LSAT to IQ at a glance

An LSAT of 165 points to an IQ of about 119, with a likely range of 106–131. A 170 points to about 122 (110–135), and a 175 to about 127 (115–139).

The LSAT is built to test the reasoning skills law students need, so it is probably one of the cleaner reasoning-based tests here. But no study has published how closely it tracks IQ, so the link used here is an assumption. Expect the true value for any one person to sit anywhere in the range shown.

Notable LSAT scores and the IQ they point to
LSAT score	Percentile among test-takers	Estimated IQ	Likely range
140	11th	102	90 to 114
145	21th	105	93 to 118
150	37th	109	96 to 121
155	54th	112	99 to 124
160	71th	115	103 to 127
165	85th	119	106 to 131
170	94th	122	110 to 135
172	97th	124	112 to 137
175	99th	127	115 to 139
178	99th	129	117 to 141
180	100th	132	120 to 145

LSAT 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 LSAT were a perfect measure of IQ, which is the number many other converters publish.

LSAT to IQ chart (120 to 180)
LSAT score	Test-taker percentile	Estimated IQ	Likely range	If a perfect measure
140	11	102	90 to 114	96
142	15.2	104	91 to 116	99
144	19.4	105	92 to 117	101
146	24.3	106	94 to 118	103
148	30.1	107	95 to 120	105
150	36.6	109	96 to 121	107
152	43.5	110	98 to 122	109
154	50.4	111	99 to 123	111
156	57.6	112	100 to 125	113
158	64.5	114	101 to 126	115
160	71.1	115	103 to 127	118
162	77.2	116	104 to 129	120
164	82.5	118	105 to 130	122
166	87.2	119	107 to 131	125
168	91.4	121	109 to 133	127
170	94.5	122	110 to 135	130
172	96.7	124	112 to 137	133
174	98.1	126	114 to 138	136
176	98.9	128	115 to 140	139
178	99.4	129	117 to 141	141
180	99.9	132	120 to 145	147

IQ to LSAT: what score to expect

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

Typical LSAT score by IQ
IQ	Typical LSAT score	Likely range	How rare is this IQ
90	142	129 to 154	1 in 4 at or below
100	148	136 to 159	1 in 2 at or above
110	153	141 to 164	1 in 4 at or above
115	156	145 to 167	1 in 6 at or above
120	159	147 to 169	1 in 11 at or above
125	162	150 to 171	1 in 21 at or above
130	164	153 to 173	1 in 44 at or above
135	167	156 to 175	1 in 102 at or above
140	169	159 to 178	1 in 261 at or above
145	171	161 to 179	1 in 741 at or above

One IQ, several tests: LSAT 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 LSAT 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 LSAT, GRE, GMAT, MCAT, SAT
IQ	LSAT	GRE	GMAT	MCAT	SAT
100	148	298	525	492	990
110	153	306	565	498	1140
120	159	315	605	504	1280
130	164	323	645	510	1410
140	169	332	675	515	1530

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

What the LSAT measures

The LSAT tests reading and reasoning with almost no subject knowledge required. Logical Reasoning asks you to find flaws in short arguments and to work out what follows from a set of premises. Reading Comprehension asks for close reading of dense passages.

That design makes it a reasonable stand-in for verbal and analytical reasoning. It is also unusually trainable. The old Logic Games section, which was dropped in August 2024, was the clearest example: people improved by learning the technique, which is why prep courses moved scores by many points there. Removing it removed the most trainable section, though scores on the remaining sections still respond to practice.

We could not find any published study correlating the LSAT with an IQ battery. A figure of .36 circulates online, but it traces to an unsourced student post and looks like a validity figure for law school grades, not for IQ. The correlation used here is an assumption of .60.

Why an LSAT of 160 is not "average"

LSAT test-takers are college graduates who have chosen to apply to law school. They are, on average, above the general population in ability, so a mid-range LSAT score means something different from a mid-range score on a test everyone takes. This converter assumes law applicants average about 111 in IQ, with a narrower spread than the general population.

That assumption raises every estimate by roughly ten points compared with treating the LSAT percentile as a general-population percentile. It is also the assumption you should question if you disagree with the number you see: change it and the whole table shifts.

Mensa treats the LSAT as an acceptable qualifying test for admission, based on the 95th percentile for tests taken after 1982. The percentile is what matters, and the exact score that corresponds to it changes as LSAC updates its tables, at about 170 or 171 in current data.

The 2024 changes and comparing across years

The scale is still 120 to 180. LSAC has said scores from before and after the removal of Logic Games remain comparable, and the percentile table here pools the 2023-24, 2024-25 and 2025-26 testing years so it covers the transition.

If your score is from before 2024 it is still a valid score. But the mix of people who take the LSAT has also changed, with volumes up sharply in recent years, so treat older percentile tables in books and guides as approximate.

What your LSAT score means

Percentiles compare you with other recent test-takers. The estimated IQ column shows the most likely value, with the likely range in brackets.

What LSAT score bands mean
Score	Estimated IQ	What it means
120 to 139	87 to 102	Bottom tenth of test-takers or so. The estimated IQ is around 100, close to the general average because test-takers are a selected group.
140 to 149	102 to 108	Below the median. Strong reasoning is still common here, since the exam rewards technique that not everyone has practised.
150 to 159	109 to 114	Around the middle, with the median at about 154. The estimated IQ is in the low 110s.
160 to 169	115 to 122	Above average, roughly the top third to the top 9% of test-takers. The estimate is in the mid to high 110s.
170 to 174	122 to 126	Top 5% down to the top 2%. Competitive for the most selective law schools.
175 to 180	127 to 132	The top 1.5%. Very rare, and where technique, timing and a good day count for as much as ability.

Why a LSAT score is not an IQ

No published IQ correlationThe link between LSAT and IQ used here is an assumption, so treat the point estimate loosely and the range seriously.
It rewards practiceReasoning skills of the kind the LSAT tests improve with study. A high score can reflect months of preparation more than raw ability.
The pool is selectedOnly people who plan to apply to law school take it. The estimate depends on our assumption of how able that group is on average.
Small differences at the top are noiseBetween 172 and 178 the score changes by a handful of questions. That is well inside the estimate's range of error.

The evidence behind these numbers

Evidence grade: Weak

LSAC's percentile table is official and current. Whether the LSAT tracks IQ closely has not been published, so the IQ link is an assumption.

Published facts we used

Percent of test-takers below each score from 125 to 180 (LSAC LSAT percentiles, pooled 2023-24 to 2025-26).
The mean of about 153 and SD of about 11 are our calculations from that table, not LSAC figures.

Assumptions we made

Mean IQ of LSAT test-takers: 111. College graduates applying to law school.
IQ spread among test-takers: SD 12.
Correlation between LSAT and IQ among test-takers: .60. No published value exists.

Assumed test-taker IQ: mean 111, SD 12
Assumed correlation (r): 0.6
Likely range: The score at which about 80% of people with that estimate fall, from the residual spread after regression
Norms: LSAC percentile table, pooled testing years 2023-24 to 2025-26.

LSAT to IQ: frequently asked questions

What LSAT score equals an IQ of 130?+

People with an IQ of 130 typically score around 164 on the LSAT, with about four in five between 153–173. There is no published correlation, so treat this as a rough guide.

Is a 170 LSAT a high IQ?+

A 170 is in the top the top 6% of test-takers. It points to an IQ of about 122, most likely within 110–135. That is well above average, and the exact number is uncertain.

Is the LSAT an IQ test?+

No. It tests reasoning and reading skills relevant to law school and is used to predict first-year grades. It correlates with intelligence but does not measure it directly.

What LSAT score does Mensa accept?+

US Mensa accepts an LSAT score at the 95th percentile for tests taken after 1982. In current LSAC data that is about 170 or 171, and the exact figure moves a little each year.

Did removing Logic Games change how LSAT scores relate to IQ?+

It probably made the test slightly less trainable, but no research has measured its effect on IQ correlations. The scale and percentiles carry on unchanged, so this converter applies to scores from before and after.

How many LSAT points is one IQ point?+

Around the middle of the scale, roughly half an LSAT point per IQ point: people at IQ 100 typically score about 148, and people at IQ 130 about 164.

References & Sources

Law School Admission Council (2026). LSAT percentiles. LSAC. https://www.lsac.org/data-research/data/lsat-percentiles
American Mensa (2026). Qualifying test scores. us.mensa.org. https://www.us.mensa.org/join/testscores/qualifying-test-scores/
Wainer, H. (2000). Kelley's paradox. Chance, 13(1), 47-48. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/09332480.2000.10542192