Intelligent US Presidents Ranked By Their IQ Score
Only a select few get the privilege of becoming president. Those who are lucky enough to earn this title have spent their whole life working for it, and that’s not just because they did well in school or went to college- some don’t even go at all! This isn’t always so bad though; what most people don’t realize is that many presidents drop out before finishing undergraduate degrees and pursuing careers outside politics. But does a lack of “proper” education mean someone is incapable? You can find more information about whether an individual has presidential potential by reading our list below.
George W. Bush – IQ 124
When George W. Bush was president, the media had a field day with his goofy personality and verbal slip-ups. Many Americans think he is just an idiot but in reality, President Bush’s IQ is above average for college graduates!
Gerald Ford – IQ 127
Gerald Ford was a star student and athlete before he became the 38th president. Gerald played football at South High School in Grand Rapids, Michigan as an All-State player while maintaining to achieve academic excellence
Herbert Hoover – IQ 129.77
Herbert Hoover’s time as president was not the best. He had many ambitious programs, but unfortunately, most of them did not succeed during the Great Depression. Maybe if he was a bit smarter things would have been different for him and his aspirations might’ve come to fruition in some form or other!
Ronald Reagan – IQ 130
Ronald Reagan is best known for his eight years in the White House, but few know that he had a successful acting career before taking office. He played everything from cowboys to soldiers with some of Hollywood’s most notable directors and actors. His charisma as an actor and politician made him one of America’s favorite presidents, even though his policies were unpopular with many people who saw them as extreme.
George H.W. Bush – IQ 130.1
George Bush Jr. may not be the most intelligent president, but his father George Sr., launched successful military operations against Panama and Iraq while also minimizing economic damage in America by ending “The Great Recession.”
William McKinley – IQ 130.2
William McKinley attended Allegheny College but ended up dropping out. He later went on to earn a law degree at Albany Law School and was elected governor of Ohio as well as president after only six months in office. Unfortunately, he never finished his term because he was assassinated just before the end of it.
James K. Polk – IQ 130.2
James K. Polk is the president who presided over war and greatly expanded America’s size, which led to him being called “the least known consequential president.” In addition, President Polk reformed finance by abolishing taxes on imports in favor of high tariffs that would help grow American industry.
Grove Cleveland – IQ 130.9
Believe it or not, Grover Cleveland was a hard-working kid from rural New York who couldn’t afford to go to college. But that didn’t stop him from becoming an honest lawyer and one of America’s most famous presidents!
Richard Nixon – IQ 131
Richard Nixon will be remembered for his part in the Watergate Scandal. However, before he became a corrupt president himself, Richard Nixon was actually quite accomplished as an attorney with skills from Duke University that proved to come into effect when subjected to impeachment proceedings due to obstruction of justice charges.
Dwight D. Eisenhower – 131.9
In his time as president, Dwight Eisenhower watched the Civil Rights Movement unfold and was even involved in some of it himself. He desegregated public schools and signed legislation to protect African-Americans’ right to vote. In addition, he served our country during World War II by fighting for democracy overseas with five stars on his shoulders!
Benjamin Harrison – IQ 132.2
President Harrison left his mark on the world with a degree from Miami University in law. After he graduated, President Harrison built an even more successful career as an attorney for both private practice and public service. Most notably, it was under President Harrison’s representation that Venezuela won its independence over England during The Venezuelan War of Independence.
George Washington – IQ 132.5
George Washington was the first President of the United States, and he only had an elementary school education. He led a group of ragtag rebels to victory in one of America’s most important wars for independence with nothing but his wits and experience as Commander-in-Chief.
Martin Van Buren – IQ 133.4
Martin Van Buren grew up in a family with little money, so he spent his childhood reading about the law to pass the time. By 14 years old, Martin was already well-versed on these topics and felt ready for this profession. It just took seven more years before he finally became an attorney at age 21!
Rutherford B. Hayes – IQ 133.9
Rutherford B. Hayes was an intelligent man with a knack for diplomacy and the law – but he had his hands full as president, trying to get America back on its feet after Civil War issues festered into riots in major cities such as New York City.
William Henry Harrison – IQ 133.9
William Henry Harrison was born in 1773 and died before he had a chance to do anything as president. He attended Hampden-Sydney College but dropped out due to how expensive it was at the time. His military career got him notoriety which led up until his election as President of the United States after Martin Van Buren resigned from office. Sadly enough he only served for 32 days because pneumonia killed him off during this period!
Franklin Pierce – IQ 134.8
Franklin Pierce was a graduate of Bowdoin College and had an absolutely brilliant mind. Unfortunately, this would not be enough to deal with the issue of slavery which leads to the outbreak of The Civil War in America despite his best efforts.
Millard Fillmore – IQ 136
Millard Fillmore is a man from humble beginnings who never had the opportunity to attend college but still founded one of America’s top Universities.
John Tyler – IQ 136.2
John Tyler was the 10th president of the United States. He graduated from William and Mary before his presidency, where he had a successful political career. His term as president wasn’t quite what people were expecting though – it is considered to be less than impressive by many historians today.
Franklin D. Roosevelt – IQ 139.6
FDR has been at the forefront of many discussions about presidential power and history. He was one of only a few presidents to serve for 12 years, which is why he can be considered such an influential leader! FDR graduated from Harvard with his degree in History.
Abraham Lincoln – IQ 140
Abraham Lincoln was a self-made man in every sense of the term. Not only did he create significant legislation to end slavery, but also as an avid learner and inventor – after all, who else could come up with such ingenious solutions for unprecedented problems like how to reconstruct our country following Civil War? He never attended college himself which is precisely why his genius came from practical experience rather than what you read in textbooks.
James Madison – IQ 141.3
James Madison was a Princeton graduate who has the prestigious title of “Father of the Constitution.” He is considered one of our country’s most brilliant presidents because he helped draft important documents such as The Federalist Papers and the United States Bill Of Rights, which are still in effect today.
Chester Arthur – IQ 141.5
Chester Arthur is considered one of the most intelligent presidents in American history, with a college degree from Union College. Despite his intelligence and academic background, Chester’s presidency was pretty insignificant- he never had any major achievements or noteworthy projects that helped improve America as president.
James Garfield – IQ 141.5
James Garfield was the salutatorian of his class at Williams College due to his impressive intellect. It’s even been rumored that he could write Latin with one hand and Greek with the other!
Theodore Roosevelt – IQ 142.3
Theodore Roosevelt is not only a Harvard graduate, but he also published 35 books.
John Adams – IQ 142.5
John Adams was a college graduate from Harvard and had incredible negotiating skills that helped him avoid war with France. Some people even believe that he may have been smarter than Einstein himself!
Barack Obama – IQ 145
President Obama’s unparalleled intellect and leadership skills have helped him become the first African-American president. His dedication to public service is evident in his work at various social justice law firms, where he has taken on cases of discrimination against employment or housing rights. He graduated with honors from Harvard Law School, one of America’s most prestigious schools for political science majors.
Jimmy Carter – IQ 145.1`
Jimmy Carter was honored with a Nobel Peace Prize for his contributions to human rights and civil service reform. He started his education at Georgia Tech but completed it in Annapolis Naval Academy where he became an officer in the United States Navy.
Woodrow Wilson – IQ 145.1
Woodrow Wilson was a well-respected individual, as he had an education in political science and served as president of Princeton University before being elected to be the President of the United States.
Bill Clinton – IQ 148.8
Bill Clinton had the intelligence of a genius, but as president proved that he didn’t have common sense. The Lewinsky scandal is one example where this was true- even though it’s not his only mistake in office.
John F. Kennedy – IQ 150.7
John F. Kennedy was the youngest president in American history, but he had intelligence that would have made a difference to this country if it hadn’t been for his assassination.
Thomas Jefferson – IQ 153.8
Thomas Jefferson was a genius that’s for sure. He authored the Declaration of Independence and helped lead us in our early development as a country.
Donald Trump – IQ 156
Trump attended the New York Military Academy as a teenager, and he is one of few presidents to have ever gone there. He went on to attend Fordham University before transferring over to Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania where he studied real estate.
John Quincy Adams – IQ 168.8
John Adams helped to end the War of 1812 by negotiating the Treaty of Ghent. He served as president for one term, but he was a congressman in Congress for eighteen years.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q. Who has the highest IQ in American history?
Q. What was Einstein’s IQ level?
According to various tests, Albert Einstein’s estimated IQ ranges from 205 to 225. He was a theoretical physicist and philosopher of science who was born in Germany.
Q. What IQ is a genius?
An IQ test often yields a result of 100. Most people fall between 85 and 114. A high IQ is defined as a score of 140 or higher. An IQ of 160 or higher is regarded as genius level.
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