What Score Do You Need on the Wonderlic? Role-by-Role Cutoffs and What Each Number Signals

The Wonderlic does not have one passing score. It has dozens, indexed to the role you are applying for. A 22 might be a hard pass for a warehouse role and a hard fail for a software engineering role at the same company. The numbers below are the actual cutoffs Wonderlic Inc. publishes and the cutoffs hiring managers actually use, mapped against what each score signals to the person reviewing your application.

Quick takeaways

• There is no universal Wonderlic passing score. Cutoffs are role-specific.
• The full population average Wonderlic score is 20 out of 50.
• Unskilled labor and entry-level retail target a 10 to 12.
• Skilled trades and clerical roles target a 17 to 21.
• Middle management and technical roles target a 23 to 28.
• Executive and engineering roles target a 27 to 32.
• Wonderlic Inc. publishes target scores for over 100 specific occupations.

How the Wonderlic actually decides whether you advance

The Wonderlic Personnel Test is a 50-question, 12-minute cognitive ability assessment. Your raw score is the number you got correct out of 50. There is no penalty for wrong answers, so always guess.

When an employer administers the Wonderlic, they have set a minimum cutoff for the role. The cutoff is the score below which a candidate is automatically rejected from the cognitive screen, regardless of resume strength. Cutoffs are role-specific, set in advance, and rarely revealed to candidates.

Wonderlic Inc. publishes target scores for over 100 occupations, derived from validity studies on actual workers in those roles. Employers use these targets as a starting point but adjust based on local hiring conditions.

Wonderlic targets by role family

The five main role bands and what each one signals:

Unskilled labor: target 10 to 12. Warehouse fulfillment, basic retail, food service, custodial. The Wonderlic at this level filters out candidates who would struggle with basic written instructions.

Clerical and entry-level office: target 17 to 21. Administrative assistants, bank tellers, junior accountants, customer service reps. The cutoff at this band tracks closely to the population average of 20.

Skilled trades: target 21 to 24. Electricians, plumbers, mechanics, HVAC technicians. The cutoff is set so that candidates can read technical manuals and follow multi-step procedures reliably.

Middle management and technical: target 23 to 28. Sales managers, project managers, technical specialists, junior engineers. The cutoff signals readiness for analytical work without close supervision.

Executive and engineering: target 27 to 32. Senior engineers, executives, R&D roles, senior consultants. The cutoff is set high enough that the Wonderlic alone differentiates strong from average candidates.

What each Wonderlic score signals to a hiring manager

The numerical cutoff is the visible part. Underneath, hiring managers form quick interpretations of what each score means. The interpretations below are gleaned from manager-facing Wonderlic interpretation guides.

Score 10 to 14: candidate may struggle with written technical material. Acceptable for roles where verbal instructions dominate.

Score 15 to 19: candidate handles routine office work but may need extra training time on complex procedures.

Score 20 to 24: candidate is at population average. Can handle most office and skilled-trades work without unusual training.

Score 25 to 29: candidate is above-average and can typically handle analytical work, training others, and ambiguous tasks.

Score 30 to 34: candidate has top-quartile cognitive ability for hiring purposes. Suitable for senior management, complex engineering, and consulting work.

Score 35 and above: rare. Top 5 percent of test-takers. Typically signals advanced education or unusual analytical capability.

NFL Combine Wonderlic context (since you are going to look it up anyway)

The NFL administered the Wonderlic at the Combine from 1970 to 2021. Notable scores from the public record:

• Pat McInally (Bengals punter, Harvard 1975): 50, the only confirmed perfect score.
• Ryan Fitzpatrick (Harvard QB): 48, finished in 9 minutes.
• Greg McElroy (Alabama QB): 43.
• Aaron Rodgers: 35.
• Eli Manning: 39.
• Russell Wilson: 28.
• Tom Brady: 33.
• Dak Prescott: 24.
• Patrick Mahomes: 24.
• Vince Young: 6 on first attempt, 16 on retest.
• Frank Gore: 6.
• Derrick Henry: 18.
• Position averages: QB averages roughly 24, OL roughly 26 (unexpectedly), WR around 18, RB around 16. The QB-OL gap-closing is real and measurable across decades of Combine data.

How to find out the cutoff for your specific role

Recruiters generally will not tell you the cutoff number, but will tell you whether you advanced. Useful indirect signals:

If the Wonderlic is administered after you have already cleared a phone screen and an HR interview, the cutoff is likely role-specific and high. Companies do not waste interview time and then disqualify on the test.

If the Wonderlic is administered as the very first step before any human interaction, the cutoff is set high to mass-filter applicants. Aim for the upper end of your role band.

If the role posting mentions specific cognitive expectations (e.g. "ability to handle complex analytical work"), assume the cutoff is on the higher end.

How to lift your Wonderlic score in 5 days

Most candidates can move 4 to 7 raw points in a focused 5-day prep. The lift comes from:

• Day 1: timed diagnostic mock to surface where your time went.
• Day 2: arithmetic speed drill at 15 seconds per item, focused on percentages and fraction-to-decimal conversion.
• Day 3: SAT-tier vocabulary review and analogy drill at 10 seconds per item.
• Day 4: full-length 12-minute mock plus targeted skip-strategy drill.
• Day 5: light review only. Do not learn new material. Sleep.
• Beyond 7 days, returns diminish. The Wonderlic has a hard per-candidate ceiling.

Wonderlic targets by role: the practical lookup table

Use this as your guide. Targets reflect Wonderlic Inc. published norms plus typical employer cutoff practice.

FAQ

What is a good Wonderlic score?

Depends entirely on the role. Average is 20. A 25 is good for most office roles. A 28 is good for management. A 32 is excellent for almost any role short of executive R&D.

What is a passing Wonderlic score?

There is no universal pass mark. Cutoffs are role-specific, ranging from 10 for unskilled labor to 32 for technical and engineering roles.

Can I retake the Wonderlic?

Policy is employer-specific. Many employers allow one retake after 6 months, some only after 12, and some never. Always check the invitation email for specific policy.

Is the Wonderlic harder than the CCAT?

They are mechanically similar. The Wonderlic gives you 12 minutes for 50 questions; the CCAT gives you 15. Per-question, the Wonderlic is faster, but the difficulty is comparable.

Does the NFL still use the Wonderlic?

The NFL officially removed the Wonderlic from the mandatory Combine in 2022. Some teams still administer it privately to prospects. The role of the Wonderlic in NFL evaluation has shrunk significantly.

What was the highest Wonderlic score ever recorded?

Pat McInally, the Bengals punter from 1975 to 1986, is the only confirmed 50. Ryan Fitzpatrick scored a 48 in 9 minutes. Both attended Harvard.

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• Compare. Wonderlic vs CCAT. The two most-confused fast cognitive tests.
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• Guide. 5-day Wonderlic prep plan. Day-by-day study schedule.

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