The IQ tests are here actually to measure the IQ of a particular person. We may never know a real IQ of a dead person or a living genius. But since IQ correlates with talent and creativity and we know the rarity or particular IQ we may only estimate it. Some people use stylometry (measuring IQ from the complexity of written text) but the whole thing is pseudo-scientific in my opinion. Persons believed to have higher IQs than someone else can easily have lower IQs than their counterparts and vice versa. Please note the rarity is calculated for the current number of people living on this planet (in 2023). My estimates are also based on the fact that most of the prodigies are living in developing countries so they have little opportunity to show their gift and a lot of people have stratospheric IQs and show no real abilities (yes, psychometrics is not an exact science). So here are my estimates:
John von Neumann – IQ of 190 (99.9999999010 % or 1 in 1,009,976,678); his prodigious abilities were the subject of awe by other top mathematicians; von Neumann may have been one of the most intelligent people that have ever lived
Albert Einstein – IQ of 183 (99.9999984250 % or 1 in 63,492,548); lots of people assume his IQ was only 160 but given his prodigious talent for physics I guess his IQ was much higher (talent is clearly connected with IQ); you also need a robust cognitive apparatus for scientific research (for example; putting 70 things in you head simultaneously)
Mark Zuckerberg – IQ of 156 (99.9905490555 % or 1 in 10,581); there is no doubt people in the tech industry possess stratospheric IQ that helps them to program the most complex things; however given the rarity of higher IQs are connected I assume Mr. Zuckerberg an IQ of 156
Stephen Hawking – IQ of 180 (99.9999951684 % or 1 in 20,696,863) – a genius with a huge talent for physics and his IQ might have matched that of Albert Einstein
Isaac Newton – IQ of 187 (99.9999996674 % or 1 in 300,656,786) – undoubtedly a prodigy, but I don’t believe his IQ matched that of von Neumann
Bill Gates – IQ of 180 (99.9999951684 % or 1 in 20,696,863) – since he had overseen the work of his subordinates, perfectly understands the top echelons of computation science, and resolved a difficult mathematical problem, I put his IQ as 180. Also, note that he is one of the smartest Americans that have ever lived
Steve Jobs – IQ of 150 (99.9570883466 % or 1 in 2,330) – technological geniuses have enormously high IQ but his IQ wasn’t so high in my estimate as people propose
Elon Musk – IQ of 162 (99.9982112841 % or 1 in 55,906) – Mr. Musk is a top engineer and executive with multi-talents connected to his IQ
Kevin Mitnick – IQ of 183 (99.9999984250 % or 1 in 63,492,548) – one of the best hackers that have ever lived; Kevin Mitnick had undoubtedly enormous talent for information technologies but his talent was definitely derived from his IQ
George Soros – IQ of 135 (99.0184693146% or 1 in 102) – you are definitely right to wonder that I estimate such a low IQ among these titans of “g factor” mental capacity; he is a great theorist with an extreme talent for it; however, given the fact he didn’t perform so miraculously in formal education system, his IQ is so “low”; but his IQ may be higher but his studies weren’t so good
Warren Buffett – IQ of 151 (99.9663019177% or 1 in 2,968) – one of the most legendary investors ever; Mr. Buffett proved his mental abilities (especially memory) and he doesn’t need computer because he is making the calculations himself
Cardinal Richelieu – IQ of 163 (99.9986645903% or 1 in 74,883) – he is considered one of the most skilled politicians of all time. They gave him little power, he suddenly commenced to rule all of them
You might ask why this list is so short. Yes, it really is because I am not competent to estimate the IQ of people that I have no knowledge of. You may also find it interesting that I didn’t estimate IQ over 200. It is because if the average is 100 and you have a few billion living people (8.1 billion in 2023) the numbers won’t go above 200.
Source: https://www.iqcomparisonsite.com/iqtable.aspx
My articles about IQ (the g factor):
What IQ (g factor) isn’t and the most common misconceptions
Warren Buffett is wrong, talent for investing goes hand in hand with IQ
How to convince intelligent people who don’t believe in IQ (g factor)
30 IQ points lower when old. It is proven we are really getting dumber as we age
Scientists should explore how to stop performance IQ decline
Why do famous persons with extremely high IQs never tell the number?
No wars as a possibility by IQ enhancement: Scientific advancement vs. social progress
Boost the pupils’ IQ! The G factor (IQ) based education system
Single proof why the Ashkenazi Jewish intelligence may be genetically given
The silliest of the silly. You have IQ 120 and then it’s over
More g factor articles – tag g factor