Germany's Top 2% Scientists 2023

Germany has 10,088 scientists on the 2023 single-year Top 2% list, up 1.3% from 9,961 in 2022. That places Germany 4th in the world by number of listed scientists. Technische Universität München has the most listed scientists (289), followed by Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München (209).

Single Year

10,088

+127 (+1.3%) vs 2022

Career Data

10,990

+428 (+4.1%) vs 2022

World rank by count

No change vs 2022

Institutes

1,065

-13 (-1.2%) vs 2022

Scientists in Germany on the list, by year

The single-year count has grown 23% since 2020.

Single-year list, change on the previous year

2021+15.4%

2022+5.6%

2023+1.3%

2024+3.3%

2025+2.3%

Show the numbers

Year	Single Year	Change	Career Data	Change
2020	8,177		8,792
2021	9,436	+15.4%	9,986	+13.6%
2022	9,961	+5.6%	10,562	+5.8%
2023	10,088	+1.3%	10,990	+4.1%
2024	10,422	+3.3%	11,573	+5.3%
2025	10,666	+2.3%	12,166	+5.1%

Top 10 institutes in Germany

By number of listed scientists

Single-year list2023

Show the list

All 10,088 scientists

Single-year list2023

The first 100 are free to browse.

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Rank in Germany	World rank	Scientist	Institute	Sub-field	Rank in sub-field
1	8	GS Grimme, Stefan	Universität Bonn	Chemical Physics	Rank 1
2	48	NF Neese, Frank	Max Planck Institute for Coal Research	Chemical Physics	Rank 3
3	55	SG Sheldrick, George M.	Georg-August-Universität Göttingen	Inorganic & Nuclear Chemistry	Rank 1
4	121	SA Stamatakis, Alexandros	Karlsruher Institut für Technologie	Bioinformatics	Rank 4
5	146	ID Ivanov, Dmitry	Hochschule für Wirtschaft und Recht Berlin	Operations Research	Rank 1
6	151	RM Rillig, Matthias C.	Freie Universität Berlin	Agronomy & Agriculture	Rank 2
7	155	SH Sies, Helmut	Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf	Biochemistry & Molecular Biology	Rank 4
8	187	KY Kuzyakov, Yakov	Georg-August-Universität Göttingen	Agronomy & Agriculture	Rank 3
9	234	BP Blöchl, Peter E.	Technische Universität Clausthal	Applied Physics	Rank 8
10	261	RD Raabe, Dierk	Max-Planck-Institut für Eisenforschung GmbH	Materials	Rank 5
11	318	SV Springel, Volker	Max Planck Institute for Astrophysics	Astronomy & Astrophysics	Rank 1
12	336	BH Brenner, Hermann	German Cancer Research Center	Oncology & Carcinogenesis	Rank 13
13	350	LR Ley, Ruth E.	Max Planck Campus Tübingen	Microbiology	Rank 3
14	367	MF Menter, Florian	ANSYS, Inc.	Aerospace & Aeronautics	Rank 1
15	381	BM Blüher, Matthias	Universität Leipzig	Endocrinology & Metabolism	Rank 8
16	385	NM Neurath, Markus F.	Universitätsklinikum Erlangen	Gastroenterology & Hepatology	Rank 6
17	387	van der Aalst, Wil M.P.	Rheinisch-Westfälische Technische Hochschule Aachen	Artificial Intelligence & Image Processing	Rank 24
18	405	SB Schölkopf, Bernhard	Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems	Artificial Intelligence & Image Processing	Rank 26
19	426	WF Weigend, Florian	Philipps-Universität Marburg	Chemical Physics	Rank 8
20	467	MM Mann, Matthias	Max-Planck-Institut für Biochemie	Developmental Biology	Rank 16
21	472	BP Bork, Peer	European Molecular Biology Laboratory Heidelberg	Developmental Biology	Rank 17
22	514	AL Ackermann, Lutz	Georg-August-Universität Göttingen	Organic Chemistry	Rank 3
23	528	PM Pinquart, Martin	Philipps-Universität Marburg	Developmental & Child Psychology	Rank 10
24	558	WM Winkler, Michael	Universität Paderborn	General Mathematics	Rank 1
25	620	HS Hofmann, Stefan G.	Philipps-Universität Marburg	Clinical Psychology	Rank 4
26	737	PM Pfaffl, Michael W.	Technische Universität München	Dairy & Animal Science	Rank 1
27	746	SS Sonnentag, Sabine	Universität Mannheim	Business & Management	Rank 23
28	769	JJ Jonas, Jost Bruno	Universität Heidelberg	Ophthalmology & Optometry	Rank 3
29	777	JY Jin, Yaochu	Universität Bielefeld	Artificial Intelligence & Image Processing	Rank 47
30	780	SM Sarstedt, Marko	Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München	Marketing	Rank 5
31	781	SR Schlögl, Robert	Fritz Haber Institute of the Max Planck Society	Physical Chemistry	Rank 3
32	858	BJ Behler, Jörg	Ruhr-Universitat Bochum	Chemical Physics	Rank 16
33	875	DI Dikic, Ivan	Frankfurter Fachbereich Medizin	Developmental Biology	Rank 32
34	890	MP Murray, Peter J.	Max-Planck-Institut für Biochemie	Immunology	Rank 34
35	918	ET Efferth, Thomas	Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz	Medicinal & Biomolecular Chemistry	Rank 5
36	926	SM Sitti, Metin	Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems	Industrial Engineering & Automation	Rank 4
37	927	WF Würthner, Frank	Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg	Organic Chemistry	Rank 8
38	942	AM Antonietti, Markus	Max-Planck-Institut für Kolloid- und Grenzflächenforschung	Nanoscience & Nanotechnology	Rank 31
39	956	SA Stukowski, Alexander	OVITO GmbH	Materials	Rank 20
40	966	CP Crutzen, P. J.	Max Planck Institute for Chemistry	Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences	Rank 7
41	987	MJ Maier, Joachim	Max Planck Institute for Solid State Research	Energy	Rank 24
42	1,029	SG Schett, Georg	Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg	Arthritis & Rheumatology	Rank 5
43	1,051	SP Strasser, Peter	Technische Universität Berlin	Energy	Rank 27
44	1,055	SA Stang, Andreas	Universitätsklinikum Essen	Cardiovascular System & Hematology	Rank 30
45	1,063	WM Winter, Martin	Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH	Energy	Rank 28
46	1,125	RJ Rockström, Johan	Potsdam Institut fur Klimafolgenforschung	Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences	Rank 9
47	1,195	KW Kabsch, Wolfgang	Max Planck Institute for Medical Research	Biochemistry & Molecular Biology	Rank 24
48	1,237	KK Kümmerer, Klaus	Leuphana Universität Lüneburg	Environmental Sciences	Rank 16
49	1,259	BH Braak, Heiko	Universitätsklinikum Ulm	Neurology & Neurosurgery	Rank 84
50	1,274	BA Boccaccini, Aldo R.	Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg	Materials	Rank 24
51	1,294	AS Anker, S.	Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin	Cardiovascular System & Hematology	Rank 38
52	1,318	PH Pörtner, Hans Otto	Alfred-Wegener-Institut Helmholtz-Zentrum für Polar- und Meeresforschung	Physiology	Rank 1
53	1,387	GG Gigerenzer, Gerd	Max Planck Institute for Human Development	Experimental Psychology	Rank 22
54	1,389	DC Dormann, Carsten F.	Universität Freiburg	Ecology	Rank 34
55	1,424	HS Hell, Stefan W.	Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry	Optics	Rank 7
56	1,429	FH Flemming, Hans Curt	Universität Duisburg-Essen	Environmental Engineering	Rank 8
57	1,485	WM Wink, Michael	Universität Heidelberg	Plant Biology & Botany	Rank 15
58	1,500	DT Dietz, Thomas	Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster	Ecology	Rank 39
59	1,529	HG Heusch, Gerd	Universitätsklinikum Essen	Cardiovascular System & Hematology	Rank 46
60	1,533	PS Parkin, S. S.P.	Max Planck Institute of Microstructure Physics	Applied Physics	Rank 44
61	1,545	Schubert, Ulrich S.	Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena	Polymers	Rank 8
62	1,548	WH Wittchen, Hans Ulrich	Technische Universität Dresden	Psychiatry	Rank 33
63	1,566	AM Andreae, Meinrat O.	Max Planck Institute for Chemistry	Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences	Rank 17
64	1,630	KI Kögel-Knabner, Ingrid	Technische Universität München	Agronomy & Agriculture	Rank 10
65	1,678	HA Hashmi, A. Stephen K.	Universität Heidelberg	Organic Chemistry	Rank 21
66	1,680	FS Fulda, Simone	Goethe-Universität Frankfurt am Main	Oncology & Carcinogenesis	Rank 46
67	1,698	DH Diener, Hans Christoph	Medizinischen Fakultät	Neurology & Neurosurgery	Rank 103
68	1,705	SR Schwarzer, Ralf	Freie Universität Berlin	Public Health	Rank 18
69	1,758	KP Kirchhof, Paulus	Universitäre Herz- und Gefäßzentrum UKE Hamburg GmbH	Cardiovascular System & Hematology	Rank 52
70	1,818	LW Löscher, Wolfgang	Tierärztliche Hochschule Hannover	Neurology & Neurosurgery	Rank 108
71	1,841	TF Tacke, Frank	Uniklinik RWTH Aachen	Gastroenterology & Hepatology	Rank 26
72	1,848	BP Bürkner, Paul Christian	Universität Stuttgart	Statistics & Probability	Rank 25
73	1,865	NM Nauck, Michael A.	Katholisches Klinikum Bochum	Endocrinology & Metabolism	Rank 30
74	1,867	PM Plenio, Martin B.	Universität Ulm	General Physics	Rank 15
75	1,912	CJ Chase, Jonathan M.	German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig	Ecology	Rank 54
76	1,929	FA Fernie, Alisdair R.	Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology	Plant Biology & Botany	Rank 18
77	1,959	BL Bornmann, Lutz	Administrative Headquarters of the Max Planck Society	Information & Library Sciences	Rank 6
78	1,975	GT Gneiting, Tilmann	Heidelberg Institute for Theoretical Studies (HITS GmbH)	Statistics & Probability	Rank 27
79	1,988	BC Brabec, Christoph J.	Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg	Nanoscience & Nanotechnology	Rank 71
80	1,997	TT Tscharntke, Teja	Georg-August-Universität Göttingen	Ecology	Rank 57
81	2,000	SU Seifert, Udo	Universität Stuttgart	Fluids & Plasmas	Rank 16
82	2,026	SD Svergun, Dmitri	European Molecular Biology Laboratory Hamburg	Biochemistry & Molecular Biology	Rank 48
83	2,046	BI Bloch, Immanuel	Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München	General Physics	Rank 16
84	2,054	FA Friederici, Angela D.	Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences	Experimental Psychology	Rank 34
85	2,057	DP Dayan, Peter	Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics	Experimental Psychology	Rank 35
86	2,060	AH Anders, Hans Joachim	Klinikum der Universität München	Urology & Nephrology	Rank 10
87	2,062	JC Janiak, Christoph	Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf	Inorganic & Nuclear Chemistry	Rank 8
88	2,110	WA Wilder-Smith, Annelies	Universität Heidelberg	Tropical Medicine	Rank 3
89	2,119	TA Thomas, Arne	Technische Universität Berlin	Organic Chemistry	Rank 28
90	2,120	FP Fratzl, Peter	Max-Planck-Institut für Kolloid- und Grenzflächenforschung	Materials	Rank 44
91	2,148	BM Bau, Michael	Constructor University Bremen	Geochemistry & Geophysics	Rank 22
92	2,159	HF Hartl, F. Ulrich	Max-Planck-Institut für Biochemie	Developmental Biology	Rank 73
93	2,167	SS Seuring, Stefan	Universität Kassel	Business & Management	Rank 53
94	2,199	PU Pöschl, Ulrich	Max Planck Institute for Chemistry	Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences	Rank 25
95	2,214	TM Thommes, Matthias	Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg	Chemical Physics	Rank 43
96	2,217	BM Beller, Matthias	Leibniz Institute for Catalysis	Organic Chemistry	Rank 31
97	2,223	GA Geiger, Andreas	Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen	Artificial Intelligence & Image Processing	Rank 101
98	2,251	TR Treede, Rolf Detlef	Medizinische Fakultät Mannheim	Anesthesiology	Rank 4
99	2,269	LH Lichtenthaler, H. K.	Karlsruher Institut für Technologie	Plant Biology & Botany	Rank 23
100	2,312	HA Hofmann, Albrecht W.	Max Planck Institute for Chemistry	Geochemistry & Geophysics	Rank 30
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Countries with a similar count

Single-year list2023

United States69,386 scientistsin 2023

China23,487 scientistsin 2023

United Kingdom16,795 scientistsin 2023

Canada7,889 scientistsin 2023

Australia7,600 scientistsin 2023

Italy7,099 scientistsin 2023

Explore other countries

Single-year list2023

France5,588 scientistsin 2023

Netherlands4,291 scientistsin 2023

Switzerland3,311 scientistsin 2023

Belgium1,935 scientistsin 2023

Austria1,300 scientistsin 2023

Luxembourg68 scientistsin 2023

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Frequently asked questions

How many scientists from Germany are in the 2023 Stanford Top 2% list?

10,088 scientists affiliated with Germany are on the 2023 single-year list, and 10,990 are on the career-long list.

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

On the 2023 single-year list, Technische Universität München has the most listed scientists from Germany, with 289. It is followed by Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München with 209.

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

On the single-year list, Germany went from 8,177 scientists in 2020 to 10,088 in 2023, a change of +23.4%.

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.