South Africa's Top 2% Scientists 2023: Career-Long List
South Africa has 775 scientists on the 2023 career-long Top 2% list, up 8.7% from 713 in 2022. That places South Africa 32nd in the world by number of listed scientists, up 1 place. University of Cape Town has the most listed scientists (131), followed by University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg (80).
Scientists in South Africa on the list, by year
The career-long count has grown 45% 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 Town131
- 2University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg80
- 3Stellenbosch University72
- 4University of Pretoria68
- 5University of Johannesburg54
- 6University of KwaZulu-Natal48
- 7Faculty of Health Sciences20
- 8North-West University20
- 9University of the Free State20
- 10University of the Witwatersrand Faculty of Health Sciences18
All 775 scientists
| Rank in South Africa | World rank | Scientist | Institute | Sub-field | Rank in sub-field |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 176 | University of Cape Town | General & Internal Medicine | Rank 9 | |
| 2 | 191 | University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg | Organic Chemistry | Rank 2 | |
| 3 | 600 | University of Pretoria | Evolutionary Biology | Rank 7 | |
| 4 | 786 | University of Cape Town | Psychiatry | Rank 27 | |
| 5 | 1,024 | University of Johannesburg | Oncology & Carcinogenesis | Rank 40 | |
| 6 | 2,098 | Cape Peninsula University of Technology | Sport Sciences | Rank 2 | |
| 7 | 2,563 | University of Cape Town | Ecology | Rank 50 | |
| 8 | 2,887 | Stellenbosch University | Ecology | Rank 59 | |
| 9 | 4,791 | Groote Schuur Hospital | Cardiovascular System & Hematology | Rank 241 | |
| 10 | 5,620 | University of the Free State | Applied Mathematics | Rank 18 | |
| 11 | 5,908 | The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research | Polymers | Rank 47 | |
| 12 | 5,984 | University of Johannesburg | Environmental Sciences | Rank 29 | |
| 13 | 6,007 | Faculty of Health Sciences | Biochemistry & Molecular Biology | Rank 300 | |
| 14 | 6,306 |
JR
|
South African Medical Research Council | Public Health | Rank 51 |
| 15 | 8,001 | University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg | Organic Chemistry | Rank 167 | |
| 16 | 8,199 | Stellenbosch University | Mechanical Engineering & Transports | Rank 52 | |
| 17 | 8,615 | University of the Western Cape | Nuclear & Particle Physics | Rank 118 | |
| 18 | 9,979 | University of Cape Town | Nuclear & Particle Physics | Rank 147 | |
| 19 | 10,231 | University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg | General & Internal Medicine | Rank 173 | |
| 20 | 10,370 | Stellenbosch University | Organic Chemistry | Rank 228 | |
| 21 | 10,407 |
KM
|
Groote Schuur Hospital | Gastroenterology & Hepatology | Rank 183 |
| 22 | 10,478 | University of Johannesburg | Education | Rank 38 | |
| 23 | 10,656 |
LS
|
Faculty of Health Sciences | Microbiology | Rank 254 |
| 24 | 10,722 | North-West University | Social Psychology | Rank 139 | |
| 25 | 10,815 | University of Cape Town | Allergy | Rank 35 | |
| 26 | 11,195 | School of Pathology | Arthritis & Rheumatology | Rank 102 | |
| 27 | 11,561 | University of Johannesburg | Education | Rank 45 | |
| 28 | 12,419 | Rhodes University | Inorganic & Nuclear Chemistry | Rank 67 | |
| 29 | 12,747 | University of KwaZulu-Natal | Evolutionary Biology | Rank 157 | |
| 30 | 12,887 | Nelson Mandela University | Ecology | Rank 233 | |
| 31 | 12,918 | University of Cape Town | Marine Biology & Hydrobiology | Rank 65 | |
| 32 | 13,842 | Stellenbosch University | Artificial Intelligence & Image Processing | Rank 271 | |
| 33 | 13,879 | University of Pretoria | Medicinal & Biomolecular Chemistry | Rank 44 | |
| 34 | 15,093 | University of Cape Town | Psychiatry | Rank 408 | |
| 35 | 15,560 | University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg | Geology | Rank 15 | |
| 36 | 15,881 | University of KwaZulu-Natal | Plant Biology & Botany | Rank 162 | |
| 37 | 15,991 |
DW
|
Nelson Mandela University | Geology | Rank 16 |
| 38 | 16,137 | University of South Africa | Energy | Rank 157 | |
| 39 | 16,535 | University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg | Ecology | Rank 292 | |
| 40 | 16,853 |
GL
|
University of Cape Town | Health Policy & Services | Rank 40 |
| 41 | 17,466 | University of the Free State | Geochemistry & Geophysics | Rank 266 | |
| 42 | 18,605 | University of Johannesburg | Sport, Leisure & Tourism | Rank 22 | |
| 43 | 18,820 | University of Pretoria | Endocrinology & Metabolism | Rank 502 | |
| 44 | 18,893 | University of the Western Cape | Genetics & Heredity | Rank 92 | |
| 45 | 19,388 | University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg | Ecology | Rank 341 | |
| 46 | 19,941 | College of Business and Economics | Geography | Rank 52 | |
| 47 | 20,585 | University of Cape Town | Cardiovascular System & Hematology | Rank 874 | |
| 48 | 20,930 | University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg | Geography | Rank 55 | |
| 49 | 21,251 | Stellenbosch University | Geochemistry & Geophysics | Rank 340 | |
| 50 | 21,432 | University of Cape Town | Respiratory System | Rank 206 | |
| 51 | 21,805 | University of Pretoria | Plant Biology & Botany | Rank 242 | |
| 52 | 21,817 | University of Cape Town | Cardiovascular System & Hematology | Rank 926 | |
| 53 | 21,881 | Stellenbosch University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences | Psychiatry | Rank 556 | |
| 54 | 22,024 | Stellenbosch University | Food Science | Rank 76 | |
| 55 | 22,813 | South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity | Marine Biology & Hydrobiology | Rank 162 | |
| 56 | 23,040 | University of KwaZulu-Natal | Ecology | Rank 388 | |
| 57 | 23,798 | Stellenbosch University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences | Microbiology | Rank 590 | |
| 58 | 24,179 | Rhodes University | Ecology | Rank 412 | |
| 59 | 24,215 | The Aurum Institute | Microbiology | Rank 606 | |
| 60 | 24,535 | Stellenbosch University | Ecology | Rank 420 | |
| 61 | 25,569 | Nelson Mandela University | Paleontology | Rank 64 | |
| 62 | 25,580 |
ZH
|
University of Cape Town | Respiratory System | Rank 252 |
| 63 | 25,762 | University of Pretoria | Microbiology | Rank 644 | |
| 64 | 26,180 | Stellenbosch University | Obstetrics & Reproductive Medicine | Rank 209 | |
| 65 | 26,691 | University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg | Electrical & Electronic Engineering | Rank 61 | |
| 66 | 26,939 | University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg | Anthropology | Rank 18 | |
| 67 | 27,477 | South African Medical Research Council | Food Science | Rank 108 | |
| 68 | 27,766 |
WR
|
Durban University of Technology | Virology | Rank 191 |
| 69 | 28,071 | University of Cape Town | Economics | Rank 232 | |
| 70 | 28,867 |
DM
|
University of Cape Town | Physical Chemistry | Rank 103 |
| 71 | 30,557 | Stellenbosch University | Ecology | Rank 535 | |
| 72 | 30,671 | University of Cape Town | Oceanography | Rank 31 | |
| 73 | 31,124 | Stellenbosch University | Psychiatry | Rank 705 | |
| 74 | 31,313 |
KJ
|
University of Johannesburg | Geochemistry & Geophysics | Rank 516 |
| 75 | 32,481 |
SK
|
Groote Schuur Hospital | Cardiovascular System & Hematology | Rank 1,315 |
| 76 | 32,673 | University of Cape Town | Virology | Rank 230 | |
| 77 | 32,911 |
WL
|
University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg | Archaeology | Rank 20 |
| 78 | 33,341 | University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg | Artificial Intelligence & Image Processing | Rank 669 | |
| 79 | 33,354 | Stellenbosch University | Plant Biology & Botany | Rank 402 | |
| 80 | 34,067 |
BT
|
University of Johannesburg | Sport, Leisure & Tourism | Rank 38 |
| 81 | 34,592 |
GB
|
University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg | Industrial Engineering & Automation | Rank 270 |
| 82 | 34,877 | University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg | General & Internal Medicine | Rank 471 | |
| 83 | 35,238 | University of Johannesburg | Geology | Rank 38 | |
| 84 | 35,339 | Faculty of Health Sciences | Substance Abuse | Rank 104 | |
| 85 | 35,712 | Bone Research Laboratory | Dentistry | Rank 167 | |
| 86 | 35,726 |
CJ
|
University of Cape Town | Nuclear & Particle Physics | Rank 542 |
| 87 | 36,785 | University of the Western Cape | Business & Management | Rank 355 | |
| 88 | 37,016 |
NM
|
University of Cape Town | Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences | Rank 541 |
| 89 | 37,629 |
TI
|
Human Sciences Research Council of South Africa | Urban & Regional Planning | Rank 39 |
| 90 | 38,147 | University of the Witwatersrand Faculty of Health Sciences | Microbiology | Rank 963 | |
| 91 | 38,817 | Iziko South African Museum | Paleontology | Rank 117 | |
| 92 | 38,819 | University of KwaZulu-Natal, Faculty of Health Sciences | Medicinal & Biomolecular Chemistry | Rank 110 | |
| 93 | 39,143 | University of Pretoria | Entomology | Rank 60 | |
| 94 | 39,187 | University of KwaZulu-Natal | Chemical Engineering | Rank 144 | |
| 95 | 39,404 | North-West University | Energy | Rank 435 | |
| 96 | 39,823 | Africa Health Research Institute | Virology | Rank 286 | |
| 97 | 39,824 | University of Cape Town | Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences | Rank 585 | |
| 98 | 39,940 | University of Cape Town | General & Internal Medicine | Rank 533 | |
| 99 | 40,797 | University of Cape Town | Psychiatry | Rank 866 | |
| 100 | 40,957 | University of KwaZulu-Natal | Oceanography | Rank 55 | |
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See all 775 scientists in South Africa
You are seeing the first 100. 675 more are on the 2023 career-long list.
Countries with a similar count
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Frequently asked questions
How many scientists from South Africa are in the 2023 Stanford Top 2% list?
855 scientists affiliated with South Africa are on the 2023 single-year list, and 775 are on the career-long list.
Which institute in South Africa has the most Top 2% scientists?
On the 2023 career-long list, University of Cape Town has the most listed scientists from South Africa, with 131. It is followed by University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg with 80.
How has the number of Top 2% scientists in South Africa changed since 2020?
On the career-long list, South Africa went from 536 scientists in 2020 to 775 in 2023, a change of +44.6%.
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.