Explore state by state cost analysis of US colleges in an interactive article

How to Estimate IQ From SAT Scores

How to Estimate IQ From SAT Scores
May 18, 2019
1 minute read

IQ can be estimated from SAT scores, according to a study published by Meredith C. Frey and Douglas K. Detterman of the Case Western Reserve University psychology department, Their findings were published in "Psychological Science," the journal of the American Psychological Society. Their research or other resources on the Internet can be used to estimate IQ from SAT scores.

Use the conversion chart determined by psychologists Frey and Detterman. It is listed first under References and is valid if you took the SAT before 1996. If you took the SAT after 1996 but before 2004, use their formula: IQ =(0.095 x SAT math) + (0.003 x SAT verbal) + 50.241. If you took the test after 2004, Detterman says, this formula should still work, although it has not been updated.

Look at Mensa society member Rodrigo de la Jara's IQ Comparison website, which includes a table that correlates SAT scores to IQ. If you scored 1010 on the SAT, for example, you have an estimated IQ of 110. If you scored 1530, your estimated IQ is 147.

Check the Braingle website's SAT score converter or the chart at Assessment Psychology Online to see how they correlate your SAT score to the IQ scale.

Sponsored
The Classroom Logo

The Classroom provides honest, relatable, step-by-step guidance for high schoolers applying to college and first-time undergraduate students.

Property of TechnologyAdvice. © 2026 TechnologyAdvice. All Rights Reserved

Advertiser Disclosure: Some of the products that appear on this site are from companies from which TechnologyAdvice receives compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site including, for example, the order in which they appear. TechnologyAdvice does not include all companies or all types of products available in the marketplace.