China's Top 2% Scientists 2021

China has 16,611 scientists on the 2021 single-year Top 2% list, up 28.2% from 12,955 in 2020. That places China 2nd in the world by number of listed scientists, up 1 place. Tsinghua University has the most listed scientists (570), followed by Shanghai Jiao Tong University (336).

Single Year

16,611

+3,656 (+28.2%) vs 2020

Career Data

6,943

+1,670 (+31.7%) vs 2020

World rank by count

up 1 place vs 2020

Institutes

1,038

+96 (+10.2%) vs 2020

Scientists in China on the list, by year

The single-year count has grown 28% 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 list2021

Show the list

1Tsinghua University570
2Shanghai Jiao Tong University336
3Chinese Academy of Sciences312
4Harbin Institute of Technology292
5Central South University287
6Peking University259
7Tianjin University250
8Huazhong University of Science and Technology241
9Fudan University231
10South China University of Technology224

All 16,611 scientists

Single-year list2021

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	41	RD Rubin, Donald B.	Tsinghua University	Statistics & Probability	Rank 2
2	57	XZ Xu, Zeshui	Sichuan University	Artificial Intelligence & Image Processing	Rank 8
3	58	ZJ Zhu, Jian Kang	Chinese Academy of Sciences	Plant Biology & Botany	Rank 1
4	82	HJ He, Ji Huan	Soochow University	Mathematical Physics	Rank 1
5	176	ZZ Zhou, Zhi Hua	Nanjing University	Artificial Intelligence & Image Processing	Rank 13
6	211	SM Shahbaz, Muhammad	Beijing Institute of Technology	Economics	Rank 3
7	443	YJ Yu, Jiaguo	Wuhan University of Technology	Physical Chemistry	Rank 3
8	456	LK Lu, K.	Institute of Metal Research Chinese Academy of Sciences	Materials	Rank 8
9	462	MW Ma, Wen Xiu	Zhejiang Normal University	Mathematical Physics	Rank 2
10	483	SC Shi, Caijun	Hunan University	Building & Construction	Rank 2
11	505	NC Nan, Ce Wen	Tsinghua University	Materials	Rank 9
12	527	IA Inoue, Akihisa	Tianjin University	Materials	Rank 11
13	544	WJ Wang, Jianlong	Tsinghua University	Environmental Sciences	Rank 5
14	582	CX Cao, Xuetao	Nankai University	Immunology	Rank 25
15	619	LY Li, Yongfang	Institute of Chemistry Chinese Academy of Sciences	Nanoscience & Nanotechnology	Rank 24
16	645	LX Li, Xian Hua	Chinese Academy of Sciences	Geochemistry & Geophysics	Rank 4
17	676	SJ Shi, J.	Shanghai Institute of Ceramics Chinese Academy of Sciences	Materials	Rank 15
18	696	ZY Zheng, Yong Fei	University of Science and Technology of China	Geochemistry & Geophysics	Rank 5
19	700	SH Shen, Hui Shen	Shanghai Jiao Tong University	Mechanical Engineering & Transports	Rank 10
20	735	WF Wilczek, Frank	Shanghai Jiao Tong University	Nuclear & Particle Physics	Rank 6
21	816	SD Sun, Da Wen	South China University of Technology	Food Science	Rank 5
22	829	ZQ Zhang, Qiang	Tsinghua University	Nanoscience & Nanotechnology	Rank 31
23	865	TS Tong, Shaocheng	Liaoning University of Technology	Artificial Intelligence & Image Processing	Rank 42
24	886	ZD Zhao, Dongyuan	Fudan University	Nanoscience & Nanotechnology	Rank 32
25	896	LY Liu, Yansui	Institute of Geographical Sciences and Natural Resources Research Chinese Academy of Sciences	Geography	Rank 3
26	916	ZZ Zhang, Zhengyou	Tencent	Artificial Intelligence & Image Processing	Rank 45
27	939	SY Shi, Yigong	Westlake University	Developmental Biology	Rank 38
28	966	YX Yao, Xin	Southern University of Science and Technology	Artificial Intelligence & Image Processing	Rank 47
29	973	SG Song, Guang Ling	Xiamen University	Materials	Rank 22
30	1,010	WG Wei, Guiwu	Sichuan Normal University	Artificial Intelligence & Image Processing	Rank 49
31	1,052	ZY Zheng, Yu	Southwest Jiaotong University	Artificial Intelligence & Image Processing	Rank 52
32	1,059	WX Wang, Xinchen	Fuzhou University	Organic Chemistry	Rank 14
33	1,073	ZG Zeng, Guangming	Hunan University	Environmental Sciences	Rank 9
34	1,092	Cao, Jinde	Southeast University	Artificial Intelligence & Image Processing	Rank 53
35	1,146	YJ Ye, Jun	Ningbo University	Artificial Intelligence & Image Processing	Rank 54
36	1,182	CL Chen, Ling Ling	University of Chinese Academy of Sciences	Developmental Biology	Rank 48
37	1,185	LP Liu, Peide	Shandong University of Finance and Economics	Artificial Intelligence & Image Processing	Rank 60
38	1,223	CW Chen, Wan Qing	Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College	Oncology & Carcinogenesis	Rank 36
39	1,229	WW Wang, W. H.	University of Chinese Academy of Sciences	Applied Physics	Rank 39
40	1,275	WF Wang, Fei Yue	Chinese Academy of Sciences	Artificial Intelligence & Image Processing	Rank 63
41	1,420	CT Cui, Tie Jun	Southeast University	Networking & Telecommunications	Rank 5
42	1,424	CH Cheng, Hui Ming	Institute of Metal Research Chinese Academy of Sciences	Nanoscience & Nanotechnology	Rank 47
43	1,433	CJ Chen, Jun	Nankai University	Nanoscience & Nanotechnology	Rank 48
44	1,448	LC Li, Can	Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics Chinese Academy of Sciences	Physical Chemistry	Rank 10
45	1,465	LZ Liu, Zhuang	Soochow University	Nanoscience & Nanotechnology	Rank 50
46	1,483	DR Dixon, Richard A.	Institute of Botany Chinese Academy of Sciences	Plant Biology & Botany	Rank 11
47	1,634	LY Li, Yadong	Tsinghua University	Nanoscience & Nanotechnology	Rank 59
48	1,641	FB Fu, Bojie	Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences Chinese Academy of Sciences	Ecology	Rank 49
49	1,679	HL Han, Lin Hai	Tsinghua University	Civil Engineering	Rank 3
50	1,699	DY Deng, Yong	University of Electronic Science and Technology of China	Artificial Intelligence & Image Processing	Rank 76
51	1,704	LY Lei, Yaguo	Xi'an Jiaotong University	Acoustics	Rank 2
52	1,721	SR Sun, Runcang	Dalian Polytechnic University	Polymers	Rank 8
53	1,731	SX Sun, Xuping	University of Electronic Science and Technology of China	Nanoscience & Nanotechnology	Rank 60
54	1,735	LH Li, Hong	Institute of Physics Chinese Academy of Sciences	Energy	Rank 38
55	1,772	GG Gao, George F.	Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention	Virology	Rank 8
56	1,778	ZJ Zhang, Jiujun	Shanghai University	Energy	Rank 39
57	1,805	YS Yu, Shu Hong	Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale	Nanoscience & Nanotechnology	Rank 65
58	1,821	WS Wei, Su Huai	Beijing Computational Science Research Center	Applied Physics	Rank 52
59	1,890	AZ An, Zhisheng	Chinese Academy of Sciences	Geochemistry & Geophysics	Rank 23
60	1,939	DF Ding, Feng	Jiangnan University	Industrial Engineering & Automation	Rank 16
61	1,947	ZY Zhu, Yong Guan	Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences Chinese Academy of Sciences	Environmental Sciences	Rank 19
62	1,951	CG Chen, Guohua	Hong Kong Polytechnic University	Chemical Engineering	Rank 11
63	2,080	ZN Zhong, Nan shan	Guangzhou Medical University	Respiratory System	Rank 8
64	2,105	GD Gu, Dongdong	Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics	Materials	Rank 45
65	2,164	CR Corlett, Richard T.	Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden Chinese Academy of Sciences	Ecology	Rank 73
66	2,177	WM Wong, Ming Hung	Southern University of Science and Technology	Environmental Sciences	Rank 21
67	2,189	LH Lu, Hongzhou	Fudan University	Microbiology	Rank 39
68	2,243	AT Algeo, Thomas J.	China University of Geosciences	Geochemistry & Geophysics	Rank 31
69	2,274	JL Jiang, Lei	Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry Chinese Academy of Sciences	Nanoscience & Nanotechnology	Rank 74
70	2,310	TC Tang, Chuan He	South China University of Technology	Food Science	Rank 13
71	2,332	GY Guo, Yu Guo	University of Chinese Academy of Sciences	Nanoscience & Nanotechnology	Rank 75
72	2,335	ZA Zhu, Andrew X.	Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center	Oncology & Carcinogenesis	Rank 74
73	2,347	WG Wang, Gai Ge	Ocean University of China	Artificial Intelligence & Image Processing	Rank 89
74	2,364	ZT Zhou, Tao	Hangzhou Dianzi University	Information Systems	Rank 10
75	2,367	QJ Qu, Jiuhui	Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences Chinese Academy of Sciences	Environmental Sciences	Rank 23
76	2,450	SJ Sun, Jian	Beijing MEGVII Technology Co., Ltd.	Artificial Intelligence & Image Processing	Rank 93
77	2,502	WJ Woo, Jean	Chinese University of Hong Kong	Nutrition & Dietetics	Rank 17
78	2,558	BP BROOKES, Philip C.	College of Environmental and Resource Sciences	Agronomy & Agriculture	Rank 18
79	2,580	Yang, Xiao Jun	China University of Mining and Technology	Energy	Rank 51
80	2,585	GP Gong, Peng	Tsinghua University	Geological & Geomatics Engineering	Rank 14
81	2,600	LX Li, Xuelong	Northwestern Polytechnical University	Artificial Intelligence & Image Processing	Rank 95
82	2,622	BM Brown, Michael	China University of Geosciences	Geochemistry & Geophysics	Rank 39
83	2,640	ZZ Zhang, Zhongheng	Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital	Oncology & Carcinogenesis	Rank 90
84	2,649	XH Xie, Heping	Shenzhen University	Geological & Geomatics Engineering	Rank 15
85	2,650	PB Pan, Bing	Beihang University	Optics	Rank 16
86	2,695	KH Kan, Haidong	Fudan University	Environmental Sciences	Rank 26
87	2,736	GS Guo, Shaojun	Peking University	Nanoscience & Nanotechnology	Rank 84
88	2,753	XT Xu, Tongwen	University of Science and Technology of China	Chemical Engineering	Rank 15
89	2,756	YG Ying, Guang Guo	South China Normal University	Environmental Sciences	Rank 27
90	2,773	SY Shi, Yuhui	Southern University of Science and Technology	Artificial Intelligence & Image Processing	Rank 102
91	2,777	GJ Gong, Jinlong	Tianjin University	Organic Chemistry	Rank 40
92	2,778	ML Mai, Liqiang	Wuhan University of Technology	Nanoscience & Nanotechnology	Rank 85
93	2,805	ZC Zou, Caineng	Research Institute of Petroleum Exploration and Development	Geochemistry & Geophysics	Rank 44
94	2,821	GZ Ge, Zhiqiang	State Key Laboratory of Industrial Control Technology	Industrial Engineering & Automation	Rank 26
95	2,867	YB Yan, Bing	Tongji University	Inorganic & Nuclear Chemistry	Rank 12
96	2,885	ZH Zhang, Han	Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Devices and Systems of Ministry of Education	Nanoscience & Nanotechnology	Rank 89
97	2,902	HW Huang, Wei	Nanjing University of Post and TeleCommunications	Nanoscience & Nanotechnology	Rank 90
98	2,913	LZ Li, Zongjin	University of Macau	Building & Construction	Rank 16
99	2,931	ZM Zhai, Ming Guo	Chinese Academy of Sciences	Geochemistry & Geophysics	Rank 45
100	2,997	CM Chen, Min	Huazhong University of Science and Technology	Networking & Telecommunications	Rank 21
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Countries with a similar count

Single-year list2021

United States66,247 scientistsin 2021

United Kingdom15,844 scientistsin 2021

Germany9,436 scientistsin 2021

Canada7,479 scientistsin 2021

Australia7,138 scientistsin 2021

Italy6,126 scientistsin 2021

Explore other countries

Single-year list2021

Japan5,416 scientistsin 2021

South Korea2,715 scientistsin 2021

Taiwan1,358 scientistsin 2021

Hong Kong1,227 scientistsin 2021

Macau59 scientistsin 2021

India3,352 scientistsin 2021

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Frequently asked questions

How many scientists from China are in the 2021 Stanford Top 2% list?

16,611 scientists affiliated with China are on the 2021 single-year list, and 6,943 are on the career-long list.

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

On the 2021 single-year list, Tsinghua University has the most listed scientists from China, with 570. It is followed by Shanghai Jiao Tong University with 336.

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 16,611 in 2021, a change of +28.2%.

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.