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Wonderlic Scores Explained

Need help understanding your Wonderlic score? Find all the helpful information you need here, including how the test is scored and what your score means.

How is the Wonderlic Scored?

There are two versions of the Wonderlic Personnel Test: the WPT-R, which has 50 questions, each worth one point, and the WPT-Q, which is a shortened version that has only 30 questions that are each worth 1.66 points. This means that the maximum score on each is 50 points.

Your score is determined purely by the number of questions you get right. You will not lose points for guessing incorrectly. So if you got 25 out of 50 right on the WPT-R, your score would be a 25. If you got 15 out of 30 right on the WPT-Q, your score would also be a 25.

The average score on the Wonderlic is 20. Different positions will require higher scores. For example, a technician may require a score of 26, while a systems analyst would require a score of 32.

The Wonderlic also utilizes Item Response theory (IRT), which means that the difficulty of each question you see is based on whether or not you answer a question correctly. So if you answer a question correctly, the next question will be more difficult than if you had answered incorrectly.

The Wonderlic Score Report

Your score report is broken down into a few parts:

First, you’d see your raw score, which is simply based on the number of questions you answered correctly. If you answered 20 correctly out of 50, your score would be a 20, which is the average score.
Next to your raw score you would see your percentile score. This shows how you compare to other test-takers. If you scored a 20, your percentile would 50th, since you scored better than 50% of candidates.
Below your percentile score is an IQ Equivalent score. The Wonderlic is not necessarily an IQ test, but it is a measure of general intelligence, and provides an estimated IQ score for comparison.
There is also a prominent graph of a bell curve that shows a distribution of scores. Your score is marked with a small arrow to show where you fit. The bell curve has sections that are colored in red, yellow, and green. If you fall into the green area, you are considered a strong fit for the position. If you fall into the yellow area, you are a moderate fit, meaning you may require more training and attention from a supervisor. If you fall into the red area, you are a weak fit, meaning you will likely struggle in this position.

It is also possible to land in yellow or red areas above the green range. For example, if the green, strong fit area is between 25-30, scoring a 33 will likely land you in a yellow, moderate fit range. This would suggest that may be overqualified for the position, and that you’d require additional work or responsibilities to stay challenged in this role.
Lastly, there is a short Score Interpretation section. This briefly breaks down how well you would fit into the position you are applying for, and gives recommendations regarding the candidate’s training potential.

Take a look at this sample Wonderlic score report to see what it looks like.

Wonderlic Score FAQs

Take a look at some of these frequently asked questions below.

Will I be penalized for wrong answers?

No, your score is only based on questions answered correctly. Each question earns you a single point (or 1.66 points on the WPT-Q). Feel free to guess if you don’t know the answer!

What is the average score on the Wonderlic?

The average score is 20/50.

What is considered a good score on the Wonderlic?

This depends on the position you are applying for. Some positions require you to score near the average of 20, while some more competitive ones will require a score over 30. Find out what is required for the position you are applying for to determine what your personal “good” score might be. In terms of percentiles, a score 20 will put you in the 50th percentile, a 26 will put you in the 80th percentile, and a 29 will put you in the 90th percentile.

Who will see my score report?

Your score report is automatically sent to the employer when you complete the test. Nobody else will see it. They may share it with you, but you may need to request it from them first.