Average IQ of a software developer: 110
The average IQ of a software developer or programmer is about 110 to 112. No study covers the modern job title, but in the Wisconsin Longitudinal Study men in computer occupations had a median IQ of about 110, with the middle half between 102 and 120.
Software developers average about 110. What's yours?
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Key facts
- Best estimate
- 110, median, computer occupations (WLS men)
- Middle 50%
- 102 to 120 (25th to 75th percentile)
- Main source
- Hauser 2002. Closest group: computer occupations.
Wonderlic data on programmer applicants gives about 112.
On the standard scale, where 100 is the average, 110 is higher than about 75% of people. See what an IQ of 110 means, or check any score with the IQ percentile calculator or the IQ chart.
Your score next to software developers
Inside the typical range for software developers, right at the middle.
In the general population, 110 is higher than about 75% of people. Shaded band: middle 50% (102 to 120).
What the studies show
No published study measures IQ for "software engineers" as the job exists today. The closest groups are older. In the Wisconsin Longitudinal Study, men in computer occupations in the early 1990s had a median IQ of about 110, and women in a "technicians and computer programmers" group about 112. In 1992 Wonderlic data, programmer and analyst applicants had a median at the 81st percentile of adults, about IQ 112.
Software work has changed a great deal since then, so treat these as a rough guide. The spread is wide: a tenth of the Wisconsin computer group scored below 94 and a tenth above 129.
The Wisconsin study is one US state, one generation born around 1939, and almost entirely white. Its IQ scale is anchored to Wisconsin high-school juniors in 1951, not to a national norm. Treat every figure as an estimate within a few points.
Published figures relevant to software developers
Median 110 (middle half 102 to 120)
Hauser (2002), WLS. Men in computer occupations, 1992 to 1994. People in the job.
Median 112 (middle half 99 to 121)
Hauser (2002), WLS. Women: technicians and computer programmers. Mixed group.
81st percentile of adults, about IQ 112
Wonderlic (1992), in Gottfredson (1997). Programmer and analyst applicants. People applying.
Software developers next to other jobs
Best estimates from the same sources, so the jobs can be compared. Ranges overlap a lot: every job has people well above and well below its average.
| Job | Median | Middle 50% |
|---|---|---|
| DentistsClosest group | 120 | 112 to 127 |
| Doctors | 120 | 112 to 127 |
| SurgeonsClosest group | 120 | 112 to 127 |
| Professors | 116 | 106 to 125 |
| Electrical engineers | 113 | 103 to 121 |
| Lawyers | 113 | 109 to 124 |
| Mechanical engineersClosest group | 110 | 99 to 123 |
| Software developers | 110 | 102 to 120 |
| Software engineers | 110 | 102 to 120 |
| ActuariesClosest group | 109 | 99 to 117 |
| Civil engineersClosest group | 109 | 99 to 120 |
| Nurses | 107 | 99 to 117 |
Medians from Hauser (2002), Wisconsin Longitudinal Study. “Closest group” rows have no study of their own and use the nearest published group.
What the job demands
Cognitive load is Medium. That means sustained reasoning is required, not occasional cleverness.
LifeScore role ratings, 1 to 10. Editorial, not measured.
- Logic and analysis
- 3
- Stress
- 9
- Social contact
- 4
- Structure and routine
- 8
- Creativity
- 5
Making the career sustainable
A common misconception is that IQ alone predicts success. In reality, discipline and environment design often dominate outcomes once you’re above a baseline competence threshold.
General reasoning affects how fast people learn a role, but it is not a gate. Qualifications, practice, domain knowledge, tools, teamwork and job design all change performance.
Average IQ of a software developer: questions people ask
What is the average IQ of a programmer?
Do you need a high IQ to be a programmer?
Is the average IQ of a programmer 120 or more?
Are software engineers smart?
Is the average IQ of a Google or FAANG engineer higher?
Do software engineers have a higher IQ than doctors?
Is being a software developer stressful?
What personality traits help a software developer?
Can I succeed as a software developer if I’m below the “recommended” IQ?
Next in Careers and IQ
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Software developers average about 110. What's yours?
Treat your score as one data point next to your skills, interests and experience. It is never a reason to rule a career in or out.
25 questions · about 12 minutes
Sources
- Hauser, R. M. (2002). Meritocracy, cognitive ability, and the sources of occupational success. CDE Working Paper 98-07, University of Wisconsin-Madison (Figures 11 and 12).
- Gottfredson, L. S. (1997). Why g matters: The complexity of everyday life. Intelligence, 24(1), 79-132 (Figure 1, from the Wonderlic Personnel Test User's Manual, 1992).
- Schmidt, F. L., & Hunter, J. E. (2004). General mental ability in the world of work: Occupational attainment and job performance. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 86(1), 162-173.
- O*NET OnLine. Occupational tasks, skills and work context. US Department of Labor.
Reviewed October 2026 by the LifeScore Editorial Team. Editorial policy