th percentile of the global norm group (Criteria sample report).
Format: up to 50 questions in 15 minutes covering verbal, maths and logic, and spatial reasoning (Criteria information brief).

Assumptions we made

Percentiles for other scores are taken from a test-prep summary, not from Criteria.
Mean IQ of CCAT test-takers: 102. Job applicants for mid-level and senior roles.
IQ spread among test-takers: SD 14.
Correlation between CCAT and IQ among test-takers: .70. No published value exists.

Assumed test-taker IQ: mean 102, SD 14
Assumed correlation (r): 0.7
Likely range: The score at which about 80% of people with that estimate fall, from the residual spread after regression
Norms: Criteria sample report (50th percentile) and a secondary percentile summary.

CCAT to IQ: frequently asked questions

What is a good CCAT score?+

A raw score of 24 is the median. Scores from about 30 to 35 are above average, at an estimated IQ near 109 to 114. What counts as good depends on the employer and role.

What CCAT score equals an IQ of 120?+

People with an IQ of 120 typically score about 32 on the CCAT, with about four in five between 24–40.

Is the CCAT an IQ test?+

It is a cognitive aptitude test used for hiring. Criteria says it measures general mental ability, but no independent study has published how closely its scores track IQ.

Can you pass the CCAT with a low IQ?+

The CCAT is speeded and practice raises scores, so preparation can lift a score noticeably. Many employers still set a threshold, and no IQ cut-off is published.

Is the CCAT harder than the Wonderlic?+

They are similar in style, but the CCAT gives 15 minutes for up to 50 questions and the Wonderlic gives 12. Scores are not interchangeable, though both give an estimated IQ near 102 to 109 for typical above-average results.

References & Sources

Criteria Corp (2026). Criteria Cognitive Aptitude Test (CCAT) information brief. Criteria Corp. https://www.criteriacorp.com/files/Criteria-InfoBrief-CCAT.pdf
Criteria Corp (2026). Sample CCAT report. Criteria Corp. https://www.criteriacorp.com/files/Criteria-Sample-CCAT.pdf
JobTestPrep (2026). CCAT test score and percentiles. JobTestPrep (secondary source). https://www.jobtestprep.com/ccat-test-score