The Mount Rushmore depiction of American presidents: George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln, labeled with 2017 IQ estimates, as tabulated below. |
“There has never been a greater concentration of intellectual power here at the White House since Thomas Jefferson dined alone.”— John F. Kennedy (c.1962), speaking at a White House dinner that was attended by every Nobel Laureate in US [17]
“I understand that Thomas Jefferson was our smartest president. Who was our stupidest? Second stupidest?”— Chris Lamb (2001), “Dear Cecil Query” [6]
US Presidents | |||
IQ | President | IQ Estimates | Description |
— 1 [44] | (1743-1826) | [RGM:29|1,305+] (Cattell 1000:79) [HD:17] Fabled "last persons to know everything" and “walking encyclopedia; library: 6,487 books; thing philosopher; an unlearn expositor; founding father (author of Declaration of Independence); auto-characterized “Epicurean materialist”. A 2015 ranked top 10 Smartest President (#1). [11] | |
↑ 190+ | |||
— 2 [150] | (1751-1836) Term: 1809-1817 | [RGM:177|1,305+] (Cattell 1000:476) [HD:18] The patriarch of the so-called Princeton school of social physics; in 1769, was studying a primitive form of social physics a Princeton; was a student of John Witherspoon (1723-1794), a signatory of the Declaration of Independence, and noted interpreter of the political philosophy of Charles Montesquieu, notable for his “hot climates” / “cold climates” theory of human behavior, who in turn had been deeply influenced by the celestial mechanics work of Isaac Newton; a set of teachings, that went into the so-called Newtonian-based framing of the US Constitution, e.g. separation of powers (see: Newtonian government), as Woodrow Wilson (#28) argued; as John Q. Stewart stated: “in early Princeton, physics cooperated with politics in a sort of analogical double play, Newton to Witherspoon to Madison.” A 2015 top 10 Smartest President (#2). [11] | |
↑ 180+ | |||
— 3 [205] | (1809-1865) | [RGM:50|1,305+] (Cattell 1000:40) Used Euclidian geometry as a basis to determine right from wrong in making crucial policy decisions, e.g. about slavery. | |
— 4 [215] | (1735-1826) Term: 1797-1801 | [RGM:187|1,305+] (Cattell 1000:182) [HD:14] The patriarch of the so-called Adams family (or Adams political family): his son, John Quincy Adams, was 6th president, and his great grandson was Henry Adams, the leading social Newton, behind Goethe; his age 23 "diary notes" on the five types of genius, the 5th of which is "political genius", and his latter correspondence with Jefferson exemplifies his above superior mind. A 2015 top 10 Smartest President (#3). [11] | |
↑ 175+ | |||
— 5 [275] | (1767–1848) | [RGM:N/A|1,305+] (Cattell 1000:483) Son of John Adams (2nd president); grandfather of Henry Adams; quote: "John Quincy Adams, the only child prodigy among the presidents, was estimated to have the highest IQ at 170, which is above the 99.99th percentile" (Cox, 1926). [12] Fluent in French, Dutch, German, English, and Latin. He also could read and write Italian, and Ancient Greek. He he chose (Ѻ) to swear in to office on a book of law instead of the Bible, because he wanted to make it clear that he was protecting the US constitution and the laws of the US above all else. | |
↑ 170+ | |||
— 6 [380] | (1856–1924) Term: 1913-1921 | [RGM:640|1,305+] Used Darwinian evolution logic as a logic platform in his presidency. Ranked 8rd smartest president according to public opinion (Thims, 2013). [2] A 2015 top 10 Smartest President (#4). [11] Quora (2013) ranked smartest US president nominee. [17] | |
↑ 160+ | |||
— 7 [418] | (1917–1963) Term: 1961-1963 | [RGM:114|1,305+] Ranked 3rd smartest president according to public opinion (Thims, 2013). [2] As a kid scored 119 on the Otis Intelligence Test. [6] | |
— 8 [420] | (1858–1919) | [RGM:307|1,305+] A 2015 ranked top 10 Smartest President (#5). [11] Downgrade ↓ for referring to founding father Thomas Paine as a “filthy little atheist that apparently esteems a bladder of dirty water as the proper weapon with which to assail Christianity.” (Jacoby, 2004) | |
↑ 155+ | |||
— 9 [N/A] | (1946-) Term: 1993-2001 | [RGM:568|1,305+] Highest IQ poll (2014): #1 Clinton, #2 Carter, #3 Obama, #4 G.H.W. Bush, #5 G.W. Bush (4,590 votes). [9] Rhodes scholar and Yale graduate. | |
— 10 [N/A] | (1924-) Term: 1977-1981 | [RGM:N/A|1,305+] Ranked in top 15 smartest president according to public opinion (Thims, 2013). [2] Highest IQ poll (2014): #1 Clinton, #2 Carter, #3 Obama, #4 G.H.W. Bush, #5 G.W. Bush (4,590 votes). [9] Quora (2013) ranked smartest US president nominee. [17] | |
— 11 | (1831–1881) Term: 1881 | A 2015 ranked top 10 Smartest President (#6). [11] Quora (2013) ranked smartest US president nominee. [17] Could write Latin and Ancient Greek simultaneously (he was ambidextrous). Came up with a proof (of more than 300 in existence now) of the Pythagorean theorem. | |
— 12 [483] | (1882–1945) Term: 1933-1945 | [RGM:359|1,305+] Ranked 6th smartest president according to public opinion (Thims, 2013). [2] Married to Eleanor Roosevelt, ranked 5th smartest female of all time according to public opinion (Thims, 2011). [8] A four-term president who pulled America out of the great depression and aligned the US with the Allied Powers during WWII. | |
↑ 150+ | |||
— 13 | (1829–1886) Term: 1881-1885 | ||
— 14 | (1790–1862) Term: 1841-1845 | ||
— 15 | (1822–1893) Term: 1877-1881 | ||
— 16 | (1961-) Term: 2009-2015 | [RGM:496|1,305+] Ranked 1st in YouGov.com poll (2016), of 3,000 British people, of the “perceived intelligence” of the 30 most talked about public figures. [7] Internet IQ estimates: 110-160 (Ѻ), 120-130 (Ѻ), 130 (Ѻ), 145 (Ѻ). High intelligence in respect to the relation of government policy and the Bible. Highest IQ poll (2014): #1 Clinton, #2 Carter, #3 Obama, #4 G.H.W. Bush, #5 G.W. Bush (4,590 votes). [9] | |
— 17 | (1890–1969) Term: 1953-1961 | ||
— 18 | (1782–1862) Term: 1837-1841 | ||
— 19 | (1767–1845) Term: 1829-1837 | ||
— 20 | (1833–1901) Term: 1889-1893 | ||
— 21 | (1837–1908) Term: 1885-1889 | ||
— 22 | (1924-) Term: 1989-1993 | ||
— 23 | (1843–1901) Term: 1897-1901 | ||
— 24 | (1795–1849) Term: 1845-1849 | ||
↑ 145+ | |||
— 25 | (1908–1973) Term: 1963-1969 | A 2013 voted top 15 smartest US President. [2] | |
— 26 | (1884–1972) Term: 1945-1953 | A 2013 voted top 15 smartest US President. [2] | |
— 27 [491] | (1789-1797) | [RGM:54|1,305+] (Cattell 1000:19) | |
— 28 | (1857–1930) Term: 1909-1913 | ||
— 29 | (1758–1831) Term: 1817-1825 | ||
— 30 | (1804–1869) Term: 1853-1857 | A top 10 worst presidents (#4), according to US News and Report (2014). [14] Existence-long friends with writer Nathaniel Hawthorn (IQ:155|#439). | |
↑ 140+ | |||
— 31 | (1874–1964) Term: 1929-1933 | A top 10 worst president (#9), according to US News and Report (2014), characterized: "poor communicator who fueled trade wars and exacerbated the depression. " [14] He, supposedly, was a “brilliant man”, but his administration was a disaster. [5] Quora (2013) ranked smartest US president nominee. [17] Graduated from Stanford. In his spare time at college, he translated a Middle Ages book about mining from Latin into English. The translation contains extensive footnotes and is known for being very clearly translated. He also spoke Mandarin Chinese. | |
— 32 | (1913–1994) Term: 1969-1974 | A top 10 worst presidents (#10), according to US News and Report (2014); summary: known for Watergate scandal (resigned). [14] Scored 143 on an IQ test taken at school. [9] "Nixon was widely reported to have an IQ of 132" [12] | |
— 33 | (1800–1874) Term: 1850-1853 | A top 10 worst presidents (#5), according to US News and Report (2014). [14] Characterized: a “blundering, pompous, ultimately shallow failure”. (Ѻ) | |
— 34 | (1784–1850) Term: 1849-1850 | A top 10 worst presidents (#6), according to US News and Report (2014); characterized: a “stalwart defender of slavery”. [14] | |
— 35 | (1791–1868) Term: 1857-1861 | A top 10 worst presidents (#1), according to US News and Report (2014). [14] | |
↑ 135+ | |||
— 36 | (1913–2006) Term: 1974-1977 | A 2015 top 10 Dumbest President (#4). [11] Graduated graduated in the top third of his law school. [12] | |
— 37 | (1946-) ↑↓↓ Term: 2017- | A Quora (2017) ranked dumbest American president. [15] Categorized: as “possibly the dimmest president ever” by Jennifer Rubin (May 2017) (Ѻ) High "business IQ" and "entertainment IQ", but low "political IQ", according to consensus. Many believe he is autistic, smart in some areas, abysmal in others. [16] Quora discussion (Ѻ) on “What is Trump’s IQ” endlessly variate between 90s to 150s; ConservativePush.com ranked at 145 (Ѻ) | |
— 38 | (1773–1841) Term: 1841 | A top 10 worst presidents (#8), according to US News and Report (2014); summary: a former war hero (recaptured Detroit), only in office for 30 days (before dying from cold), in bed the entire time. [14] A Quora ranked (2012) dumbest American president. [15] | |
↑ 130+ | |||
— 39 | (1911–2004) Term: 1981-1989 | A 2015 top 10 Dumbest President (#5). [11] Gerald Ford: “Regan is probably the least well-informed on the details of running the government of any president I knew.” [15] | |
— 40 | (1872–1933) Term: 1923-1929 | A Quora (2012) ranked “dumbest American president”; noted for: Teapot Dome Scandal, and supposedly, for bringing on the Wall Street Crash and Great Depression. [15] Noted, in evolutionary psychology, for "Coolidge effect". [12] | |
— 41 | (1946-) Term: 2001-2009 | A 2015 top 10 Dumbest President (#2). [11] A Quora (2012) ranked “dumbest American president”. [15] A top 10 worst presidents (#10), according to US News and Report (2014). [14] His SAT score (1206) was converted, by Linda Gottfredson (Ѻ), into an IQ of 125. He banned stem cells research, per reason that stem cells have a soul; hence it is immoral to use them for research purposes. [10] | |
— 42 | (1822–1885) Term: 1869-1877 | A top 10 worst presidents (#7), according to US News and Report (2014). [14] Quote: "Grant was lowest, with an IQ estimate of 115, about the 84th percentile" (Cox, 1926). [12] | |
— 43 | (1808–1875) Term: 1865-1869 | A 2015 top 10 Dumbest President (#3). [11] A top 10 worst presidents (#3), according to US News and Report (2014). [14] A Quora ranked (2012) dumbest American president. [15] | |
— 44 | (1865–1923) Term: 1921-1923 | A 2015 top 10 Dumbest President (#1). [11] A top 10 worst presidents (#2), according to US News and Report (2014), characterized: "an ineffectual and indecisive leader who played poker while his friends plunder the US treasury" [14] | |
↑ 125+ |
In summer 2017, Rex Tillerson reportedly called Trump a “moron”. Trump responded by saying that his IQ test scores are higher than Tillerson. |
“Someone asked me if I thought I was a genius. I decided to say yes. Why not? Try it out. Tell yourself that you are a genius. Right away you will probably wonder why and in what way you are a genius. And right away, you will have opened your mind up to wonder—and to asking questions. That’s a big first step to thinking like a genius.”
— Donald Trump (2010), Think Like a Champion (pg. 132) (Ѻ)
“Sorry losers and haters, my IQ is one of the highest, and you all know it!”— Donald Trump (2013), Tweet, May 8 (Ѻ)
“I know some of you may think I’m tough and harsh but actually I’m a very compassionate person (with a very high IQ) and with strong common sense.”— Donald Trump (2013), Tweet, Apr 21
“As far as that low-info voter base goes, I have an IQ of 132. So much for that theory.”— Donald Trump (2015), Twitter (Ѻ), Dec 13
Poll results from IQ blogger Pumpkin Person's 2014 article: “IQs of U.S. Presidents”, showing Clinton having the highest IQ, compared to Carter, Obama, Reagan, G.H.W. Bush, and G.W. Bush. [9] |
62. Adams, J. Q. (IQ=175)
194. Madison (IQ=160)
206. Adams, J. (IQ=155)
#. Lincoln (IQ=150)
#. Washington (IQ=140)
7. Jefferson (IQ=195)In 2004, Steven Rubenzer and Thomas Faschingbauer, in their Personality, Character, and Leadership in the White House: Psychologists Assess the Presidents, had the following to say about the IQs and intelligence of the various presidents: [12]
61. Lincoln (IQ=170)
95. Washington (IQ=140)
“Every president to date has been a white male of Western European ancestry. Most were successful, professional politicians. Many of the rest were military men or lawyers. How well do they reflect the range of people whom they represent? Are they made of special stuff not found in the rest of us? Presidents do differ among themselves. Some came from wealthy families; others were very poor. The most startling contrast is level of education. Some (e.g., Jackson and Lincoln) had virtually no formal schooling. Others, such as Jefferson and J. Q. Adams, were among the most learned men of their time; Wilson held a PhD.
Despite their range of education, it is almost certain that, as a group, presidents were brighter than the average Americans of their time. Leaders, almost by definition, must be able to comprehend problems and articulate or resolve them better than their followers. Research confirms that they typically score at the 9oth percentile of the group they lead in intelligence? Most modern presidents, such as Richard Nixon, Jimmy Carter, and Clinton, have been very smart men. Even those with more modest intellectual reputations (e.g., Reagan and Ford), were college graduates, and Ford graduated in the top third of his law school. A president doesn't have to be the smartest person in the land, but he ought to be above average. When there is a question about this, as with Harding, the results are unhappy.
There were no IQ tests in Washington's time, but there were other ways that intelligence could be estimated. Nearly a hundred years ago [1926], a team of researchers [Catherine Cox, Maud Merrill, Lewis Terman, et al] attempted to gauge the intelligence of 301 eminent people by systematic analysis of their writings, both as children and adults? They studied a variety of professions, including scientists, artists, and political figures. Included in their group were a number of early presidents. John Quincy Adams, the only child prodigy among the presidents, was estimated to have the highest IQ at 170, which is above the 99.99th percentile. Grant was lowest, with an IQ estimate of 115—about the 84th percentile. It should be noted that these estimates, based on written works, might underestimate ability in areas such as spatial relations. This would put generals, such as Washington and Grant, at a disadvantage relative to scholars. Incidentally, Washington's estimated IQ was 130; John Adams' 140; Jefferson's 145.
Since intelligence tests are now widely used in schools, businesses, and medical settings, it's increasingly possible to get actual IQ scores on presidents and candidates. Nixon was widely reported to have an IQ of 132, which is approximately at the 98th percentile of Americans. As part of his evaluation for Alzheimer's disease, Reagan almost certainly took an IQ test, though his score could be significantly lower than it would have been before the disease. As we will see in the next chapter, intelligence is one of the best predictors of performance for all jobs, particularly complex ones.”
In 2006, Dean Simonton ranked the IQs of 42 US presidents. [1]
In 2014, Andrew Soergel and Jah Tolson, of US News and World Reports, averaged the results of five major presidential polls, to rank the 10 worst presidents, as follows: [14]
Rank Smartest Presidents
(2013 colloquial opinion)Votes IQG Smartest Presidents
(2006 Simonton ranking)IQs 1. Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826) 11 180 John Adams (1735-1826) 173 2. Abraham Lincoln (1809–1865) 8 160 Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826) 160 3. John F. Kennedy (1917–1963) 6 John F. Kennedy (1917–1963) 158 4. Franklin D. Roosevelt (1882–1945) 6 Bill Clinton (1946-) 156 5. Bill Clinton (1946-) 5 James Madison (1751-1836) 155 6. Theodore Roosevelt (1858–1919) 5 Jimmy Carter (1924-) 153 7. John Adams (1735-1826) 2 8. Woodrow Wilson (1856–1924) 2 Woodrow Wilson (1856–1924) 152 9. George Washington (1732-1799) 2 Theodore Roosevelt (1858–1919) 149 10. James Madison (1751-1836) 1 James Garfield (1831–1881) 148 11 Jimmy Carter (1924-) 1 Chester Arthur (1829–1886) 148 12. Ronald Reagan (1911–2004) 1 Abraham Lincoln (1809–1865) 148 13. Barack Obama (1961-) 1 134 Franklin D. Roosevelt (1882–1945) 146 14. Lyndon Johnson (1908–1973) 1 Millard Fillmore (1800–1874) 143 15. Harry Truman (1884–1972) 1 John Tyler (1790–1862) 142 16. James Monroe (1758–1831) 1 Franklin Pierce (1804–1869) 141
1. James Buchanan
2. Warren Harding | An ineffectual and indecisive leader who played poker while his friends plunder the US treasury.
3. Andrew Johnson
4. Franklin Pierce
5. Millard Fillmore
6. John Tylor | Stalwart defender of slavery.
7. Ulysses Grant
8. William Harrison | Only 30 days in office.
9. Herbert Hoover | Poor communicator who fueled trade wars and exacerbated the depression.
10. Richard Nixon | Watergate scandal
10. George. W. Bush
“He who has a faculty of combining these laws of human nature into rules, for the government of society, to procure peace, plenty, liberty, has a great political genius.”— John Adams (1758), “On the Characteristics of Genius” [1]
“Now we are in a position to admire the political genius of Barack Obama. Actually ‘genius’ is probably too strong a word. I don't think that Obama is a genius. He is, however, a highly intelligent man, and he is possessed of a certain kind of low cunning that makes him politically formidable.”— Dinesh D’Souza (2014), Obama’s America: Unmaking the American Dream (pg. 109)