The world's highest IQs
The IQ blog is The World’s smartest blog™, and has listed Sweden’s official highest IQs among the world’s highest IQs published below. When we look at the country’s IQ elite, there are about ten individuals who, alternating depending on e.g. test and day-to-day performance, can be regarded as the person with the highest IQ. This is based on both clinically administered tests, HRT and other cognitively loaded achievements that are extremely rare and can strengthen a rarity on the IQ scale, i.e., almost exclusively in combination with a verified IQ result.
The List
Andreas Gunnarsson, IQ 170–190
– Sweden’s only member of Giga Society, cryptologist, strong in vertical reasoning, few other merits
Jonas Fischerström, IQ 175–185
– Exceptional academic and professional achievements, better than one in a million
Andreas Andersson, IQ 143–185
– High peak on tests, notable g-factor, musically talented, few other achievements, true range 143–153
Rickard Sagirbey, IQ 135–185
– Wide range of IQ results (large uncertainty on lesser known tests), high peak, few real-world achievements, true range 135–145
Georg Wikman, 172 i IQ–181 i IQ
– Mega Society qualifier, mathematician, physicist, scientist and entrepreneur winning the “Life Time Award” etc.
Johan Oldhoff, 171 i IQ–180+ i IQ
– Mega Society qualifier, polyglot, dual degrees (engineering physics and economics and business administration), few other achievements
Stefan Langemalm, IQ 158–180+
– Consistently high IQ results over a long period, high peak, computer scientist, strong within vertical, true range 158–166
Andreas Hurtig, IQ 147–175+
– Said to have IQ 178, vague achievements overall, somewhat lower general intelligence than expected (compare One Month Man with Tim Ferriss), business owner, poker player, true range 147–157
Staffan A. Svensson, IQ 147–175+
– High general intelligence, musician (instrumentalists are common on this list)
Jonas Högberg, IQ 143–175
– Physician with mixed results on IQ tests, true range 143–153
Fredrik Ullén, IQ 153–169
– Professor at Karolinska Institutet, concert pianist, director at the Max Planck Institute, member of Prometheus Society (fell just short of the cutoff for the Mega Society)
Some notable international names:
Ed Thorpe, IQ 185–190+, qualified for the Mega Society, proved mathematically that blackjack could be beaten by card counting and popularized how to “beat the house”, college mathematics professor, hedge fund founder, co-inventor of the first wearable computer along with Claude Shannon, pioneered the use of quantitative investment techniques in the financial markets (Option Arbitrage, Warrant Modeling, Convertible Arbitrage, Index Arbitrage and Statistical Arbitrage).
Marilyn vos Savant, IQ 185–190+, qualified for the Mega Society, magazine columnist with the highest recorded intelligence quotient (IQ) in the Guinness Book of Records, popularized the Monty Hall problem in 1990.
Solomon W. Golomb, IQ 185–190, qualified for the Mega Society, mathematician, Franklin medal recipient, space communications pioneer, founder of the precursor to Tetris etc.
Cavan Cohoes, IQ 185–190+, qualified for the Mega Society, mathematician, pilot, ex pro-athlete, instrumentalist, have a knack for drawing etc.
Dr. Paul Johns, IQ 180–185+, qualified for the Mega Society, physician.
John H. Sununu, IQ 180-185, qualified for the Mega Society, former White House Chief of Staff, previous Governor of New Hampshire, PhD from MIT etc.
Wu Meiheng/Mahir Wu, IQ 180–185.
Fengzhi Wu, IQ 180–185, MIT PhD.
Ruth Lawrence, IQ 175–180, mathematics professor.
Mislav Predavec, IQ 170–180, mathematics professor.
Laura N. Kochen, IQ 175–180, Executive Manager of Elliot & Gibbs Co.
Dr. Benoit Desjardins, IQ 170–175+, physician, computer scientist.
Rick Rosner, IQ 167–175+, qualified for the Mega Society, Emmy-nominated American television writer and reality television personality, ex bouncer, ex male stripper
We would love to hear your suggestions of people, regardless of gender, whom we can assess to see if they belong on the list or for a more comprehensive compilation. Being a member of Mensa is not enough. Admission there only requires the 98th percentile — that is, one in 50 qualifies. For perspective, it is 20 times harder to reach the admission threshold for the Triple Nine Society (99.9th percentile) and 20,000 times harder to be admitted to the Mega Society (99.9999th percentile).
IQ, like many other things, is not a complete and all-encompassing science. However, measuring IQ can be valuable, e.g., in assessing work capacity and as a tool to discern or indicate the ability for thinking and analysis. Whatever the result on paper, well-constructed HRTs often demand non-trivial problem-solving beyond the level of traditional academics. Conversely, academia may require resilience in social skills, teamwork, and particular ways of thinking.
Thus, IQ is not necessarily the same as having good grades, being wealthy, or being successful. In addition to one’s own abilities, goals, drive, prevailing norms, and other external circumstances play a role. The more bad luck and unfavorable norms you face, the more you may have to rely on various skills and abilities, where intelligence is one of them.
Page updated 2025-06-01