South Africa's Top 2% Scientists 2025
South Africa has 975 scientists on the 2025 single-year Top 2% list, up 8.2% from 901 in 2024. That places South Africa 33rd in the world by number of listed scientists, up 1 place. University of Cape Town has the most listed scientists (121), followed by University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg (99).
Scientists in South Africa on the list, by year
The single-year count has grown 66% since 2020.
Show the numbers
| Year | Single Year | Change | Career Data | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 589 | 536 | ||
| 2021 | 752 | +27.7% | 669 | +24.8% |
| 2022 | 803 | +6.8% | 713 | +6.6% |
| 2023 | 855 | +6.5% | 775 | +8.7% |
| 2024 | 901 | +5.4% | 826 | +6.6% |
| 2025 | 975 | +8.2% | 896 | +8.5% |
Top 10 institutes in South Africa
By number of listed scientists
Show the list
- 1University of Cape Town121
- 2University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg99
- 3Stellenbosch University89
- 4University of Pretoria84
- 5University of Johannesburg81
- 6University of KwaZulu-Natal63
- 7University of South Africa46
- 8North-West University34
- 9University of the Free State33
- 10University of the Witwatersrand Faculty of Health Sciences29
All 975 scientists
| Rank in South Africa | World rank | Scientist | Institute | Sub-field | Rank in sub-field |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 78 | University of Johannesburg | Dermatology & Venereal Diseases | Rank 1 | |
| 2 | 475 | University of Cape Town | Psychiatry | Rank 12 | |
| 3 | 709 | University of the Free State | Applied Mathematics | Rank 2 | |
| 4 | 1,463 | North-West University | Microbiology | Rank 24 | |
| 5 | 1,550 | University of Johannesburg | Sport, Leisure & Tourism | Rank 8 | |
| 6 | 2,152 | North-West University | Social Psychology | Rank 78 | |
| 7 | 2,259 | Stellenbosch University | Ecology | Rank 62 | |
| 8 | 2,388 | Stellenbosch University | Mechanical Engineering & Transports | Rank 24 | |
| 9 | 2,591 | University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg | Optoelectronics & Photonics | Rank 3 | |
| 10 | 2,662 | Kalahari Research Centre | Evolutionary Biology | Rank 16 | |
| 11 | 2,921 | University of Cape Town | Marine Biology & Hydrobiology | Rank 7 | |
| 12 | 3,301 | North-West University | Developmental & Child Psychology | Rank 30 | |
| 13 | 3,497 | University of Johannesburg | Polymers | Rank 17 | |
| 14 | 3,948 | University of South Africa | Education | Rank 45 | |
| 15 | 4,161 | University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg | Anthropology | Rank 2 | |
| 16 | 4,872 | North-West University | Artificial Intelligence & Image Processing | Rank 256 | |
| 17 | 4,891 | University of the Free State | Geochemistry & Geophysics | Rank 62 | |
| 18 | 5,198 | South African Medical Research Council | Public Health | Rank 52 | |
| 19 | 5,546 | University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg | Geochemistry & Geophysics | Rank 72 | |
| 20 | 5,826 | College of Business and Economics | Education | Rank 68 | |
| 21 | 5,858 | University of South Africa | Energy | Rank 158 | |
| 22 | 6,259 | University of South Africa | Economics | Rank 131 | |
| 23 | 6,350 |
GO
|
Stellenbosch University | Psychiatry | Rank 149 |
| 24 | 6,662 | Stellenbosch University | Psychiatry | Rank 156 | |
| 25 | 6,700 | University of Fort Hare | Polymers | Rank 38 | |
| 26 | 6,868 | Stellenbosch University | Food Science | Rank 47 | |
| 27 | 7,266 | University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg | Artificial Intelligence & Image Processing | Rank 364 | |
| 28 | 8,889 | University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg | Sociology | Rank 44 | |
| 29 | 9,003 |
LC
|
University of Cape Town | Psychiatry | Rank 200 |
| 30 | 9,353 | University of Pretoria | Economics | Rank 173 | |
| 31 | 9,568 | University of Cape Town | Urban & Regional Planning | Rank 26 | |
| 32 | 9,726 |
KP
|
North-West University | Marketing | Rank 66 |
| 33 | 9,767 | University of the Western Cape | Astronomy & Astrophysics | Rank 86 | |
| 34 | 9,787 | Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town | Cardiovascular System & Hematology | Rank 293 | |
| 35 | 9,970 | South African Medical Research Council | General & Internal Medicine | Rank 172 | |
| 36 | 10,531 | University of Cape Town | Nuclear & Particle Physics | Rank 132 | |
| 37 | 10,988 | University of Pretoria | Medicinal & Biomolecular Chemistry | Rank 36 | |
| 38 | 11,065 | University of South Africa | Applied Physics | Rank 218 | |
| 39 | 11,070 | University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg | Ecology | Rank 259 | |
| 40 | 11,962 | University of Cape Town | Respiratory System | Rank 65 | |
| 41 | 12,090 | Stellenbosch University | Microbiology | Rank 203 | |
| 42 | 12,180 | University of Pretoria | Plant Biology & Botany | Rank 153 | |
| 43 | 12,241 | University of Johannesburg | Dermatology & Venereal Diseases | Rank 40 | |
| 44 | 12,369 | University of Pretoria | Energy | Rank 330 | |
| 45 | 12,489 | University of the Western Cape | Obstetrics & Reproductive Medicine | Rank 39 | |
| 46 | 12,666 | Walter Sisulu University | Environmental Sciences | Rank 274 | |
| 47 | 13,499 | University of South Africa | Applied Physics | Rank 263 | |
| 48 | 13,518 | Rhodes University | Ecology | Rank 301 | |
| 49 | 14,155 | Stellenbosch University | Artificial Intelligence & Image Processing | Rank 683 | |
| 50 | 15,122 | Stellenbosch University | Political Science & Public Administration | Rank 123 | |
| 51 | 15,693 | University of Cape Town | Cardiovascular System & Hematology | Rank 477 | |
| 52 | 15,715 | University of the Witwatersrand Faculty of Health Sciences | Microbiology | Rank 280 | |
| 53 | 15,868 | Cape Peninsula University of Technology | Sport Sciences | Rank 64 | |
| 54 | 15,974 | South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity | Marine Biology & Hydrobiology | Rank 71 | |
| 55 | 16,089 | University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg | Electrical & Electronic Engineering | Rank 50 | |
| 56 | 16,316 | University of Fort Hare | Medicinal & Biomolecular Chemistry | Rank 51 | |
| 57 | 16,328 | University of Johannesburg | General Physics | Rank 122 | |
| 58 | 16,427 | University of Johannesburg | Geography | Rank 79 | |
| 59 | 16,706 | University of the Witwatersrand Faculty of Health Sciences | Cardiovascular System & Hematology | Rank 504 | |
| 60 | 17,383 | School of Agricultural Sciences | Inorganic & Nuclear Chemistry | Rank 42 | |
| 61 | 17,561 | University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg | Ecology | Rank 377 | |
| 62 | 17,908 | University of South Africa | Social Psychology | Rank 360 | |
| 63 | 18,003 | The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research | Polymers | Rank 127 | |
| 64 | 18,041 | South African Medical Research Council | General & Internal Medicine | Rank 265 | |
| 65 | 18,896 | Stellenbosch University | Ecology | Rank 410 | |
| 66 | 19,162 | Centre for the AIDS Programme of Research in South Africa | Virology | Rank 42 | |
| 67 | 19,216 |
GL
|
University of Cape Town | Health Policy & Services | Rank 31 |
| 68 | 19,248 | University of the Free State | Business & Management | Rank 556 | |
| 69 | 19,602 | University of Fort Hare | Microbiology | Rank 361 | |
| 70 | 20,252 | University of KwaZulu-Natal | Evolutionary Biology | Rank 131 | |
| 71 | 20,346 | University of Cape Town | Virology | Rank 46 | |
| 72 | 20,448 | Groote Schuur Hospital | Dermatology & Venereal Diseases | Rank 64 | |
| 73 | 20,886 | University of KwaZulu-Natal | Organic Chemistry | Rank 245 | |
| 74 | 21,634 | University of the Western Cape | Nuclear & Particle Physics | Rank 276 | |
| 75 | 21,792 | Stellenbosch University | Agronomy & Agriculture | Rank 149 | |
| 76 | 22,616 | University of Cape Town | Cardiovascular System & Hematology | Rank 663 | |
| 77 | 22,735 |
DK
|
University of Cape Town | Bioinformatics | Rank 66 |
| 78 | 22,837 | University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg | Public Health | Rank 225 | |
| 79 | 22,931 | University of KwaZulu-Natal | Plant Biology & Botany | Rank 308 | |
| 80 | 23,255 | University of Pretoria | Microbiology | Rank 431 | |
| 81 | 23,375 | University of Johannesburg | Food Science | Rank 221 | |
| 82 | 23,435 | Rhodes University | Inorganic & Nuclear Chemistry | Rank 62 | |
| 83 | 23,550 | Stellenbosch University | Food Science | Rank 226 | |
| 84 | 23,839 | Stellenbosch University | Geochemistry & Geophysics | Rank 344 | |
| 85 | 23,858 | University of Johannesburg | Plant Biology & Botany | Rank 323 | |
| 86 | 24,174 | University of Pretoria | Entomology | Rank 28 | |
| 87 | 24,605 | University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg | Energy | Rank 656 | |
| 88 | 25,340 | University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg | Neurology & Neurosurgery | Rank 1,168 | |
| 89 | 25,674 |
MJ
|
Stellenbosch University | Mechanical Engineering & Transports | Rank 254 |
| 90 | 25,880 | Vaal University of Technology | Energy | Rank 697 | |
| 91 | 25,930 | University of South Africa | Environmental Sciences | Rank 558 | |
| 92 | 26,567 | North-West University | Astronomy & Astrophysics | Rank 316 | |
| 93 | 27,000 | University of the Free State | Urban & Regional Planning | Rank 90 | |
| 94 | 27,080 | University of KwaZulu-Natal | Agronomy & Agriculture | Rank 191 | |
| 95 | 27,485 | University of Cape Town | Experimental Psychology | Rank 370 | |
| 96 | 27,685 | University of KwaZulu-Natal | Chemical Engineering | Rank 183 | |
| 97 | 28,010 | University of Pretoria | Business & Management | Rank 771 | |
| 98 | 28,314 | South African Medical Research Council | General & Internal Medicine | Rank 406 | |
| 99 | 28,634 | University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg | Ecology | Rank 563 | |
| 100 | 29,193 | University of Johannesburg | Geochemistry & Geophysics | Rank 439 | |
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See all 975 scientists in South Africa
You are seeing the first 100. 875 more are on the 2025 single-year list.
Countries with a similar count
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Frequently asked questions
How many scientists from South Africa are in the 2025 Stanford Top 2% list?
975 scientists affiliated with South Africa are on the 2025 single-year list, and 896 are on the career-long list.
Which institute in South Africa has the most Top 2% scientists?
On the 2025 single-year list, University of Cape Town has the most listed scientists from South Africa, with 121. It is followed by University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg with 99.
How has the number of Top 2% scientists in South Africa changed since 2020?
On the single-year list, South Africa went from 589 scientists in 2020 to 975 in 2025, a change of +65.5%.
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.