Wonderlic

Wonderlic Cognitive Ability Test for employment screening.

Advanced Topics

Interpreting Scores and Percentiles

What Does Your Score Mean?

After taking the Wonderlic, you’ll receive a raw score (0-50) and sometimes a percentile rank. The raw score is just the number of correct answers, while the percentile tells you how you compare to other test-takers.

Percentiles Explained

If you score in the 75th percentile, you performed better than 75% of test-takers. This helps employers gauge your abilities relative to their applicant pool.

Score Benchmarks

Different jobs may require different Wonderlic scores. For example, a management role might need a score above 30, while entry-level roles might have lower benchmarks.

Real-World Use

Employers use scores to predict job performance, learning speed, and even long-term success.

Cautions

  • Scores are just one part of the hiring process
  • A low score doesn’t define your entire potential

Examples

  • A candidate with a score of 32 is in the top 20% of applicants for a sales position.

  • A percentile ranking helps a company choose between two similarly qualified candidates.

In a Nutshell

Scores and percentiles help employers compare candidates and set job requirements.

Key Terms

Percentile
A measure indicating the value below which a given percentage of observations fall.
Benchmark
A standard or point of reference for measuring performance.