30 of the most intelligent U.S. Presidents ranked by their IQ

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commons.wikimedia

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 30 U.S. Presidents on this list might surprise you.

1. George W. Bush – 43rd

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.

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YouTube Screenshot/Biography

2. Gerald Ford – 38th

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.

3. Ronald Reagan – 40th

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.

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YouTube Screenshot/ReaganFoundation

4. George H. Bush – 41st

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

5. William McKinley – 25th

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.

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Unsplash/Library of Congress

6. Grover Cleveland – 22nd

Known for being hard working 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.

7. Dwight Eisenhower – 34th

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.

8. Benjamin Harrison

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.

9. George Washington

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.

10. Martin Van Buren – 8th

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.

11. Rutherford B. Hayes – 19th

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.

12. William Henry Harrison – 9th

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.

13. Franklin Pierce – 14th

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.

14. Millard Fillmore – 13th

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.

15. John Tyler – 10th

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.

16. Chester Arthur – 21st

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.

17. James Garfield – 20th

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.

18. Herbert Hoover – 31st

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.

19. Barack Obama – 44th

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.

20. Abraham Lincoln – 16th

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.

21. Franklin D. Roosevelt – 32nd

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.

22. John F. Kennedy – 35th

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.

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Unsplash/History in HD

23. Theodore Roosevelt – 26th

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.”

24. Woodrow Wilson – 28th

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.

25. Jimmy Carter – 39th

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.

26. Bill Clinton – 42nd

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.

27. Donald Trump – 45th

Our current President, Donald Trump, might be 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.

28. James Madison – 5th

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.

29. Thomas Jefferson – 3rd

As one of the country’s founding fathers and with an IQ of 168, Jefferson was incredibly smart and motivated. Nnly 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.

30. John Quincy Adams – 6th

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.

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Source: History by Day, Cheat Sheet