What is Good, Average, and Worst Wonderlic Test Score?

This post provides complete information on the good, average, and worse Wonderlic test scores you could make, to help you understand the implication of the kind of score you make in a Wonderlic exam on your job or NFL draft application.

Please, read on:

What to Know About Wonderlic Test

The Wonderlic test is a 12-minute, 50-question exam that was created with the intention of measuring the abilities of players to learn and solve problems.

The test has been administered by the NFL for more than 30 years and is offered to nearly every draft-eligible player.

According to Wonderlic Inc., a score of at least 10 points prove that an individual is literate, while 20 is the acceptable average score point for NFL players.

It is very easy to understand the Wonderlic test scoring.

There are 50 questions and for every correct answer, you get one point added to your score.

That means if you can answer 25 questions correctly, you’ll be scored 25.

What is Good, Average, and Worst Wonderlic Test Score?

Depending on your capacity, you can achieve a good, average, or worst score on the Wonderlic test.

We have differentiated these in a way that you will understand.

What is a Good Wonderlic Score?

There are different ways you can describe a good Wonderlic test score.

Most times, the quality of the score can be likened to the sort of position or job an applicant or test taker is seeking.

In one way or the other, Wonderlic emulates an IQ test.

Just like in an IQ test, any score can be multiplied by five to represent the equivalent score in the standard IQ scale (Average IQ = 100).

According to E.F Wonderlic himself, a score of 20 on the Wonderlic is the same as 100 on a standard IQ test, and a score as low as 10 can still be considered literate.

Scoring a 25 or higher would put someone well into a good range of scores.

Scores on the very high end of the range might represent someone uniquely suited for the task at hand.

The opposite can be said for someone who scores low on a Wonderlic test for a certain position; because Wonderlic tests are specialized to the field they are measuring.

Low scores might indicate that someone is unfit for that particular position, but could possess traits more suitable for another position.

Scoring low, maybe 10, does not necessarily mean there is a cognitive or intellectual problem with the person taking the test.

But, it might show that a person is better-suited undertaking a different set of challenges.

We all approach challenges and problems in various ways, and there might be conditions in which someone’s exceptional process of dealing with a problem is not compatible with the problem at hand.

Because the Wonderlic test allows a manager or leader to bring together a team of people who think in ways harmonizing to one another, the test is still very good for differentiating “personnel”.

Scoring very well on the Wonderlic test, maybe 43, might indicate that the test-taker is very well suited to take on the challenges necessary to work efficiently.

It also proves that there is a lot of potential within someone that can be converted into positive growth for the group or company.

What is an Average Wonderlic Score?

The average score for the Wonderlic test is 20 out of 50 according to Wonderlic, Inc. If an individual scores an average of 10 and above, he/she is considered literate.

Most employers will see such a person as fit for less demanding jobs.

Average Wonderlic test scores can considerably be different between various professions.

For instance, an average score for an engineer is set at 29 while that of a bank teller is set at 22.

These two professions are completely different, and they want individuals with diverse abilities to execute these jobs well.

For job applicants, scoring well can be very essential to put yourself away from others competing for the same position.

By posting a higher than average Wonderlic score, you are adding to your chances of getting a job, whether as a nurse or an engineer.

Since it has been revealed that only two to three percent of participants finish the test in the allocated time of twelve minutes, you are required to make every effort to answer all the questions.

Nonetheless, the average target score of a given Wonderlic test depends on the position one is applying for.

Have a look below at a few standard test scores by career, according to the official Wonderlic Group:

• Systems Analyst – 32
• Chemist – 31
• Electrical Engineer – 30
• Engineer – 29
• Programmer – 29
• Accountant – 29
• Executive – 29
• Reporter – 29
• Teacher – 29
• Investment Analyst – 27
• Copywriter – 27
• Librarian – 27
• Electronics technician – 26
• Salesperson – 25
• Secretary – 24
• Nurse – 23
• Dispatcher – 23
• Drafter – 23
• Electrician – 23
• Bank Teller – 22
• Cashier – 21
• Firefighter – 21
• Clerical Worker – 21
• Machinist – 21
• Receptionist – 21
• Train Conductor – 21
• Craftsman – 18
• Security guard – 17
• Welder – 17
• Warehouseman – 15
• Janitor – 14

What is the Worst Wonderlic Score?

When a player scores below the average on the Wonderlic test during the NFL Combine, the player is said to have achieved the worst Wonderlic score.

However, the player’s ability to perform well on the field during tryouts makes them fantastically qualified to join the NFL.

That is to say that the scores don’t determine whether a player will do well or not.

It is quite true that coaches and team leaders prefer players with at least an average score, but some players prove themselves extremely useful on the field despite their inability to find success on the Wonderlic test.

When it comes to the NFL history, these same rules can be applied to some of the worst Wonderlic scores.

Some of the men below became great players so quickly in the NFL, while others are on their way to Hall of Fame careers:

Frank Gore is presently the NFL’s fifth all-time leading rushers with over 14,000 yards.

Before a few solid years with the Titans, Vince Young was the 2005 Heisman Trophy runner-up.

Since entering the league in 2012, Morris Claiborne has been a firm stud on defense.

While some athletes who scored poorly on the test like Mississippi State’s Ed Prather never sniffed the pros, a less-than-average Wonderlic score is by no means a gauge on a player’s ability to succeed at the next level.

Worst Wonderlic Scores in NFL Scouting Combine History

Score	Name	College	Position
4	Darren Davis	Iowa State	RB
4	Morris Claiborne	LSU	CB
5	Ed Prather	Mississippi State	DB
6	Oscar Davenport	North Carolina	QB
6	Frank Gore	Miami	RB
6	Vince Young	Texas	QB
7	Kelvin Benjamin	Florida State	WR
7	Tavon Austin	West Virginia	RB
7	Terrelle Pryor	Ohio State	QB
8	Bobby Wagner	Utah State	LB
8	Vince Evans	USC	QB
8	Chris Leak	Florida	QB

Two of the Worst NFL Wonderlic Scores

The highest score ever achieved on the Wonderlic test is 50, while Darren Davis (4) and Morris Claiborne (4) scored the lowest.

1. Darren Davis – Wonderlic Score 4

Davis would complete his four-year period in Ames with 3,763 yards rushing and 31 total touchdowns.

He was the first running back in Iowa State history to go over the 1,000-yard mark three times in his career.

Davis’s poor score displaying on the Wonderlic changed his draft stocks in a positive way as NFL squads took a waiver on him.

He’d continue to play three seasons in the Canadian Football League with Edmonton, Ottawa, and Saskatchewan.

2. Morris Claiborne – Wonderlic Score 4

Claiborne was the seventh overall selection in the 2012 NFL Draft despite trying for the lowest score ever. 

The cornerback had 43 combined tackles to go alongside 8 passes defended and an interception over 15 games with the Jets in 2017 after five stellar seasons in Dallas.

Conclusion

There are players who score highly on the Wonderlic test and some others score lowly, but that cannot determine performance and personal achievements.

Although a high score could be good, scoring low doesn’t stop one from becoming one of the most useful players ever found in the NFL.

After all the attempts to get a high score on the Wonderlic test, if you fail you should concentrate more on building your personal qualities so as to excel despite your low score.

>> Learn how to make a great score in Wonderlic test; prepare for the exam with free but effective practice test.