Average IQ by Gender
A practical, transparent look at gender averages in our online dataset. Use this page for comparisons, not as a statement about populations.
Quick answer
Current view (raw mean): Male averages 101.7 IQ (N=41,802). Female averages 98 IQ (N=36,419).
Difference (male minus female): 3.7 IQ (95% CI 3.5 to 3.9).
Data last updated: 2026-01-17 (latest test submission).
- Male validated N=41,802, all N=152,081.
- Female validated N=36,419, all N=103,041.
- Mean gap is about 3.7 IQ points, with large overlap in distributions.
What this data shows (and does not)
- Shows average IQ in this online dataset with 95% CI and sample sizes.
- Does not represent population IQ levels or clinical norms.
- Does not imply a causal effect of gender on IQ.
- Differences are small and distributions overlap heavily.
Mean IQ by gender
Bars show mean IQ with 95% CI and sample size. The badge shows the mean difference.
IQ distribution by gender (p10-p90)
The middle 80% and middle half of scores. The overlap is large, so avoid over-reading small gaps.
Participants and validation rate
Validated vs all results by gender, plus validation rate.
Average time taken by gender
Average time to complete the test in the current view.
IQ by gender and age band
This shows whether differences are consistent across age groups.
How to interpret gender differences
- Selection effects: who chooses to take an online test differs by gender.
- Age mix and education mix can shift averages.
- Test format fit and pacing can influence outcomes.
- Differences are usually small and distributions overlap a lot.
Research context
Research on gender differences in cognitive tests is mixed and often small. Treat these results as descriptive statistics for a large online dataset, not as evidence of population-level differences.
Data table & download
Universaliqtest. Average IQ by Gender (accessed 2026-01-17). https://www.universaliqtest.com/en/statistics/average-iq-by-gender
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| Gender | Validated / All N | Mean IQ | 95% CI | Median (p50) | p10 | p25 | p75 | p90 | Avg time | Validation rate | Last updated |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Male | 41,802 / 152,081 | 101.7 | 101.6 to 101.8 | 102.7 | 82 | 92.1 | 113 | 122 | 42:02 | 27.5% | 2026-01-17 |
| Female | 36,419 / 103,041 | 98 | 97.9 to 98.1 | 97.2 | 79.6 | 88.1 | 106.6 | 115.2 | 36:45 | 35.3% | 2026-01-17 |
FAQ
No. The distributions overlap heavily and the mean gap is modest.
No. This page shows associations in a self-selected online dataset.
It reweights gender means to a common age distribution to reduce age-mix effects.
Validated results pass quality checks; all results include unvalidated submissions.