Where to take an IQ test

Short answer: In the US, you can take an IQ test with a licensed psychologist or neuropsychologist, through a public school if the test is for a K-12 student, at a university psychology training clinic, at an American Mensa supervised test session, or online. Choose by what you need the result for. Curiosity can start online. A documented result for school support, accommodations or a diagnosis needs a qualified professional. Mensa membership needs Mensa's supervised test or an accepted score from an earlier supervised test.

Places to take an IQ test in the US

Sources and fees below were read on 23 October 2026.

• A licensed psychologist or neuropsychologist (private practice or a hospital clinic). You get a written report and usually a feedback meeting (OHSU; Henry Ford Health). This is the route for a diagnosis or documentation. We found no primary source that gives a national price.
• Your child's public school (for K-12 students). The school runs an evaluation, which may include an IQ test among other assessments. The Center for Parent Information and Resources says that if the school agrees an evaluation is needed, it is at no cost to parents.
• A university psychology training clinic. Graduate students test under supervision, and you get a report. The University of Washington's LEARN Clinic estimates $1000 to $1750 for IQ or giftedness testing.
• An American Mensa supervised test. Local volunteers or approved testing facilities give Mensa's admission test. It tells you whether you qualify for Mensa and gives no IQ score. Mensa's list prices are $60 for a local group session and $99 for private testing, before any time-limited discount.
• An online test. You get an estimate for your own interest. It is not a clinical assessment, and Mensa does not accept unsupervised online results.
• Scores you may already have. A past supervised test may already count. American Mensa's past test scores page says it accepts about 150 standardized intelligence tests as membership evidence, and its qualifying score FAQ says about 200 test scores.

A licensed psychologist or neuropsychologist

The test is usually one part of a wider psychological or neuropsychological evaluation.

Not everyone can buy the main clinical tests. Pearson lists the WAIS-5 and WISC-V at its qualification level C, which calls for a relevant doctorate with formal assessment training, a state license in a related field, or membership in a professional body such as the American Psychological Association "that requires training and experience in the relevant area of assessment", according to Pearson's qualifications policy and product pages (read 23 October 2026). The APA says "the legal basis for licensure is determined by the state, province or territory" (APA licensure FAQ, read 23 October 2026).

The APA's patient guide says "not just anyone can perform a psychological evaluation" (APA, updated August 2022). Psychologists "pick and choose a specific set of assessments and tests for each individual patient", which can include tests, interviews, records and observation. The guide also warns that "practicing ahead of time usually backfires".

What clinics say you receive, read on 23 October 2026:

• A written report. Dartmouth Health's adult service says: "After the evaluation, we compile the results and recommendations in a report for your keeping."
• A feedback session. OHSU's adult clinic reviews findings a few weeks after testing, usually by video. Henry Ford Health schedules a child's follow-up two to three weeks after the evaluation.

Pearson lists the WAIS-5 for ages 16 to 90, with "45 minutes for the 7-subtest FSIQ; 60 minutes for the 10 primary index subtests" (Pearson, read 23 October 2026). Our guide to the WAIS IQ test explains its parts, and our guide to how long an IQ test takes covers the whole appointment.

Your child's public school

If your child is in a K-12 school and may need support, the school is the first place to ask. Under IDEA, the federal special education law, each state must make sure children with disabilities who need special education "are identified, located, and evaluated" (34 CFR 300.111, eCFR, read 23 October 2026).

You can ask for the evaluation yourself. The regulation says "either a parent of a child or a public agency may initiate a request for an initial evaluation" (34 CFR 300.301). The school needs your informed consent first (34 CFR 300.300). It must then finish the evaluation within 60 days of that consent, or within your state's own timeframe if it sets one (34 CFR 300.301, read 23 October 2026).

On cost, the Center for Parent Information and Resources, an explainer funded by the U.S. Department of Education, says: "If the school agrees that an evaluation is needed, it must evaluate the child at no cost to parents" (read 23 October 2026). Note the condition: the school may decide an evaluation is not needed.

An IQ test may not be part of it at all. Schools must "Use a variety of assessment tools and strategies", covering areas of educational need "and not merely those that are designed to provide a single general intelligence quotient." (34 CFR 300.304, read 23 October 2026).

If you disagree with the school's evaluation, you can ask for an independent educational evaluation (IEE) by an outside examiner at public expense, once for each school evaluation you disagree with (34 CFR 300.502). The school must then either provide it or file for a due process hearing to show its own evaluation is appropriate. If the final decision is that the school's evaluation is appropriate, you can still get an IEE, but not at public expense (34 CFR 300.502, read 23 October 2026).

Section 504 evaluations (34 CFR 104.35) and gifted programs follow their own rules. The National Association for Gifted Children says: "Typically, identification policies and procedures are determined at the district level." It adds that "One test at a specific point in time should not dictate whether someone is identified as gifted" (NAGC, read 23 October 2026).

The National Association of School Psychologists says "To practice in the United States, school psychologists must be state certified or licensed" (NASP, read 23 October 2026). Ask a school or clinical psychologist what a child's results mean. A score alone does not diagnose or rule out a learning disability, ADHD or giftedness.

A university psychology training clinic

Some universities run a psychology clinic where graduate students give assessments under supervision. The three below publish their fees, and UCLA and Mississippi State tie lower rates to income. Three examples, read on 23 October 2026:

• University of Washington, LEARN Clinic. A training site where the director is "directly involved in every LEARN Clinic evaluation." It lists $250 per hour and an estimated $1000 to $1750 for IQ testing or a giftedness evaluation, against $4000 to $5000 for a comprehensive evaluation. The estimates are not binding quotes.
• UCLA Psychology Clinic. Graduate students under supervision, with fees set by income and dependents: "Costs range from $460 to $1,725 for a comprehensive exam." The page adds: "The sliding scale waitlist is currently closed due to high demand." Clients aged 16 and older can pay a flat $2,814 for a licensed psychologist, which "Includes intake, testing, interpretation, report, and feedback session." On that route, graduate students help give the tests under the licensed psychologist's supervision.
• Mississippi State University Psychology Clinic. It lists an assessment fee of $800, and says graduate-student assessments "may be discounted for families making less than $80,000 per year, with a minimum rate of $300."

American Mensa's supervised test

Mensa's admission test answers one question: do you qualify for Mensa? It does not tell you your IQ.

American Mensa offers sessions run by local group volunteers and private sessions at "more than 400 approved testing facilities nationwide" (us.mensa.org, read 23 October 2026). The page gives list prices of $60 for local group testing and $99 for private testing, which is given electronically with results in days. When we read it, the page also offered a lower price for purchases through 31 October. The same page says, read on 23 October 2026:

• Time. "The Mensa Admission Test takes between one to two hours to complete."
• ID. Bring a photo ID with proof of your date of birth.
• Retakes. "Individuals may take a test or test battery once every eight weeks."
• Age. Mensa is "unable to offer testing for individuals under the age of 14" and points younger children to testing with a clinical psychologist or their school.

Mensa is direct about what you get back: "The Mensa Admission Test is given for the purpose of admission into Mensa and not to quantify intelligence." A qualifying result means you scored at or above 98 percent of the general population. Mensa adds: "We are not able to provide a detailed report with scores, percentile ranks, or your IQ score."

Mensa's 30-minute online practice test "will not qualify you for membership", Mensa says (us.mensa.org, read 23 October 2026).

Online IQ tests

An online test is the quickest way to get a score, and a fair choice when you are curious. Many online tests are one sitting with no examiner, some are proctored, and either way the result is not a clinical assessment. American Mensa says: "We do not accept unsupervised testing as proof of eligibility, specifically unsupervised testing administered electronically, or via internet-based tests." (us.mensa.org, read 23 October 2026).

In a 2025 Journal of Intelligence study, Scherrer and colleagues compared proctored and unproctored online testing in a low-stakes setting. They conclude "that proctoring is crucial for easily cheatable tasks, such as memory tasks, but currently less critical for complex cognitive tasks." (Scherrer et al., 2025, read 23 October 2026 through Europe PMC).

Before you start one, check how many items it has and whether the result shows a range. Our guide to what an IQ test measures explains the abilities tests sample.

Scores you may already have

American Mensa says "nearly two-thirds of Mensa members join by submitting evidence of scores from prior intelligence testing", and that it accepts "approximately 150 different standardized intelligence tests" (Mensa past test scores page, read 23 October 2026).

From a private psychologist, Mensa lists a qualifying score of IQ 130 on the Stanford-Binet 5, and a Full Scale IQ of 130 on the Wechsler scales up to the WAIS-IV and WISC-V, which "must be given in their entirety" (read 23 October 2026). The WAIS-5 was not on that list, so ask Mensa before you rely on a WAIS-5 result.

Some familiar scores do not count. Mensa's table marks the SAT taken after 31 January 1994, the AFQT taken after October 1980, and the ASVAB as not accepted (read 23 October 2026).

An accepted report must come from a test given "by a neutral and qualified third party in a traditional testing environment". A psychologist's report must show the full test name, score and percentile rank, with the psychologist's signature and state license number. Mensa says "Scores are acceptable forever as long as they meet our admission requirements", and that a review "should only take two to four weeks" (Mensa test score pages, read 23 October 2026).

How to choose by what you need the result for

Start with what you will do with the score.

• You are curious. An online test gives a quick estimate. Treat it as a rough reading.
• Your child may need support at school. Ask the school for an evaluation. It costs you nothing if the school agrees one is needed (CPIR, read 23 October 2026), and it looks at more than IQ.
• You need documentation for accommodations, a diagnosis or a treatment plan. See a licensed psychologist or neuropsychologist, or a university training clinic.
• You want to join Mensa. Take Mensa's supervised test, or send an accepted score from an earlier supervised test.

Whichever you choose, a score is one measurement. It has a range around it, and it can differ between tests and between sittings. Our guide to whether IQ tests are accurate explains why.

Remote testing with a psychologist

Some clinical testing can happen by video, with limits. Pearson's WAIS-5 FAQ says "The WAIS-5 Nonmotor Index (NMI) can be easily applied in remote testing situations" (Pearson, read 23 October 2026). It says the NMI "can be interpreted similarly to the FSIQ as a measure of general intellectual ability", with some differences.

So for remote testing, Pearson points to the Nonmotor Index. Pearson also tells professionals to check their "licensing boards, professional liability insurance providers, and state laws or regulations regarding telepractice" (Pearson telepractice page, read 23 October 2026). Ask the clinic which test and which score it can give by video.

Cost and insurance

We found no primary source for a national price of a clinical IQ test in the US. The only published fees we could check are the three university clinics above (read 23 October 2026). For IQ or giftedness testing alone, the University of Washington's LEARN Clinic estimates $1000 to $1750. Across all the assessments the three clinics list, fees run from a $300 minimum on Mississippi State's discounted rate to an estimated $4000 to $5000 for a comprehensive evaluation at the University of Washington.

Aetna's Clinical Policy Bulletin 0158, last reviewed on 20 March 2026, covers testing only when its medical necessity criteria are met. It says: "NPT or PT for educational reasons is not covered. This testing is usually provided by school systems under applicable state and federal rules." (Aetna, read 23 October 2026). That is one insurer's policy.

The University of Washington's LEARN Clinic "does not accept insurance or bill insurance companies" and warns: "Many insurance companies do not fully cover this type of evaluation." It suggests calling your insurer before the first appointment with the service codes 90791, 96136/7, 96138/9 and 96130/1 (UW, read 23 October 2026).

If you pay yourself, ask for a written Good Faith Estimate. The UCLA Psychology Clinic page says providers "need to give patients who don't have insurance or who are not using insurance an estimate of the expected charges". You should get it at least one business day before the service, and you can dispute a bill at least $400 above it (UCLA, read 23 October 2026).

Questions to ask before you book

• Who gives the test, and are they licensed? Psychologists are licensed by the state, and school psychologists are state certified or licensed (APA; NASP).
• Which test, and in which language? Pearson's WAIS-5 FAQ says the test "was normed on individuals whose primary language is English" (read 23 October 2026).
• What does the fee cover? Ask whether intake, the report and a feedback session are included, as UCLA's flat rate spells out.
• For Mensa, will the report show the test name, score, percentile, signature and license number? Mensa requires each one.

Taking a test yourself

If you want a quick estimate before you choose a clinic, WhatIQ's test has "24 picture puzzles, about 15 minutes" (whatiq.com, read 23 October 2026). Each puzzle is a grid with one piece missing, the format our guide to Raven's Progressive Matrices explains. You get a score on the standard IQ scale, the range it most likely sits in and a certificate. WhatIQ's terms say it "is not a clinical, psychological or diagnostic assessment", so it cannot replace a test from a psychologist or school.

Frequently asked questions

How much does an IQ test cost?

We found no national price. At three university clinics, read on 23 October 2026, the University of Washington estimates $1000 to $1750 for IQ or giftedness testing alone. Across all their listed assessments, fees run from a $300 minimum at Mississippi State to an estimated $4000 to $5000 for a comprehensive evaluation at the University of Washington. A public school evaluation is at no cost to parents if the school agrees one is needed (CPIR). Mensa's admission test, which gives no IQ score, has list prices of $60 and $99.

Can I get a clinical IQ test online?

Not from a website alone. An online test is often one unsupervised sitting, and it does not replace an evaluation by a psychologist, who chooses tests, interviews and records for a specific question (APA, updated August 2022). American Mensa does not accept unsupervised internet-based tests as proof of eligibility (read 23 October 2026). A psychologist may give part of a clinical test by video. For the WAIS-5, Pearson says the Nonmotor Index can be applied in remote testing.

Does insurance cover IQ testing?

Sometimes, depending on your plan and the reason. Aetna's Clinical Policy Bulletin 0158, last reviewed 20 March 2026, covers testing that meets its medical necessity criteria and does not cover testing for educational reasons. The University of Washington's LEARN Clinic warns that many insurers do not fully cover this type of evaluation (read 23 October 2026). Call your insurer before you book and ask about the specific service codes.

Does the Mensa test give you an IQ score?

No. American Mensa says its admission test is given "for the purpose of admission into Mensa and not to quantify intelligence" (read 23 October 2026). A qualifying result means you scored at or above 98 percent of the general population. Mensa says it cannot provide a detailed report with scores, percentile ranks or your IQ score. For a score report, you need a psychologist or a training clinic.

Can a school test my child's IQ?

A public school can evaluate your child if a disability needing special education is suspected, and you can request that evaluation yourself (34 CFR 300.301, read 23 October 2026). The school needs your consent and must finish within 60 days of it, or your state's timeframe. An IQ test may be one part, but no single measure can be the sole criterion. Gifted testing follows district rules (NAGC).

Where can adults get an IQ test?

Adults can see a licensed psychologist or neuropsychologist in private practice or a hospital clinic, or go to a university psychology training clinic, where graduate students test under supervision. UCLA's clinic has a flat-rate route for clients aged 16 and older (read 23 October 2026). Mensa's supervised test, which does not test anyone under 14, gives a qualify or not result rather than a score. Online tests give an estimate only.