To run an entire nation, you need three things…knowledge, determination, and intelligence. Even if you don’t like a particular President, it doesn’t matter. For someone to sit in the Oval Office of the White House, they have to be smart.
Despite increasing gray hair and wrinkles as their term continues, one wise man quoted, “Their intelligence is forever.” Many people are surprised to learn that most of the U.S. Presidents have a higher than average IQ.
Some of the 44 U.S. Presidents on this list might surprise you.
1. Ulysses S. Grant – 18th president
While a child, some of Grant’s classmates called him was “useless.” With an IQ of 120, he was awkward in school but still went on to graduate from the prestigious West Point and served as a General in the U.S. Army. During his time in the White House, Grant worked to bring peace with Native Americans and build stronger American trade. But when the Depression hit, he, along with millions of others, went bankrupt.
2. George W. Bush – 43rd president
Sure, he was a little quirky at times but overall, this President did a great job leading the United States. Not only did he attend Harvard but he was also a pilot during the Vietnam War for the National Guard. Bush has an IQ of 124.
3. Warren G. Harding – 29th president
As a U.S. President, Harding made some great moves. He cut taxes by almost 50 percent and pushed for less government spending. With an IQ of 124.3, it seemed he ran a tight ship. But after dying of a heart attack, it was discovered that all of his selected cabinet members were all corrupt.
4. James Monroe – 5th president
Even with one of the lowest-scoring IQs of 124.13, Monroe was a force to reckon with. He supported the founding of colonies throughout Africa for freed slaves. A lot of people don’t know that Monrovia, the capital of Liberia, is named after this President.
5. Zachary Taylor – 12th president
While Taylor doesn’t have the highest IQ at 126.5, he was still thought to be one of the smartest Presidents to serve the country. He won the battle against the Native Americans, as well as five additional wars, including the Mexican-American. Taylor also fought to prevent slavery from forming in three states. After serving just 16 months in office, he died suddenly of an illness.
6. Andrew Johnson – 17th president
Like President Taylor, Johnson also had an IQ of 125.65. Not only did he grow up in a poor family but he also had no formal education. Yet, he worked hard to self-educate. Following Abraham Lincoln’s assassination, Johnson took office but due to his policies, freed slaves lost a lot of their civil liberties. With contrasting views to his predecessor, he didn’t fare well as President.
7. James Buchanan -15th president
Initially, Buchanan was a member of the Federalist party but as that neared an end, he became a Democrat. Although he had an IQ of 125.93, a lot people considered him the worst U.S. President of all time for establishing the Confederacy and overlooking the issue of slavery. Many believe his actions led to the civil war.
8. Andrew Jackson – 7th president
Growing up in the 1800s, Jackson owned a plantation worked by slaves, which was common during that era. While serving as President, he supported slavery and strongly opposed the abolitionist movement. But with a lot of achievements under his belt, he was popular. Jackson had an IQ of 126.25.
9. William Howard Taft – 27th president
While attending school, Taft’s teachers didn’t think of him as being super bright. But with an IQ of 126.9, he became a local judge, a federal judge, solicitor general of the US, the US secretary of war, and ultimately, the President of the United States.
10. Gerald Ford – 38th president
Ford, who passed away in 2006, served his time well until the Watergate scandal. Shortly after, he resigned. As far as intelligence, he had an IQ of 127.
11. Calvin Coolidge – 30th president
Considering President Coolidge didn’t say much, he quickly became known as “Silent Cal.” But his big tax changes helped boost the economy during the Roaring 20s. He also supported racial equality. Coolidge had an IQ of 127.1.
12. Lyndon B. Johnson – 36th president
Although Johnson’s IQ of 127.83 isn’t as high as some of the other Presidents on this list, he was an incredibly smart man. At just 12-years of age, he boasted that one day, he’d become the President of the U.S. While serving as Vice President, his dream came true but only because John F. Kennedy was assassinated. Even so, he went on to found both Medicaid and Medicare.
13. Harry S. Truman – 33rd president
Even though Truman never earned a college degree, he had an IQ of 127.55. Legally blind in one eye, he cheated on the vision exam so he’d be accepted into the military. During WWI, he proved to have exceptional leadership skills. He put those into use while in the White House, founding the United Nations, making civil rights a priority, and developing NATO.
14. Ronald Reagan – 40th president
Ronald Reagan was loved by everyone for his leadership and wicked sense of humor. While he started out as a Hollywood actor, he went on to accomplish many great things while in the Oval Office such as ending the Cold War. He even survived an assassination attempt on his life. Reagan had an IQ of 130.
15. George H. Bush – 41st president
George H. Bush is the father of George W. Bush. So, it’s not surprising that he too was highly intelligent. He attended Harvard and served as a fighter pilot. His IQ was scored at 130.1
16. James K. Polk – 11th president
With an IQ of 130.2, President Polk was intelligent but also hard working. He spent so much time working on extending the country’s borders to the Pacific and other tasks that he failed to take care of himself. Just three months after leaving the Oval Office, he passed away.
17. William McKinley – 25th president
McKinley served a U.S. President from 1897 to 1901. Sadly. he was assassinated on September 14, 1901, just after leading the country to a victory in the Spanish-American War. Although he dropped out of college, he was still very smart with an IQ of 130.2.
18. Grover Cleveland – 22nd president
Known for being hardworking and honest, Cleveland was the only President to serve for two, non-consecutive terms. Although he grew up in a poverty-stricken home, his IQ scored at 130.9.
19. Richard Nixon – 37th president
Richard Nixon excelled in school, earned a law degree, went on to work for the FBI, and had an IQ of 131. After failing in his first run for President, he tried again and won but only by a narrow margin. Unfortunately, the work he did in the White House, especially on foreign policy, was overshadowed by the Nixon scandal. When that broke, he resigned his seat in the Oval Office.
20. Dwight Eisenhower – 34th president
When it came to military operations, Eisenhower was regarded as one of the greatest Presidents of all time, especially in his handling of “Operation Overload.” He was a West Point graduate and one of the few Presidents who promoted party cooperation. His IQ…131.9.
21. Benjamin Harrison – 23rd president
A lot of people forget about this President. But before being elected into office, he was a successful lawyer. With an IQ of 132.2, he was able to outsmart just about all other attorneys.
22. George Washington – 1st president
We all know that Washington was the first President of the United States. He might’ve only had a grade school education but his IQ was an impressive 132.5. His legacy is that of being a man of +public service and integrity.
23. Martin Van Buren – 8th president
Van Buren is another President people don’t talk about much. But he played a pivotal role in the foundation of the Democratic party. And with an IQ of 133.4, he had no problem passing the bar to become an attorney at the age of 14.
24. Rutherford B. Hayes – 19th president
Winning the electoral votes over Samuel Tilden, Hayes took office in 1877. With the Cold War recently ended, his role was to help rebuild infrastructures, including bridges. He was an excellent student at Kenyon College and had an IQ of 133.9.
25. William Henry Harrison – 9th president
After serving as Indiana’s first Governor, Harrison became a U.S. President in 1841. But after serving just 32 days, he died from pneumonia. With an IQ of 133.9, he probably would’ve gone on to do great things.
26. Franklin Pierce – 14th president
With an IQ of 134.8, Pierce was considered one of the smartest US Presidents during his era. His biggest downfall was failing to correctly address the problem of slavery, which didn’t sit well with people.
27. Millard Fillmore – 13th president
Although Fillmore was brilliant in his role as the President of the United States, his poor management of slavery hurt his reputation. Even with an IQ of 136, he never attended college although he was the founder of the University of Buffalo.
28. John Tyler – 10th president
With an education from the College of William and Mary and an IQ of 136.2, people felt Tyler would be an amazing President. But while in office, he didn’t really do anything substantial enough to meet the people’s expectations.
29. Chester Arthur – 21st president
From the history books, we’ve learned that Arthur wasn’t very good at his job. One positive aspect of his presidency was his battle against political corruption. Even with an IQ of 141.5, he struggled to get into school until he was accepted at Union College.
30. James Garfield – 20th president
In 1881, Garfield became a U.S. President. Not only did he excel as a student at Williams College but with an IQ of 141.5, he also mastered two of the most difficult known languages — Ancient Greek and Latin.
31. Herbert Hoover – 31st president
Hoover waited to get into politics until later in life. As a humanitarian, he found the role of President to be a perfect platform for making changes. With an IQ of 141.6, he was a natural problem-solver.
32. John Adams – 2nd president
With an IQ of 142.5, President John Adams was a lawyer, diplomat, and political theorist. In a mere five months in office, he built the American Navy, complete with a powerful fleet of ships and weaponry.
33. Barack Obama – 44th president
Along with being the first black President of the U.S., Obama has an IQ of 145. He graduated top of his class at Harvard and while serving in the White House, he played a key role in ending the war with Iraq.
34. Abraham Lincoln – 16th president
Lincoln was admired for many reasons, primarily for abolishing slavery. As a gentleman and man of integrity, people often referred to him as “Honest Abe. While serving a U.S. President, he gave the famous Gettysburg Address speech but was then assassinated on April 15, 1865.
35. Franklin D. Roosevelt – 32nd president
Commonly referred to as “FDR,” Roosevelt had strength, determination, and an IQ of 150.5. He graduated from both Harvard and Columbia University. With great leadership, Roosevelt guided the country through the Great Depression and WWII.
36. John F. Kennedy – 35th president
Kennedy was a man loved by all. In WWII, he won a Purple Heart and then in 1961, he was elected President. Although he succeeded in many things and had an IQ of 150.8, he was brutally assassinated.
37. Theodore Roosevelt – 26th president
Known to people as “Teddy,” this Roosevelt President was both intelligent and dynamic. He too attended both Harvard and Columbia Law Schools before being elected. He had an impressive IQ of 153 and coined the phrase, “Walk softly and carry a big stick.”
38. Woodrow Wilson – 28th president
Before serving as a U.S. President, Wilson earned a Ph.D. in Political Science and was president of Princeton University. With an IQ of 155.2, he helped lead the country through WWI. For all his efforts while in office, he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.
39. Jimmy Carter – 39th president
Although an unlikely candidate, Carter was elected into office. With a laid-back style, most people have no clue that he has an IQ of 156. Along with serving in the Navy, his focus while in the White House was to improve humanitarian efforts. Now at 95 years old, he’s still heavily involved in this type of work.
40. Bill Clinton – 42nd president
Clinton is a Rhodes Scholar from Georgetown, he served as Governor of Arkansas, and he has an IQ of 159. While he faired well in the White House, his affair with Monica Lewinsky eventually led to his impeachment. Even so, he wasn’t removed from office.
41. Donald Trump – 45th president
Our current President, Donald Trump, might be a controversial figure but there’s no way to deny his intelligence. With an IQ of 156, he’s been able to withstand a lot of hatred while in office yet still accomplish many incredible goals. Whether you like him or not, he’s proven to be a dynamic leader.
42. James Madison – 5th president
While serving as the President of the U.S., Madison became known as the “Father of the Constitution.” He also helped pen the “Monroe Doctrine” and the “Bill of Rights.” He might’ve only stood 5’4” but he had an IQ of 160.
43. Thomas Jefferson – 3rd president
As one of the country’s founding fathers and with an IQ of 168, Jefferson was incredibly smart and motivated. Not only did he write the “Declaration of Independence,” but he also helped abolish the slave trade, facilitated the Louisiana purchase, and founded the University of Virginia.
44. John Quincy Adams – 6th president
Adams graduated from Harvard and historians say he had an IQ of 175. He was fluent in seven languages and worked as a lawyer without finishing law school.
