China's Top 2% Scientists 2020

China has 12,955 scientists on the 2020 single-year Top 2% list. That places China 3rd in the world by number of listed scientists. Tsinghua University has the most listed scientists (485), followed by Chinese Academy of Sciences (311).

Single Year

12,955

First year listed

Career Data

5,273

First year listed

World rank by count

First year listed

Institutes

942

First year listed

Scientists in China on the list, by year

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 list2020

Show the list

1Tsinghua University485
2Chinese Academy of Sciences311
3Shanghai Jiao Tong University274
4Harbin Institute of Technology223
5Peking University217
6Central South University216
7Fudan University192
8South China University of Technology190
9Huazhong University of Science and Technology186
10Tianjin University182

All 12,955 scientists

Single-year list2020

The first 100 are free to browse.

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Rank in China	World rank	Scientist	Institute	Sub-field	Rank in sub-field
1	30	XZ Xu, Zeshui	Sichuan University	Artificial Intelligence & Image Processing	Rank 5
2	49	RD Rubin, Donald B.	Tsinghua University	Statistics & Probability	Rank 1
3	66	ZJ Zhu, Jian Kang	Chinese Academy of Sciences	Plant Biology & Botany	Rank 1
4	190	HJ He, Ji Huan	Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology	Mathematical Physics	Rank 1
5	222	WG Wei, Guiwu	Sichuan Normal University	Artificial Intelligence & Image Processing	Rank 17
6	242	ZZ Zhou, Zhi Hua	Nanjing University	Artificial Intelligence & Image Processing	Rank 18
7	322	YJ Yu, Jiaguo	Wuhan University of Technology	Physical Chemistry	Rank 3
8	353	SH Shen, Hui Shen	Shanghai Jiao Tong University	Materials	Rank 7
9	390	LK Lu, K.	Institute of Metal Research Chinese Academy of Sciences	Materials	Rank 8
10	396	LY Li, Yongfang	Soochow University	Nanoscience & Nanotechnology	Rank 22
11	413	WX Wang, Xiaogang	Chinese University of Hong Kong	Artificial Intelligence & Image Processing	Rank 27
12	435	IA Inoue, Akihisa	Tianjin University	Materials	Rank 9
13	452	MW Ma, Wen Xiu	Zhejiang Normal University	Mathematical Physics	Rank 2
14	461	ZY Zheng, Yong Fei	University of Science and Technology of China	Geochemistry & Geophysics	Rank 6
15	515	WX Wang, Xinchen	Fuzhou University	Organic Chemistry	Rank 6
16	524	SM Shahbaz, Muhammad	Beijing Institute of Technology	Energy	Rank 13
17	529	NC Nan, Ce Wen	Tsinghua University	Materials	Rank 13
18	539	ZZ Zhang, Zhengyou	Microsoft Research	Artificial Intelligence & Image Processing	Rank 35
19	596	RE Rolls, Edmund T.	Fudan University	Neurology & Neurosurgery	Rank 49
20	625	LX Li, Xian Hua	Chinese Academy of Sciences	Geochemistry & Geophysics	Rank 8
21	699	YJ Ye, Jun	Shaoxing University	Artificial Intelligence & Image Processing	Rank 41
22	714	SJ Shi, Jianlin	Shanghai Institute of Ceramics Chinese Academy of Sciences	Materials	Rank 19
23	766	ZD Zhao, Dongyuan	Fudan University	Nanoscience & Nanotechnology	Rank 32
24	771	ZY Zheng, Yu	JD Intelligent Cities Business Unit	Artificial Intelligence & Image Processing	Rank 44
25	812	WF Wilczek, Frank	Shanghai Jiao Tong University	Nuclear & Particle Physics	Rank 5
26	836	SJ Stoddart, J. Fraser	Tianjin University	General Chemistry	Rank 9
27	842	SM Santosh, M.	China University of Geosciences, Beijing	Geology	Rank 1
28	845	LJ Liu, Jun	Hunan Agricultural University	Nanoscience & Nanotechnology	Rank 38
29	860	LP Liu, Peide	Shandong University of Finance and Economics	Artificial Intelligence & Image Processing	Rank 51
30	862	SC Shi, Caijun	Hunan University	Building & Construction	Rank 4
31	889	SY Shi, Yigong	Western Superconducting Technologies Co., Ltd.	Developmental Biology	Rank 40
32	905	TS Tong, Shaocheng	Liaoning University of Technology	Artificial Intelligence & Image Processing	Rank 52
33	910	YX Yao, Xin	Southern University of Science and Technology	Artificial Intelligence & Image Processing	Rank 53
34	934	SG Song, Guang Ling	Xiamen University	Materials	Rank 24
35	956	Cao, Jinde	Southeast University, Nanjing	Artificial Intelligence & Image Processing	Rank 58
36	996	SD Sun, Da Wen	South China University of Technology	Food Science	Rank 5
37	1,047	ZG Zeng, Guangming	Hunan University	Environmental Sciences	Rank 5
38	1,075	WJ Wang, Jianlong	Tsinghua University	Environmental Sciences	Rank 6
39	1,082	CW Chen, Wanqing	Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College	Oncology & Carcinogenesis	Rank 36
40	1,177	LJ Liu, Jie	Jinan University	Artificial Intelligence & Image Processing	Rank 64
41	1,199	LC Li, Can	Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics Chinese Academy of Sciences	Physical Chemistry	Rank 10
42	1,238	LZ Liu, Zhuang	Soochow University	Nanoscience & Nanotechnology	Rank 47
43	1,275	ZQ Zhang, Qiang	Tsinghua University	Nanoscience & Nanotechnology	Rank 50
44	1,303	CH Cheng, Hui Ming	Tsinghua University	Nanoscience & Nanotechnology	Rank 51
45	1,346	WF Wang, Fei Yue	Chinese Academy of Sciences	Artificial Intelligence & Image Processing	Rank 66
46	1,364	BJ Bai, Jushan	Nankai University	Econometrics	Rank 9
47	1,376	LY Liu, Yansui	Institute of Geographical Sciences and Natural Resources Research Chinese Academy of Sciences	Geography	Rank 5
48	1,388	WW Wang, Wei Hua	Institute of Physics Chinese Academy of Sciences	Applied Physics	Rank 47
49	1,556	SX Sun, Xuping	University of Electronic Science and Technology of China	Nanoscience & Nanotechnology	Rank 55
50	1,590	CT Cui, Tie Jun	Southeast University, Nanjing	Networking & Telecommunications	Rank 14
51	1,616	LY Li, Yadong	Tsinghua University	Nanoscience & Nanotechnology	Rank 58
52	1,625	YS Yu, Shu Hong	Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale	Nanoscience & Nanotechnology	Rank 59
53	1,697	ZJ Zhang, Jiujun	Shanghai University	Energy	Rank 33
54	1,700	WS Wei, Su Huai	Beijing Computational Science Research Center	Applied Physics	Rank 56
55	1,707	JL Jiang, Lei	Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry Chinese Academy of Sciences	Nanoscience & Nanotechnology	Rank 62
56	1,718	ZY Zhu, Yong Guan	Chinese Academy of Sciences	Environmental Sciences	Rank 13
57	1,813	DY Deng, Yong	University of Electronic Science and Technology of China	Artificial Intelligence & Image Processing	Rank 81
58	1,875	CM Chen, Min	Huazhong University of Science and Technology	Networking & Telecommunications	Rank 18
59	1,969	CC Chen, C. L.Philip	Dalian Maritime University	Artificial Intelligence & Image Processing	Rank 87
60	2,019	AZ An, Zhisheng	Chinese Academy of Sciences	Geochemistry & Geophysics	Rank 29
61	2,043	DF Ding, Feng	Jiangnan University	Industrial Engineering & Automation	Rank 22
62	2,044	LS Liao, Shi Jun	Shanghai Jiao Tong University	Mathematical Physics	Rank 5
63	2,053	LY Lei, Yaguo	Xi'an Jiaotong University	Acoustics	Rank 3
64	2,065	SR Sun, Runcang	Dalian Polytechnic University	Polymers	Rank 10
65	2,097	ZJ Zhang, J.	Nanjing Tech University	Artificial Intelligence & Image Processing	Rank 90
66	2,119	SJ Sun, Jian	Beijing MEGVII Technology Co., Ltd.	Artificial Intelligence & Image Processing	Rank 91
67	2,151	LH Li, Hong	Chinese Academy of Sciences	Energy	Rank 44
68	2,192	HN Huang, Norden E.	First Inst of Oceanography, SOA	Networking & Telecommunications	Rank 23
69	2,194	GS Guo, Shaojun	Peking University	Nanoscience & Nanotechnology	Rank 80
70	2,208	HL Han, Lin Hai	Tsinghua University	Civil Engineering	Rank 2
71	2,235	WI Wachs, Israel E.	Lehigh University	Physical Chemistry	Rank 14
72	2,264	FB Fu, Bojie	Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences Chinese Academy of Sciences	Ecology	Rank 74
73	2,328	ZM Zhai, Ming Guo	Chinese Academy of Sciences	Geochemistry & Geophysics	Rank 34
74	2,406	YB Yan, Bing	Tongji University	Inorganic & Nuclear Chemistry	Rank 9
75	2,418	WF Wu, Fu Yuan	Chinese Academy of Sciences	Geochemistry & Geophysics	Rank 37
76	2,441	WJ Wang, Jun	iCarbonX	Developmental Biology	Rank 99
77	2,457	CL Chen, Ling Ling	Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Shanghai Institute for Biological Sciences Chinese Academy of Sciences	Developmental Biology	Rank 100
78	2,466	SR Siegler, Robert	Beijing Normal University	Developmental & Child Psychology	Rank 31
79	2,502	Niu, Yaoling	China University of Geosciences, Beijing	Geochemistry & Geophysics	Rank 38
80	2,523	LX Li, Xuelong	Northwestern Polytechnical University	Artificial Intelligence & Image Processing	Rank 105
81	2,540	PX Peng, Xiaogang	Zhejiang University	General Chemistry	Rank 23
82	2,547	GJ Gong, Jinlong	Tianjin University	Organic Chemistry	Rank 46
83	2,568	SY Shen, Y. Ron	Fudan University	Chemical Physics	Rank 59
84	2,610	BZ Bai, Zhong Zhi	Institute of Computational Mathematics and Scientific-Engineering Computing, Chinese Academy of Sciences	Numerical & Computational Mathematics	Rank 3
85	2,626	CJ Chen, Jun	Nankai University	Nanoscience & Nanotechnology	Rank 88
86	2,647	LQ Liu, Qing	Chongqing University	Materials	Rank 53
87	2,679	QJ Qu, Jiuhui	Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences Chinese Academy of Sciences	Environmental Sciences	Rank 22
88	2,702	WX Wang, Xiangke	North China Electric Power University	Environmental Sciences	Rank 24
89	2,714	ML Mai, Liqiang	Wuhan University of Technology	Nanoscience & Nanotechnology	Rank 90
90	2,731	WY Wang, Y.	School of Basic Medical Sciences	Nutrition & Dietetics	Rank 14
91	2,739	CC Chang, Chein I.	Dalian Maritime University	Geological & Geomatics Engineering	Rank 14
92	2,770	YY Yang, Yang	State Key Laboratory of Modern Optical Instrumentation	Nanoscience & Nanotechnology	Rank 91
93	2,774	BP Brookes, Philip C.	College of Environmental and Resource Sciences	Agronomy & Agriculture	Rank 13
94	2,776	GD Gu, Dongdong	Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics	Materials	Rank 56
95	2,782	PB Pan, B.	Beihang University	Optics	Rank 20
96	2,798	GH Gleiter, Herbert	Nanjing University of Science and Technology	Materials	Rank 57
97	2,822	ZW Zhang, W.	Beijing University of Technology	Artificial Intelligence & Image Processing	Rank 108
98	2,829	SD Su, Dangsheng	Institute of Metal Research Chinese Academy of Sciences	Organic Chemistry	Rank 50
99	2,850	LZ Li, Zongjin	Universidade de Macau	Building & Construction	Rank 15
100	2,858	HW Huang, Wei	Northwestern Polytechnical University	Nanoscience & Nanotechnology	Rank 94
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Countries with a similar count

Single-year list2020

United States59,785 scientistsin 2020

United Kingdom13,805 scientistsin 2020

Germany8,177 scientistsin 2020

Canada6,602 scientistsin 2020

Australia6,100 scientistsin 2020

Italy4,746 scientistsin 2020

Explore other countries

Single-year list2020

Japan4,484 scientistsin 2020

South Korea2,139 scientistsin 2020

Taiwan1,097 scientistsin 2020

Hong Kong1,033 scientistsin 2020

Macau50 scientistsin 2020

India2,313 scientistsin 2020

All countries on the world map

Frequently asked questions

How many scientists from China are in the 2020 Stanford Top 2% list?

12,955 scientists affiliated with China are on the 2020 single-year list, and 5,273 are on the career-long list.

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

On the 2020 single-year list, Tsinghua University has the most listed scientists from China, with 485. It is followed by Chinese Academy of Sciences with 311.

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.