Mensa itself isn't a gender, but the high-IQ society's membership is predominantly male, with recent figures showing roughly two-thirds male and one-third female, though this varies slightly by country, with older data suggesting a higher male skew (around 60-64% male). While the name comes from Latin (meaning "table" and feminine in grammar), the actual composition of the organization leans male, possibly due to self-selection or testing biases, though Mensa welcomes all genders.
Mensa members by gender
The general membership is 66 percent male, 33 percent female.
As noted above, 2.2% of the population falls in the 130 and above category. So, technically, those whose IQ is 130 and 131 do not quite meet the criteria. According to Mensa's website, the cutoff score for acceptance is 132. This is a VERY high IQ score, and one that I rarely see.
Mensa is an international society whose sole qualification for membership is a score in the top 2 percent of the general population on a standardized intelligence test.
Etymology. The word mensa (/ˈmɛnsə/, Latin: [ˈmẽːs̠ä]) is Latin for 'table', as is symbolised in the organisation's logo, and was chosen to demonstrate the round-table nature of the organisation: the coming together of equals.
Lady Gaga's IQ is widely rumored to be around 166, placing her in the "exceptionally gifted" or genius category, though this is an estimation often cited in celebrity lists, not a officially verified number from a public test. This high estimate is supported by her early academic achievements, like attending a summer program for the top 1% of students, and her demonstrated creative and musical genius as a composer and performer, notes Us Weekly and Brainmanager.io.
Snoop Dogg has claimed to have an IQ of 147, a score he revealed on Instagram, which classifies as "highly gifted" or genius level, despite graduating high school with straight C's and considering himself a poor student. While the exact test isn't verified, he has expressed surprise at his own high score, contrasting it with his academic struggles, but acknowledges his brilliance in music and business, notes Esquire Australia and Brainmanager.io.
No, an IQ of 97 is not considered dumb; it falls squarely in the average range (90-109), indicating typical cognitive abilities, though some tests might place it slightly below the exact midpoint of 100. An IQ score of 97 means you performed better than 42% of people, and due to the test's margin of error, your score could be anywhere from the high 80s to the mid-100s, still within normal intelligence.
Less than a Netflix subscription! Mensa dues are $107/year, and we offer discounts for additional family members and multi-year memberships. You can learn more about our dues structure here.
Albert Einstein never took an official IQ test, so his score is an estimate, but most sources place it around 160, considered genius level, though some believe it could have been higher. This figure is based on his revolutionary scientific achievements, like the theory of relativity, rather than a standardized test. IQ tests from his era weren't as developed, and his unique thinking style makes accurate modern comparison difficult.
A 72 IQ is considered Borderline Intellectual Functioning (BIF), falling just above the threshold for intellectual disability (usually around 70), placing it in the lower end of the spectrum (70-79) and indicating slower learning and potential needs for support in daily living, though it's not low enough for an official intellectual disability diagnosis by itself, notes Quora user. It's in the bottom few percentiles of the population, requiring more time to grasp complex concepts but not necessarily severe impairment.
This is why Mensa keeps it simple with a cutoff of 98%: candidates who have achieved a score at or above the 98th percentile on a standard test of intelligence will qualify for Mensa. Simple!
Stephen Hawking never officially revealed his IQ, and often dismissed the metric, famously saying, "People who boast about their IQ are losers". While estimates place his IQ around 160, a genius level, this is speculative; Hawking emphasized that creativity, persistence, and passion for science were more important than a single score, despite his profound impact on physics.
Mensa uses +2 sigma as the cutoff for membership. Above that, the other societies use +3 sigma (Triple nine society) and +4 sigma (Prometheus society) and their entry tests criteria are very strict, so you may have to sit a different test to achieve entry.
To join Mensa, you need a score in the top 2% of the population, which translates to an IQ of approximately 130 or higher on most standard tests (with a standard deviation of 15), but the exact score varies by test, such as 132 on Stanford-Binet or 148 on Cattell tests, because each test uses different scales to measure the same 98th percentile level.
Marilyn Vos Savant is an American author, columnist, and lecturer who gained fame in 1985 when The Guinness Book of World Records listed her as having the highest IQ ever recorded—an astounding 228. Despite her exceptional cognitive abilities, she has led a relatively down-to-earth life.
Virtual and in-person events at both local and national level. Over 100 Special Interest Groups covering a range of hobbies and interests. Discounts on Mensa merchandise. Opportunities to volunteer.
Famous Mensa Members
American Mensans have scored in the top 2 percent of the general population on an accepted standardized intelligence test. American Mensa's membership is diverse, ranging in age from 2 to 102. They include engineers, homemakers, teachers, actors, athletes, students, CEOs and people from virtually every walk of life.
Tom Hanks as Forrest Gump: At an early age, Forrest is deemed to have a below-average IQ of 75. He has an endearing character and shows devotion to his loved ones and duties, character traits that bring him into many life-changing situations.
Careers in the medical field, computer programing, university research positions, and engineering are among the ones with the highest requirements to be smart and have a high IQ.
Studies have shown that intelligence has a genetic component, but they have not conclusively identified any single genes that have major roles in differences in intelligence. It is likely that intelligence involves many genes that each make only a small contribution to a person's intelligence.
We all know that Gaga is a creative genius, but it turns out she's an actual genius too with a widely-estimated IQ of 166, making her “exceptionally gifted” — and we don't disagree!
Madonna reportedly has a genius-level IQ of around 140, well above the average, with sources citing her intelligence and business acumen, often linking it to her ability to recognize patterns and disrupt culture. This high score is sometimes associated with her academic achievements, like receiving a scholarship to the University of Michigan, and her remarkable career longevity, making her a highly successful artist.
Kanye West (Ye) publicly claimed to have a 142 IQ in an April 2025 social media post, a score he stated meant he had a "genius intellect," though this remains an unverified, self-proclaimed figure not supported by official test results. While supporters praised the claim, many questioned its accuracy, and there's no official, independently verified IQ score for him, with intelligence being a multifaceted concept beyond a single number.