People around the world have always been interested in the intelligence of US presidents. John Quincy Adams is said to have the highest IQ of 175, making him one of the smartest presidents in history.
Thomas Jefferson is also known for his great knowledge and skills in many fields. However, IQ alone does not decide a leader’s success. Hard work, dedication, and leadership skills also play an important role.
In this article, we’ll explore the IQ levels of 11 US presidents and understand how intelligence helps lead a country.
Read 11 Presidents Ranked By IQ
Intelligence is just one measure of a person’s abilities, but these rankings offer an interesting perspective on our past and current leaders.
| Rank | President | Estimated IQ | Years Of Service |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | John Quincy Adams | 175 | 1825–1829 |
| 2 | Thomas Jefferson | 160 | 1801–1809 |
| 3 | John F. Kennedy | 159.8 | 1961–1963 |
| 4 | Bill Clinton | 159 | 1993–2001 |
| 5 | James Madison | 155 | 1809–1817 |
| 6 | Jimmy Carter | 153 | 1977–1981 |
| 7 | Woodrow Wilson | 152 | 1913–1921 |
| 8 | Barack Obama | 145 | 2009–2017 |
| 9 | Theodore Roosevelt | 143 | 1901–1909 |
| 10 | Abraham Lincoln | 140 | 1861–1865 |
| 11 | Donald Trump | 138–156 approx. | 2017–2021, 2025-Present |
Presidents’ IQ Sources – US Constitution, Readers’ Suggestions, VOA News, Reddit
Now, let’s look at each president’s accomplishments and how their intelligence shaped their leadership. These scores are notably higher than the average American IQ, which typically falls around 100. Even presidents with “lower” scores on this list still rank significantly above average.
1. John Quincy Adams
Birth Date: July 11, 1767
President Rank: 6th President of the United States
Education: Harvard College
John Quincy Adams, son of founding father John Adams, was a diplomatic prodigy who served as Minister to the Netherlands at just 26. His estimated IQ of 175 reflects his Harvard education, mastery of seven languages, and prolific writing.
As Secretary of State under Monroe, he crafted the Monroe Doctrine. After winning the controversial “corrupt bargain” election of 1824, his presidency focused on national infrastructure and education.
Adams later served 17 distinguished years in Congress, fighting tirelessly against slavery and for scientific advancement.
2. Thomas Jefferson
Birth Date: April 13, 1743
President Rank: 3rd President of the United States
Education: College of William & Mary
Thomas Jefferson reshaped American democracy through his drafting of the Declaration of Independence and the promotion of religious freedom.
Born in Albemarle County, Virginia, Jefferson is best remembered for writing the Declaration of Independence, serving as the third president, and championing universal rights. At age 33, he wrote the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom, separating church and state.
At 76, he founded the University of Virginia, designed his home at Monticello, and maintained extensive correspondence with leaders worldwide. His complex legacy includes contradictions between his ideals of liberty and his ownership of over 600 enslaved people.
3. John F. Kennedy
Birth Date: May 29, 1917
President Rank: 35th President of the United States
Education: Harvard University, 1940
Kennedy shattered barriers as the youngest elected president and the first Catholic to hold the office. He was born into the prominent Kennedy family in Brookline, Massachusetts.
He graduated from Harvard in 1940 before joining the Naval Reserve. As president, Kennedy faced high-stakes challenges, including the Cuban Missile Crisis, where his steady leadership prevented nuclear war.
In his memorable inaugural address, he offered the injunction: “Ask not what your country can do for you—ask what you can do for your country.”
4. Bill Clinton
Birth Date: August 19, 1946
President Rank: 42nd President of the United States
Education: Georgetown University, Oxford University (Rhodes Scholar), Yale Law School
Clinton was born William Jefferson Blythe III in Hope, Arkansas. He never knew his father, who died in an automobile accident three months before his birth.
His political talent emerged early at 32. He became one of America’s youngest governors. During his two presidential terms, he presided over economic growth and achieved the first budget surplus in decades while unemployment, inflation, and crime rates decreased.
Despite impeachment by the House in 1998 over the Monica Lewinsky scandal, Clinton was acquitted by the Senate and left office with high approval ratings. His post-presidency work through the Clinton Foundation has addressed global health challenges.
5. James Madison
Birth Date: March 16, 1751
President Rank: 4th President of the United States
Education: Princeton University
Madison’s intellectual prowess earned him the title “Father of the Constitution” for his pivotal role in creating America’s founding documents.
Though physically small at just 5’4″, Madison possessed a towering intellect that shaped the nation’s legal framework. He demonstrated exceptional academic abilities at Princeton University by completing his three-year degree in just two years.
His presidency faced significant challenges during the War of 1812, including the British burning of Washington. Madison’s lifelong partnership with his brilliant wife, Dolley, enhanced his presidency. Their home at Montpelier became a center of intellectual and political discourse in the early republic.
6. Jimmy Carter
Birth Date: October 1, 1924
President Rank: 39th President of the United States
Education: United States Naval Academy, 1946
Carter transformed the post-presidency into a platform for global humanitarian work and peace efforts. He was born in the small farming town of Plains, Georgia. Carter grew up nearby in the community of Archery, where his father was a farmer and businessman and his mother a registered nurse.
After graduating from the Naval Academy, he served on nuclear submarines before returning to run his family’s peanut farm. His presidency saw significant achievements, including the Camp David Accords, the Panama Canal treaties, and the SALT II treaty with the Soviet Union.
The Carter Center. Carter’s dedication to meditation and mindfulness supported his remarkable longevity and clarity of purpose. After leaving office, he founded The Carter Center, which has monitored elections worldwide and worked to eradicate diseases. His humanitarian efforts earned him the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002.
7. Woodrow Wilson
Birth Date: December 28, 1856
President Rank: 28th President of the United States
Education: Princeton University, University of Virginia Law School, Johns Hopkins University (Ph.D.)
Wilson stands unique among presidents, transitioning from scholarly pursuits to the White House. Born in Staunton, Virginia, this minister’s son first distinguished himself in academia, earning a Ph.D. from Johns Hopkins and writing Congressional Government.
His teaching career included positions at Bryn Mawr College, Wesleyan University, and Princeton, where he became university president in 1902, implementing bold educational reforms.
As New Jersey’s governor, he established himself as a progressive reformer before winning the presidency in 1912. After the war, he championed the League of Nations and received the 1919 Nobel Peace Prize for his peace efforts, though the Senate rejected U.S. membership.
8. Barack Obama
Birth Date: August 4, 1961
President Rank: 44th President of the United States
Education: Occidental College, Columbia University, Harvard Law School
Obama was the first African American to hold the nation’s highest office. He was born in Honolulu, Hawaii; his early life spanned continents.
He spent part of his childhood in Indonesia before returning to Hawaii to live with his grandparents. Obama’s remarkable rise included graduating magna cum laude from Harvard Law School, where he became the first Black president of the prestigious Harvard Law Review.
He entered politics and was elected to the Illinois State Senate in 1996 and then to the U.S. Senate in 2004. Taking office amid the economic crisis in 2009, Obama implemented stimulus measures that helped stabilize the economy. He received the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts to strengthen international diplomacy.
9. Theodore Roosevelt
Birth Date: October 27, 1858
President Rank: 26th President of the United States
Education: Harvard University, Columbia Law School (incomplete)
Unlike many predecessors, Roosevelt came from wealth but faced his own struggles with childhood asthma, ultimately becoming an advocate for what he called “the strenuous life.”
Born in New York, he divided his time at Harvard between academics and athletics, excelling at both before briefly studying law. After personal tragedy struck, losing both his wife and mother on the same day in 1884, he retreated to the Dakota Badlands.
As president, following McKinley’s assassination in 1901, Roosevelt tackled powerful monopolies, earning his reputation as a “trustbuster” while championing conservation efforts that massively expanded America’s national forests and parks.
10. Abraham Lincoln
Birth Date: February 12, 1809
President Rank: 16th President of the United States
Education: Self-educated (little formal schooling)
Lincoln’s extraordinary journey began in the humblest of settings. A one-room log cabin with dirt floors in Kentucky. His rise from frontier poverty to the nation’s highest office represents the essential American story of self-improvement.
Despite receiving less than a year of formal education in his entire life, Lincoln possessed an insatiable desire to learn, reading voraciously whenever possible. His famous debates with Stephen Douglas during the 1858 Senate race, though ending in defeat, catapulted him to national prominence.
On January 1, 1863, he freed enslaved people in Confederate states, fundamentally changing the war’s purpose. Lincoln continues to inspire generations with its concise articulation of American ideals.
11. Donald Trump
Birth Date: June 14, 1946
President Rank: 45th and 47th President of the United States
Education: Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania
Donald Trump’s path to the presidency represents one of American history’s most remarkable political stories. Trump was born into a wealthy New York real estate family.
Trump built his personal brand as a businessman, developer, and television personality before entering politics. Without previous government experience, he defeated established politicians to win the Republican nomination.
His communication style, primarily through social media, bypassed traditional channels to speak directly to supporters. After losing his 2020 reelection bid to Joe Biden, Trump made a comeback by winning the 2024 presidential election again.
Additional Information: Here are the countries with the lowest IQ, which you might like to explore and get insights into the IQ levels of different countries.
Are IQ Scores Enough To Measure A President’s Intelligence?
IQ scores alone don’t tell the full story of a president’s intelligence. According to the National Institute of Health, true intelligence combines creativity, emotional awareness, and decision-making skills beyond what tests measure.
Many successful presidents had average IQs but excelled in judgment, adaptability, and empathy. These qualities are more valuable in leadership than raw brainpower. Leadership effectiveness requires a broader spectrum of mental abilities.
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Conclusion: Review 11 Presidents Ranked By IQ
Ranking U.S. Presidents by IQ offers a fascinating perspective on how intelligence, education, and leadership skills shape world history.
From scholars like John Quincy Adams to strategic minds like James K. Polk, each president left a unique legacy influenced by their intellectual abilities.
However, IQ alone doesn’t define a successful leader; vision, decision-making, and emotional intelligence play vital roles, too. Explore the 11 presidents’ IQs and political careers for your information.
FAQs
Higher IQs may contribute to better decision-making, strategic thinking, and communication skills. However, leadership success depends on emotional intelligence, political experience, adaptability, and understanding of public needs.
Ulysses S. Grant is often estimated to have the lowest IQ among U.S. presidents. However, these IQ rankings are speculative and not based on verified IQ test results.
Adragon De Mello, born October 8, 1976, holds an IQ of 400. This exceptionally rare score varies depending on the IQ test and the evaluation methods used.
The most educated U.S. presidents include Woodrow Wilson, William Howard Taft, Franklin Pierce, Rutherford B. Hayes, Bill Clinton, Gerald Ford, George W. Bush, John F. Kennedy, Richard Nixon, and Barack Obama.
There are no official IQ test results publicly available for any U.S. president. Most IQ estimations of presidents are based on indirect evaluations and historical data analysis.
Theodore Roosevelt became the youngest U.S. president at age 42 after President William McKinley’s assassination. Donald Trump holds the record for the oldest inaugurated president at 78 years old.
