China's Top 2% Scientists 2025

China has 31,697 scientists on the 2025 single-year Top 2% list, up 16.7% from 27,166 in 2024. That places China 2nd in the world by number of listed scientists. Tsinghua University has the most listed scientists (745), followed by University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (613).

Single Year

31,697

+4,531 (+16.7%) vs 2024

Career Data

12,375

+1,686 (+15.8%) vs 2024

World rank by count

No change vs 2024

Institutes

2,271

+1,061 (+87.7%) vs 2024

Scientists in China on the list, by year

The single-year count has more than doubled since 2020.

Single-year list, change on the previous year

2021+28.2%

2022+16.2%

2023+21.6%

2024+15.7%

2025+16.7%

Show the numbers

Year	Single Year	Change	Career Data	Change
2020	12,955		5,273
2021	16,611	+28.2%	6,943	+31.7%
2022	19,310	+16.2%	7,693	+10.8%
2023	23,487	+21.6%	9,013	+17.2%
2024	27,166	+15.7%	10,689	+18.6%
2025	31,697	+16.7%	12,375	+15.8%

Top 10 institutes in China

By number of listed scientists

Single-year list2025

Show the list

1Tsinghua University745
2University of Chinese Academy of Sciences613
3Shanghai Jiao Tong University516
4Harbin Institute of Technology478
5Central South University462
6Huazhong University of Science and Technology451
7Xi'an Jiaotong University446
8Peking University416
9Tianjin University378
10Fudan University362

All 31,697 scientists

Single-year list2025

The first 100 are free to browse.

Export CSV

Rank in China	World rank	Scientist	Institute	Sub-field	Rank in sub-field
1	1	Wang, Zhong Lin	Chinese Academy of Sciences	Nanoscience & Nanotechnology	Rank 1
2	18	LH Li, Heng	Soochow University	Bioinformatics	Rank 1
3	61	ZJ Zhu, Jian Kang	Southern University of Science and Technology	Plant Biology & Botany	Rank 1
4	119	SC Shi, Caijun	Hunan University	Building & Construction	Rank 1
5	126	SM Shahbaz, Muhammad	School of Economics, Beijing Institute of Technology	Energy	Rank 4
6	127	WJ Wang, Jianlong	Tsinghua University	Environmental Sciences	Rank 1
7	138	XZ Xu, Zeshui	Sichuan University	Artificial Intelligence & Image Processing	Rank 13
8	148	LT Lu, Tian	Beijing Kein Research Center for Natural Sciences	Chemical Physics	Rank 4
9	163	HJ He, Ji Huan	Soochow University	Energy	Rank 7
10	182	ZZ Zhou, Zhi Hua	Nanjing University	Artificial Intelligence & Image Processing	Rank 16
11	285	WF Wang, Feiyue	Institute of Automation Chinese Academy of Sciences	Artificial Intelligence & Image Processing	Rank 20
12	326	LY Liu, Yansui	Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences	Geography	Rank 1
13	329	DL Dai, Liming	Ocean University of China	Nanoscience & Nanotechnology	Rank 12
14	401	Yu, Guangchuang	Southern Medical University	Bioinformatics	Rank 6
15	430	LB Lin, Boqiang	Xiamen University	Energy	Rank 16
16	431	ZQ Zhang, Qiang	Tsinghua University	Nanoscience & Nanotechnology	Rank 16
17	443	FB Fu, Bojie	Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences Chinese Academy of Sciences	Ecology	Rank 10
18	471	LZ Lyu, Zhihan	Xidian University	Networking & Telecommunications	Rank 3
19	474	CT Cui, Tiejun Cui	Southeast University	Networking & Telecommunications	Rank 4
20	479	YJ Yu, Jiaguo	China University of Geosciences	Nanoscience & Nanotechnology	Rank 17
21	491	RJ Robertson, John David	Wuhan University	Applied Physics	Rank 14
22	541	HY Huang, Yunhui	Huazhong University of Science and Technology	Nanoscience & Nanotechnology	Rank 19
23	550	WF Wilczek, Frank A.	Shanghai Jiao Tong University	Nuclear & Particle Physics	Rank 6
24	571	Wang, Qiang	China University of Petroleum (East China)	Environmental Sciences	Rank 11
25	579	LY Luo, Yadong	Sun Yat-sen Business School	Business & Management	Rank 19
26	588	ZZ Zhang, Zhengyou	Tencent	Artificial Intelligence & Image Processing	Rank 38
27	591	LK Lu, Ke	Institute of Metal Research Chinese Academy of Sciences	Materials	Rank 10
28	627	XH Xie, Heping	Shenzhen University	Energy	Rank 20
29	629	DH Dai, Hongjie	The University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen Institute of Research and Innovation	Nanoscience & Nanotechnology	Rank 22
30	706	WX Wang, Xiaogang	Southwest University	Artificial Intelligence & Image Processing	Rank 48
31	710	XJ Xiao, Jianzhuang	Tongji University	Building & Construction	Rank 8
32	717	ZR Zhang, Rui	The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen	Networking & Telecommunications	Rank 7
33	752	NC Nan, Cewen	Tsinghua University	Materials	Rank 13
34	754	CC Chen, C. L.philip	South China University of Technology	Artificial Intelligence & Image Processing	Rank 52
35	771	Xiao, Jianbo	Jinan University	Food Science	Rank 8
36	789	LH Li, H.	University of Chinese Academy of Sciences	Nanoscience & Nanotechnology	Rank 27
37	790	SJ Shi, Jianlin Ling	Shanghai Institute of Ceramics, Chinese Academy of Sciences	Nanoscience & Nanotechnology	Rank 28
38	807	LX Li, Xuelong	Northwestern Polytechnical University	Artificial Intelligence & Image Processing	Rank 53
39	808	WE Weinan, E. W.	AI for Science Institute	Applied Mathematics	Rank 3
40	817	CL Chen, Lingling	Shanghai Jiao Tong University	Developmental Biology	Rank 25
41	838	TB Tang, Ben Zhong	The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen	Nanoscience & Nanotechnology	Rank 29
42	859	ZY Zheng, Yong-Fei	University of Science and Technology of China	Geochemistry & Geophysics	Rank 3
43	865	YH Yu, Hanqing	Chinese Academy of Sciences	Environmental Sciences	Rank 18
44	887	ME Ma, Evan	Xi'an Jiaotong University	Materials	Rank 15
45	918	SR Sun, Runcang Cang	Dalian Polytechnic University	Polymers	Rank 6
46	935	DG Duan, Guangren	Harbin Institute of Technology	Industrial Engineering & Automation	Rank 6
47	950	LY Lei, Yaguo	Xi'an Jiaotong University	Acoustics	Rank 1
48	974	ZD Zhang, Dongyang	Capital University of EcoNomics and Business	Finance	Rank 5
49	976	SJ Stoddart, James Fraser	Department of Chemistry, Zhejiang University	Organic Chemistry	Rank 6
50	996	TS Tong, Shaocheng	Liaoning University of Technology	Artificial Intelligence & Image Processing	Rank 63
51	1,022	HL Han, L. H.	Tsinghua University	Civil Engineering	Rank 4
52	1,028	ZY Zhu, Yongguan	Chinese Academy of Sciences	Environmental Sciences	Rank 22
53	1,059	LY Li, Yadong	Tsinghua University	Nanoscience & Nanotechnology	Rank 34
54	1,065	AM Awasthi, Mukesh Kumar	Northwest A&F University	Biotechnology	Rank 4
55	1,074	HD Hou, Deyi	Tsinghua University	Environmental Sciences	Rank 24
56	1,082	SJ Sun, Jian	Beijing MEGVII Technology Co., Ltd.	Artificial Intelligence & Image Processing	Rank 67
57	1,130	MM Maes, Michael H.J.	University of Electronic Science and Technology of China	Psychiatry	Rank 29
58	1,178	ZZ Zhang, Zhongheng	Zhejiang University School of Medicine	Oncology & Carcinogenesis	Rank 21
59	1,224	TC Tang, Chuanhe	South China University of Technology	Food Science	Rank 11
60	1,241	XR Xiong, Rui	Beijing Institute of Technology	Energy	Rank 35
61	1,243	ZJ Zhang, Jiujun	Fuzhou University	Energy	Rank 36
62	1,251	GH Gao, Huajian	Tsinghua University	Mechanical Engineering & Transports	Rank 14
63	1,267	YY Yang, Yang (Michael)	College of Optical Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University	Nanoscience & Nanotechnology	Rank 41
64	1,271	KM Khater, Mostafa M.A.	Xuzhou Medical University	General Physics	Rank 12
65	1,282	GJ Gong, Jinlong	Tianjin University	Organic Chemistry	Rank 13
66	1,290	LP Liu, Peide	Shandong University of Finance and Economics	Artificial Intelligence & Image Processing	Rank 78
67	1,293	ZL Zhang, Liangpei	Wuhan University	Geological & Geomatics Engineering	Rank 6
68	1,296	PS Piao, Shilonog Long	Peking University	Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences	Rank 14
69	1,308	CH Cheng, Huiming	Shenzhen University of Advanced Technology	Nanoscience & Nanotechnology	Rank 42
70	1,343	GC Gao, Caixia	Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology Chinese Academy of Sciences	Plant Biology & Botany	Rank 13
71	1,362	FC Fang, Chuangling Lin	University of Chinese Academy of Sciences	Geography	Rank 6
72	1,379	DF Ding, F.	Jiangnan University	Industrial Engineering & Automation	Rank 10
73	1,385	GG Gadd, Geoffrey Michael	State Key Laboratory of Heavy Oil Processing	Microbiology	Rank 21
74	1,393	ZG Zeng, Guangming	Hunan University	Environmental Sciences	Rank 29
75	1,397	KV Kumar, V.	Huazhong University of Science and Technology	Marketing	Rank 15
76	1,410	SD Shen, Dinggang	Shanghai United Imaging Healthcare Co., Ltd.	Artificial Intelligence & Image Processing	Rank 85
77	1,427	Guerrero, Josep M.	Zhejiang University	Electrical & Electronic Engineering	Rank 3
78	1,460	HM He, Manchao	China University of Mining and Technology	Geological & Geomatics Engineering	Rank 7
79	1,470	LY Li, Yongfang	Soochow University	Nanoscience & Nanotechnology	Rank 47
80	1,478	SM Santosh, M. Warrier	China University of Geosciences, Beijing	Geology	Rank 1
81	1,489	SG Song, Guangling	Southern University of Science and Technology	Materials	Rank 28
82	1,519	KS Khan, Syed Abdul Rehman	Xuzhou University of Technology	Environmental Sciences	Rank 32
83	1,589	HL Hu, Liangbing	Nanjing Research Institute of Electronics Technology	Nanoscience & Nanotechnology	Rank 51
84	1,667	WG Wei, Guiwu	Sichuan Normal University	Artificial Intelligence & Image Processing	Rank 97
85	1,671	XH Xu, H. Q.	Fuzhou University	Geological & Geomatics Engineering	Rank 9
86	1,682	SH Shen, Hui shen	Shanghai Jiao Tong University	Mechanical Engineering & Transports	Rank 16
87	1,689	LX Li, Xianhua Huan	University of Chinese Academy of Sciences	Geochemistry & Geophysics	Rank 11
88	1,693	LC Li, Can	University of Chinese Academy of Sciences	Physical Chemistry	Rank 5
89	1,701	ZC Zou, Caineng Nneng	Research Institute of Petroleum Exploration and Development	Geochemistry & Geophysics	Rank 12
90	1,747	CJ Chen, Jun	Nankai University	Nanoscience & Nanotechnology	Rank 58
91	1,751	LJ Lu, Jun	Ltd. Zhejiang	Nanoscience & Nanotechnology	Rank 60
92	1,752	WX Wang, Xinchen	Fuzhou University	Organic Chemistry	Rank 19
93	1,800	LY Liu, Yu	Nankai University	Biotechnology	Rank 6
94	1,818	MJ Ma, Jiayi	Wuhan University	Artificial Intelligence & Image Processing	Rank 105
95	1,826	SS Sun, Shaocong	Capital Medical University	Immunology	Rank 40
96	1,855	ZY Zhang, Yue-Jun	Hunan University	Energy	Rank 49
97	1,862	LH Long, Hualou	Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences	Geography	Rank 10
98	1,895	CX Cao, Xue Tao	Suzhou Institute of Systems Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College	Immunology	Rank 44
99	1,902	YS Yu, Shuhong	Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale	Nanoscience & Nanotechnology	Rank 68
100	1,905	AN Adimalla, Narsimha	East China Institute of Technology	Environmental Sciences	Rank 42
No scientists match this filter.

Showing 1 to 100 of the first 100 Show

Paid plans

See all 31,697 scientists in China

You are seeing the first 100. 31,597 more are on the 2025 single-year list.

Ranks 101 to 31,697The whole list, not only the top 100.

Every year since 2020Single Year and Career Data.

Search the full listBy name, institute or sub-field.

CSV exportDownload the list for your own work.

View Plans & Upgrade Compare plans

Cancel anytime · Secure billing

Countries with a similar count

Single-year list2025

United States73,020 scientists

United Kingdom18,125 scientists

Germany10,666 scientists

Australia8,555 scientists

Canada8,303 scientists

Italy7,991 scientists

Explore other countries

Single-year list2025

Japan5,713 scientists

South Korea3,695 scientists

Hong Kong1,818 scientists

Taiwan1,470 scientists

Macau197 scientists

India6,236 scientists

All countries on the world map

Frequently asked questions

How many scientists from China are in the 2025 Stanford Top 2% list?

31,697 scientists affiliated with China are on the 2025 single-year list, and 12,375 are on the career-long list.

Which institute in China has the most Top 2% scientists?

On the 2025 single-year list, Tsinghua University has the most listed scientists from China, with 745. It is followed by University of Chinese Academy of Sciences with 613.

How has the number of Top 2% scientists in China changed since 2020?

On the single-year list, China went from 12,955 scientists in 2020 to 31,697 in 2025, a change of +144.7%.

What is the difference between the single-year and career-long lists?

The single-year list ranks scientists on the citations their work received in one year. The career-long list ranks them on citations across their whole career. Both lists are published every year, and a scientist can be on one, both or neither.

What is the official source of this data?

The rankings come from the science-wide author databases of standardized citation indicators published by Ioannidis et al. in the Elsevier Data Repository, updated every year. TOPSCINET, an independent platform, organises that data by country, year, institute and field, so you can compare and explore it.