Average IQ in Europe by Country: 45-Country Ranking
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Key Takeaways
- This ranking covers 45 European countries.
- Finland, Germany, the Netherlands and Switzerland share the highest estimate in our dataset at 103.
- Europe's regional spread is narrower than several other continents in the same dataset.
- Small rank differences should not be treated as proof of meaningful differences between populations.
- Every country row links to a source-backed profile with education and development context.
European IQ estimates by country
| Rank | Country | Average IQ | Source | Source year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Finland | 103 | Becker (2019) | 2019 |
| 2 | Germany | 103 | Becker (2019) | 2019 |
| 3 | Netherlands | 103 | Becker (2019) | 2019 |
| 4 | Switzerland | 103 | Becker (2019) | 2019 |
| 5 | Austria | 102 | Becker (2019) | 2019 |
| 6 | Estonia | 102 | Becker (2019) | 2019 |
| 7 | Iceland | 102 | Lynn & Vanhanen (2012) | 2012 |
| 8 | Italy | 102 | Becker (2019) | 2019 |
| 9 | Monaco | 102 | World Population Review (2025) | 2025 |
| 10 | Sweden | 102 | Becker (2019) | 2019 |
| 11 | United Kingdom | 102 | Becker (2019) | 2019 |
| 12 | Belgium | 101 | Becker (2019) | 2019 |
| 13 | Liechtenstein | 101 | World Population Review (2025) | 2025 |
| 14 | Luxembourg | 101 | Lynn & Vanhanen (2012) | 2012 |
| 15 | Norway | 101 | Becker (2019) | 2019 |
| 16 | Czech Republic | 100 | Becker (2019) | 2019 |
| 17 | Denmark | 100 | Becker (2019) | 2019 |
| 18 | France | 100 | Becker (2019) | 2019 |
| 19 | Hungary | 100 | Becker (2019) | 2019 |
| 20 | Poland | 100 | Becker (2019) | 2019 |
| 21 | Russia | 100 | Becker (2019) | 2019 |
| 22 | Spain | 100 | Becker (2019) | 2019 |
| 23 | Vatican City | 100 | World Population Review (2025) | 2025 |
| 24 | Andorra | 99 | World Population Review (2025) | 2025 |
| 25 | Croatia | 99 | Becker (2019) | 2019 |
| 26 | San Marino | 99 | World Population Review (2025) | 2025 |
| 27 | Slovakia | 99 | Becker (2019) | 2019 |
| 28 | Slovenia | 99 | Becker (2019) | 2019 |
| 29 | Ireland | 98 | Becker (2019) | 2019 |
| 30 | Malta | 98 | Lynn & Vanhanen (2012) | 2012 |
| 31 | Belarus | 97 | Becker (2019) | 2019 |
| 32 | Portugal | 97 | Becker (2019) | 2019 |
| 33 | Ukraine | 97 | Becker (2019) | 2019 |
| 34 | Latvia | 96 | Becker (2019) | 2019 |
| 35 | Lithuania | 96 | Becker (2019) | 2019 |
| 36 | Romania | 96 | Becker (2019) | 2019 |
| 37 | Bulgaria | 95 | Becker (2019) | 2019 |
| 38 | Greece | 95 | Becker (2019) | 2019 |
| 39 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 93 | World Population Review (2024) | 2024 |
| 40 | Cyprus | 93 | Lynn & Vanhanen (2012) | 2012 |
| 41 | Serbia | 93 | Becker (2019) | 2019 |
| 42 | Albania | 92 | World Population Review (2024) | 2024 |
| 43 | Moldova | 92 | World Population Review (2024) | 2024 |
| 44 | Montenegro | 92 | World Population Review (2024) | 2024 |
| 45 | North Macedonia | 92 | World Population Review (2024) | 2024 |
These are country-level estimates from the dataset that powers IQ Career Lab's country profiles. Source methods and years vary by country. The lowest estimate in this regional table is North Macedonia at 92. National averages should not be used to infer the ability of an individual person.
The ranking is generated from the live country dataset, so each country remains connected to the same value and source shown on its individual profile.
Where does your country rank?
Find any of 195 countries and open its full IQ profile, global ranking, education data, and comparisons.
Why the European ranking is so tightly packed
When many countries sit between the high 90s and low 100s, ordinal ranks exaggerate differences. A table has to put one country above another even when the numerical gap is only one point and the underlying uncertainty is larger than that.
That is why a statement such as "Country A ranks above Country B" can sound stronger than the data justifies. The more useful comparison is often whether countries occupy the same broad band and whether they were measured with comparable methods.
Profiles for Germany, Finland, United Kingdom, Sweden, Netherlands and Switzerland show the source behind each estimate.
Education and development are part of the context
European countries tend to have high literacy, long average schooling and broad access to healthcare. Those conditions reduce some of the environmental constraints that complicate cross-country cognitive comparisons elsewhere.
They do not eliminate measurement issues. Different tests, sample years and norming decisions can still shift the reported national estimate. Migration and within-country regional differences also make a single national number an aggressive simplification.
Does a high country average predict an individual's score?
No. A German, Finnish or Dutch person can score anywhere across the individual IQ distribution. National means are aggregate statistics. They are not personal baselines and should not be used to stereotype people.
If you want to understand an individual score, use the IQ percentile calculator or the IQ score meaning tool rather than a country average.
Why this cluster matters for comparison
Europe is useful for illustrating how rankings can create false precision. When many countries have similar estimates, the exact ordinal order becomes less informative than the shared regional pattern.
For the underlying methodology and the criticisms of national-IQ datasets, read our global IQ-by-country data guide.
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