What is the Wonderlic test, and what is a good score? Why the old numbers no longer apply
The Wonderlic test most employers send today is Wonderlic Select: a 12-minute, 50-question cognitive section plus untimed motivation and personality sections. Wonderlic says there is no universal "good" or "average" score for it, and it no longer gives candidates a single number for the cognitive part. A good score is whatever the employer's job profile asks for, and you won't see it.
What the test is
Wonderlic Select (it was called Wonscore before) has three sections, according to Wonderlic's candidate FAQ:
| Section | Questions | Timed? | What it looks at |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cognitive ability | 50 | Yes, 12 minutes | Your ability to learn, adapt and solve problems |
| Motivation | 58 | No | The work and activities you find interesting |
| Personality | 150 | No | How you react to people, tasks and situations at work |
Most people finish the whole thing in about 35 minutes. Only the cognitive section has right and wrong answers.
The cognitive section
Wonderlic's cognitive test page describes the questions as covering simple maths, basic logic, language comprehension, spatial reasoning and pattern identification, getting harder as the test goes on. No calculator is allowed. Wonderlic adds that a calculator wouldn't help much anyway and could cost you time.
Fifty questions in 12 minutes is 14.4 seconds a question. Wonderlic says plainly that test takers are not expected to finish in the time.
These are our own examples of the kinds of question named, not Wonderlic items:
Simple maths: A train travels 150 km in 1 hour 15 minutes. What is its average speed in km per hour?
1 hour 15 minutes is 1.25 hours, and 150 ÷ 1.25 = 120 km/h. The trap is dividing by 1.15.
Language: Candid is closest in meaning to: (a) careful (b) frank (c) sweet (d) proud.
The answer is (b), frank. People who misread it as candied go for sweet.
How it is scored, and why there's no good score
This is where most advice online is out of date.
Wonderlic says its scoring is based on a candidate's overall response pattern, with each question weighted by its difficulty and by the effect of guessing. It describes this as a more precise estimate than a score based only on the number of correct answers.
The employer then weighs the cognitive result against the motivation and personality results, and how much each counts varies with the job. Wonderlic's page shows an example score of 73 for a customer service role, labelled as "mostly meets" the role's cognitive requirements, which suggests results are reported against what a particular job needs.
So the score tables and "average Wonderlic scores" that circulate online can't describe what an employer sees from Select, which reports no single number. Wonderlic's FAQ also says candidates don't get a traditional numerical score for the cognitive part; at most, you get a Candidate Feedback Report if the test gives you a link at the end.
Other things candidates ask
- Cost: Wonderlic says there is no cost to test takers.
- Proctoring: companies usually don't proctor it, though some may.
- The link: testing links generally stay active for up to 14 days. Wonderlic can't resend invitations; ask the employer.
- Accommodations: these are provided by the employer, so contact them directly.
- Preparation: Wonderlic says it isn't necessary, and it offers free sample questions and a free timed practice test.
How to prepare anyway
Wonderlic says preparation isn't necessary. The research on retesting suggests otherwise: a meta-analysis of cognitive ability tests found scores rise by about a quarter of a standard deviation on a second attempt, more with coaching. At 14 seconds a question, knowing the question types in advance saves real time.
- Work through each question type. Our Wonderlic page lists which practice fits each; the numerical reasoning guide covers the speed and percentage traps.
- Practise against the clock, regularly, until test day. Aim for 10 to 15 seconds on easy questions so there is time for hard ones.
- Answer the motivation and personality parts honestly. They have no right answers, and in our view guessing what an employer wants is more likely to muddle the picture than help it.
Our view, and what we don't know
Our opinion: with no single score to chase, the aim is simply to get as many cognitive questions right as you can in 12 minutes, and to answer the rest as yourself. Pace matters more than perfection; skip a question that stalls you.
What we don't know: how a particular employer weighs the three sections, or what its cut-off is. Wonderlic doesn't publish them, and anyone online who quotes a pass mark for a specific company is guessing.
Questions people ask
How long is the Wonderlic test?
The cognitive section is 50 questions in 12 minutes. With the untimed motivation and personality sections, most people finish in about 35 minutes, according to Wonderlic.
What is the average Wonderlic score?
Wonderlic says there is no universal good or average score for Wonderlic Select, and it no longer gives candidates a single cognitive score. Averages quoted online don't describe what Select reports.
Can you use a calculator on the Wonderlic?
No. Wonderlic does not allow calculators and says one would not significantly improve results.
Do you get your Wonderlic score?
Not as a number. Candidates may get a Candidate Feedback Report if a link is offered at the end; the employer sees the results straight away.
Do people finish the Wonderlic?
Usually not. Wonderlic says test takers are not expected to complete all 50 cognitive questions in 12 minutes.
Practise for it
preplaud has timed practice with worked explanations for the Wonderlic, and for the other aptitude tests employers use, the SAT, GRE and GMAT, and quant interviews. Start free, with no account needed; Premium opens every level and the full mock tests, with a 7-day free trial.