China's Top 2% Scientists 2024: Career-Long List

China has 10,689 scientists on the 2024 career-long Top 2% list, up 18.6% from 9,013 in 2023. That places China 4th in the world by number of listed scientists. Chinese Academy of Sciences has the most listed scientists (598), followed by Tsinghua University (482).

Single Year

27,166

+3,679 (+15.7%) vs 2023

Career Data

10,689

+1,676 (+18.6%) vs 2023

World rank by count

No change vs 2023

Institutes

831

-196 (-19.1%) vs 2023

Scientists in China on the list, by year

The career-long count has more than doubled since 2020.

Career-long list, change on the previous year

2021+31.7%

2022+10.8%

2023+17.2%

2024+18.6%

2025+15.8%

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

Career-long list2024

Show the list

1Chinese Academy of Sciences598
2Tsinghua University482
3Ministry of Education of the People's Republic of China379
4Zhejiang University362
5Shanghai Jiao Tong University278
6Peking University212
7Harbin Institute of Technology190
8Huazhong University of Science and Technology176
9University of Science and Technology of China175
10Fudan University170

All 10,689 scientists

Career-long list2024

The first 100 are free to browse.

Export CSV

Rank in China	World rank	Scientist	Institute	Sub-field	Rank in sub-field
1	2	Wang, Zhong Lin	Chinese Academy of Sciences	Nanoscience & Nanotechnology	Rank 2
2	82	RJ Robertson, John	Wuhan University	Applied Physics	Rank 6
3	100	RD Rubin, Donald B.	Tsinghua University	Statistics & Probability	Rank 1
4	107	ZJ Zhu, Jian Kang	Southern University of Science and Technology	Plant Biology & Botany	Rank 1
5	136	XZ Xu, Zeshui	Sichuan University	Artificial Intelligence & Image Processing	Rank 6
6	139	HJ He, Ji Huan	Soochow University	Energy	Rank 2
7	141	IA Inoue, Akihisa	Tianjin University	Materials	Rank 1
8	541	ZD Zhao, Dongyuan	Fudan University	Nanoscience & Nanotechnology	Rank 21
9	569	ZZ Zhou, Zhi Hua	Nanjing University	Artificial Intelligence & Image Processing	Rank 17
10	607	Cao, Jinde	Southeast University	Artificial Intelligence & Image Processing	Rank 19
11	768	YJ Yu, Jiaguo	China University of Geosciences	Nanoscience & Nanotechnology	Rank 26
12	777	SJ Stoddart, J. Fraser	Zhejiang University	Organic Chemistry	Rank 24
13	850	NC Nan, Ce Wen	Tsinghua University	Materials	Rank 11
14	869	AD Astruc, Didier	Ministry of Education of the People's Republic of China	Organic Chemistry	Rank 25
15	916	LY Li, Yongfang	Chinese Academy of Sciences	Nanoscience & Nanotechnology	Rank 29
16	998	ZZ Zhang, Zhengyou	Tencent	Artificial Intelligence & Image Processing	Rank 31
17	1,063	SY Shi, Yigong	Westlake University	Developmental Biology	Rank 69
18	1,132	LY Liu, Yong Jun	The First Bethune Hospital of Jilin University	Immunology	Rank 44
19	1,157	YX Yao, Xin	Southern University of Science and Technology	Artificial Intelligence & Image Processing	Rank 33
20	1,271	WJ Wang, Jianlong	Tsinghua University	Environmental Sciences	Rank 4
21	1,287	LK Lu, K.	Chinese Academy of Sciences	Materials	Rank 17
22	1,472	MW Ma, Wen Xiu	Zhejiang Normal University	Mathematical Physics	Rank 3
23	1,536	LY Li, Yadong	Tsinghua University	Nanoscience & Nanotechnology	Rank 41
24	1,726	LC Li, Can	Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics Chinese Academy of Sciences	Physical Chemistry	Rank 9
25	1,805	DF Diederich, François	Central South University	Organic Chemistry	Rank 50
26	1,810	YS Yu, Shu Hong	University of Science and Technology of China	Nanoscience & Nanotechnology	Rank 49
27	1,828	GH Gleiter, Herbert	Lanzhou University	Materials	Rank 26
28	1,868	ME Ma, Evan	Xi'an Jiaotong University	Materials	Rank 28
29	1,890	TJ Thiery, Jean Paul	Guangzhou Lab	Developmental Biology	Rank 113
30	1,904	HB Hommel, Bernhard	Shandong Normal University	Experimental Psychology	Rank 33
31	1,983	YJ Yuan, Junying	Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry Chinese Academy of Sciences	Biochemistry & Molecular Biology	Rank 92
32	2,021	ZY Zheng, Yong Fei	University of Science and Technology of China	Geochemistry & Geophysics	Rank 15
33	2,050	TB Tang, Ben Zhong	The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen	Nanoscience & Nanotechnology	Rank 52
34	2,123	LX Li, Xian Hua	Chinese Academy of Sciences	Geochemistry & Geophysics	Rank 18
35	2,156	SJ Shi, Jianlin	Shanghai Institute of Ceramics, Chinese Academy of Sciences	Materials	Rank 30
36	2,185	SH Shen, Hui Shen	Shanghai Jiao Tong University	Mechanical Engineering & Transports	Rank 19
37	2,224	DH de Heer, Walt A.	Tianjin University	Applied Physics	Rank 81
38	2,235	WS Wei, Su Huai	Beijing Computational Science Research Center	Applied Physics	Rank 82
39	2,328	XX Xie, Xiaoliang	Peking University	Chemical Physics	Rank 68
40	2,340	WG Wei, Guiwu	Sichuan Normal University	Artificial Intelligence & Image Processing	Rank 63
41	2,358	SC Shi, Caijun	Hunan University	Building & Construction	Rank 2
42	2,382	PX Peng, Xiaogang	Zhejiang University	General Chemistry	Rank 28
43	2,429	GK Govindan, Kannan	Shanghai Maritime University	Operations Research	Rank 4
44	2,506	SM Shahbaz, Muhammad	Beijing Institute of Technology	Energy	Rank 27
45	2,647	TS Tong, Shaocheng	Liaoning University of Technology	Artificial Intelligence & Image Processing	Rank 70
46	2,788	PM Poo, Mu Ming	Chinese Academy of Sciences	Neurology & Neurosurgery	Rank 259
47	2,857	SJ Staessen, Jan A.	Ruijin Hospital	Cardiovascular System & Hematology	Rank 142
48	2,934	TS Tjong, S. C.	City University of Hong Kong	Materials	Rank 37
49	2,998	DC Deng, Chu Xia	University of Macau	Developmental Biology	Rank 169
50	3,015	DC Dong, Chen	Westlake University	Immunology	Rank 116
51	3,042	CY Cao, Yong	South China University of Technology	Nanoscience & Nanotechnology	Rank 64
52	3,095	LS Liao, Shijun	Shanghai Jiao Tong University	Mathematical Physics	Rank 4
53	3,136	WW Wang, W. H.	Institute of Physics Chinese Academy of Sciences	Applied Physics	Rank 98
54	3,145	MC Mackay, Charles R.	Qilu University of Technology	Immunology	Rank 121
55	3,167	SG Song, Guanling	Southern University of Science and Technology	Materials	Rank 40
56	3,185	HL Ho, Luis C.	Peking University	Astronomy & Astrophysics	Rank 14
57	3,198	LJ Liu, Jun	Changchun Institute Of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy Of Sciences	Nanoscience & Nanotechnology	Rank 66
58	3,264	AH Adams, Harold P.	Second People's Hospital of Huludao City	Neurology & Neurosurgery	Rank 293
59	3,294	WF Wang, Fei Yue	Chinese Academy of Sciences	Artificial Intelligence & Image Processing	Rank 87
60	3,317	WT Webster, Thomas J.	Hebei University of Technology	Nanoscience & Nanotechnology	Rank 69
61	3,412	PS Pennycook, Stephen J.	University of Chinese Academy of Sciences	Applied Physics	Rank 105
62	3,509	AM Anpo, Masakazu	Fuzhou University	Chemical Physics	Rank 106
63	3,579	CR Cai, Rong Gen	Chinese Academy of Sciences	Nuclear & Particle Physics	Rank 44
64	3,642	CC Che, Chi Ming	The University of Hong Kong	Organic Chemistry	Rank 95
65	3,759	MS Ma, Shengming	Fudan University	Organic Chemistry	Rank 97
66	3,763	CG Chen, Guohua	City University of Hong Kong	Chemical Engineering	Rank 14
67	3,824	AZ An, Zhisheng	Chinese Academy of Sciences	Geochemistry & Geophysics	Rank 34
68	3,839	TD Tocher, Douglas R.	Shantou University	Fisheries	Rank 2
69	3,929	CH Cheng, Hui Ming	Chinese Academy of Sciences	Nanoscience & Nanotechnology	Rank 75
70	3,999	ZJ Zhang, Jiujun	Shanghai University	Energy	Rank 48
71	4,020	YA Yao, Andrew	Tsinghua University	Computation Theory & Mathematics	Rank 7
72	4,130	WY Wang, Youfa	Xi'an Jiaotong University	Nutrition & Dietetics	Rank 37
73	4,137	SD Sornette, Didier	Southern University of Science and Technology	Fluids & Plasmas	Rank 32
74	4,147	BC Bachert, Claus	Sun Yat-Sen University	Allergy	Rank 15
75	4,291	AB Ainsworth, Barbara E.	Shanghai University of Sport	Public Health	Rank 31
76	4,332	SR Sun, Runcang	Dalian Polytechnic University	Polymers	Rank 28
77	4,524	LH Löe, Harald	The University of Hong Kong	Dentistry	Rank 12
78	4,602	CX Cao, Xuetao	Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College	Immunology	Rank 184
79	4,640	TM Tonetti, Maurizio S.	Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai JiaoTong University School of Medicine	Dentistry	Rank 13
80	4,663	YH Yu, Han Qing	University of Science and Technology of China	Environmental Sciences	Rank 25
81	4,666	HN Huang, Norden E.	First Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources	Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences	Rank 54
82	4,681	TH Tian, He	East China University of Science and Technology	Organic Chemistry	Rank 116
83	4,689	LS Li, Stan Z.	Westlake University	Artificial Intelligence & Image Processing	Rank 110
84	4,700	ZY Zhu, Yong Guan	Chinese Academy of Sciences	Environmental Sciences	Rank 26
85	4,710	LJ Lau, Joseph T.F.	Wenzhou Medical University	Public Health	Rank 36
86	4,741	SS Shabala, Sergey	Foshan University	Plant Biology & Botany	Rank 32
87	4,746	CT Cui, Tie Jun	Southeast University	Networking & Telecommunications	Rank 33
88	4,823	ZS Zhou, Shu Feng	Huaqiao University	Pharmacology & Pharmacy	Rank 31
89	4,879	LY Liu, Youhua	Southern Medical University	Urology & Nephrology	Rank 37
90	4,885	WE Weinan, E.	Peking University	Applied Mathematics	Rank 17
91	4,886	MY Mai, Yiu Wing	The Hong Kong Polytechnic University	Materials	Rank 54
92	4,888	JY Jin, Yaochu	Westlake University	Artificial Intelligence & Image Processing	Rank 113
93	4,899	XQ Xu, Qiang	Southern University of Science and Technology	Organic Chemistry	Rank 120
94	4,937	YC Yang, Chen Ning	Tsinghua University	Applied Physics	Rank 139
95	5,085	MH Mao, Ho kwang	Center for High Pressure Science and Technology Advanced Research	Applied Physics	Rank 144
96	5,392	CF Chan, Felix T.S.	Macau University of Science and Technology	Operations Research	Rank 9
97	5,404	XL Xiao, Li Hua	South China Agricultural University	Mycology & Parasitology	Rank 6
98	5,482	XH Xu, Hong Kun	Hangzhou Dianzi University	General Mathematics	Rank 13
99	5,525	SD Shen, Dinggang	ShanghaiTech University	Artificial Intelligence & Image Processing	Rank 127
100	5,576	DF Ding, Feng	Jiangnan University	Industrial Engineering & Automation	Rank 40
No scientists match this filter.

Showing 1 to 100 of the first 100 Show

Paid plans

See all 10,689 scientists in China

You are seeing the first 100. 10,589 more are on the 2024 career-long list.

Ranks 101 to 10,689The 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

Career-long list2024

United States84,209 scientistsin 2024

United Kingdom19,646 scientistsin 2024

Germany11,573 scientistsin 2024

Canada9,265 scientistsin 2024

Japan8,261 scientistsin 2024

Australia7,447 scientistsin 2024

Explore other countries

Career-long list2024

South Korea2,366 scientistsin 2024

Taiwan1,759 scientistsin 2024

Hong Kong1,270 scientistsin 2024

Macau68 scientistsin 2024

India2,939 scientistsin 2024

Israel2,093 scientistsin 2024

All countries on the world map

Frequently asked questions

How many scientists from China are in the 2024 Stanford Top 2% list?

27,166 scientists affiliated with China are on the 2024 single-year list, and 10,689 are on the career-long list.

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

On the 2024 career-long list, Chinese Academy of Sciences has the most listed scientists from China, with 598. It is followed by Tsinghua University with 482.

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

On the career-long list, China went from 5,273 scientists in 2020 to 10,689 in 2024, a change of +102.7%.

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.