South Africa's Top 2% Scientists 2024
South Africa has 901 scientists on the 2024 single-year Top 2% list, up 5.4% from 855 in 2023. That places South Africa 34th in the world by number of listed scientists, down 1 place. University of Cape Town has the most listed scientists (139), followed by University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg (118).
Scientists in South Africa on the list, by year
The single-year count has grown 53% 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 Town139
- 2University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg118
- 3Stellenbosch University102
- 4University of Pretoria91
- 5University of Johannesburg87
- 6University of KwaZulu-Natal79
- 7University of South Africa34
- 8University of the Free State29
- 9North-West University28
- 10University of the Western Cape21
All 901 scientists
| Rank in South Africa | World rank | Scientist | Institute | Sub-field | Rank in sub-field |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 101 | University of Johannesburg | Oncology & Carcinogenesis | Rank 4 | |
| 2 | 162 | University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg | Organic Chemistry | Rank 1 | |
| 3 | 391 | University of the Free State | Applied Mathematics | Rank 2 | |
| 4 | 494 | University of Cape Town | Psychiatry | Rank 13 | |
| 5 | 613 | University of Johannesburg | Environmental Sciences | Rank 10 | |
| 6 | 1,286 | University of Johannesburg | Economics | Rank 33 | |
| 7 | 1,786 | Stellenbosch University | Ecology | Rank 51 | |
| 8 | 1,927 | University of Cape Town | Ecology | Rank 58 | |
| 9 | 1,972 | North-West University | Microbiology | Rank 33 | |
| 10 | 2,142 | University of Pretoria | Evolutionary Biology | Rank 15 | |
| 11 | 2,485 | Stellenbosch University | Mechanical Engineering & Transports | Rank 24 | |
| 12 | 2,731 | Ithemba Laboratory for Accelerator-Based Sciences | Polymers | Rank 13 | |
| 13 | 3,085 | University of Cape Town | Marine Biology & Hydrobiology | Rank 9 | |
| 14 | 4,372 | The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research | Polymers | Rank 21 | |
| 15 | 4,704 | University of Johannesburg | Education | Rank 49 | |
| 16 | 4,806 | University of the Free State | Public Health | Rank 47 | |
| 17 | 4,833 | University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg | Anthropology | Rank 3 | |
| 18 | 4,912 | Stellenbosch University | Materials | Rank 83 | |
| 19 | 5,041 | South African Medical Research Council | Public Health | Rank 51 | |
| 20 | 5,259 | University of the Free State | Geochemistry & Geophysics | Rank 63 | |
| 21 | 5,337 | University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg | Optics | Rank 28 | |
| 22 | 5,421 | University of South Africa | Economics | Rank 121 | |
| 23 | 5,429 | Stellenbosch University | Psychiatry | Rank 133 | |
| 24 | 6,311 | University of Johannesburg | Sport, Leisure & Tourism | Rank 31 | |
| 25 | 6,648 |
EJ
|
University of Pretoria | Medicinal & Biomolecular Chemistry | Rank 20 |
| 26 | 7,051 | University of South Africa | Energy | Rank 166 | |
| 27 | 7,444 | South African Medical Research Council | General & Internal Medicine | Rank 138 | |
| 28 | 7,569 | University of Fort Hare | Polymers | Rank 45 | |
| 29 | 7,679 | University of Johannesburg | Chemical Physics | Rank 130 | |
| 30 | 7,947 | University of South Africa | Applied Mathematics | Rank 28 | |
| 31 | 8,460 | University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg | Artificial Intelligence & Image Processing | Rank 393 | |
| 32 | 8,582 |
SK
|
University of Cape Town | Cardiovascular System & Hematology | Rank 267 |
| 33 | 8,603 | University of Pretoria | Economics | Rank 170 | |
| 34 | 9,163 | Stellenbosch University | Cardiovascular System & Hematology | Rank 295 | |
| 35 | 9,505 |
BT
|
University of Strathclyde | Sport, Leisure & Tourism | Rank 45 |
| 36 | 9,611 | University of Johannesburg | Ecology | Rank 232 | |
| 37 | 10,248 | University of KwaZulu-Natal | Virology | Rank 31 | |
| 38 | 10,524 | University of Cape Town | Urban & Regional Planning | Rank 29 | |
| 39 | 10,586 | University of Cape Town | Respiratory System | Rank 54 | |
| 40 | 10,619 | University of Pretoria | Energy | Rank 260 | |
| 41 | 10,807 | University of Pretoria | Plant Biology & Botany | Rank 136 | |
| 42 | 11,853 | South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity | Marine Biology & Hydrobiology | Rank 50 | |
| 43 | 12,156 | Rhodes University | Ecology | Rank 280 | |
| 44 | 12,214 | University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg | Microbiology | Rank 236 | |
| 45 | 12,303 | University of Cape Town | Cardiovascular System & Hematology | Rank 397 | |
| 46 | 12,570 | University of Johannesburg | Geography | Rank 61 | |
| 47 | 13,277 | Stellenbosch University | Artificial Intelligence & Image Processing | Rank 581 | |
| 48 | 13,492 | University of Cape Town | Nuclear & Particle Physics | Rank 145 | |
| 49 | 13,541 | University of Johannesburg | Sport, Leisure & Tourism | Rank 59 | |
| 50 | 13,888 | North-West University | Artificial Intelligence & Image Processing | Rank 607 | |
| 51 | 14,656 | Cape Peninsula University of Technology | Sport Sciences | Rank 54 | |
| 52 | 14,815 | University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg | Ecology | Rank 334 | |
| 53 | 15,079 | University of Cape Town | Virology | Rank 47 | |
| 54 | 15,126 |
GL
|
University of Cape Town | Health Policy & Services | Rank 27 |
| 55 | 15,181 | Walter Sisulu University | Environmental Sciences | Rank 294 | |
| 56 | 15,390 | University of Johannesburg | Ecology | Rank 343 | |
| 57 | 15,772 | The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research | Polymers | Rank 105 | |
| 58 | 16,737 | University of Johannesburg | Environmental Engineering | Rank 78 | |
| 59 | 17,067 | University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg | Cardiovascular System & Hematology | Rank 529 | |
| 60 | 17,391 | University of Johannesburg | Dermatology & Venereal Diseases | Rank 51 | |
| 61 | 17,681 |
MM
|
University of South Africa | Applied Physics | Rank 343 |
| 62 | 17,743 | University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg | Electrical & Electronic Engineering | Rank 66 | |
| 63 | 17,922 | University of KwaZulu-Natal | Evolutionary Biology | Rank 135 | |
| 64 | 18,290 | Stellenbosch University | Food Science | Rank 148 | |
| 65 | 18,400 | Stellenbosch University | Geochemistry & Geophysics | Rank 255 | |
| 66 | 18,517 | University of KwaZulu-Natal | Organic Chemistry | Rank 220 | |
| 67 | 18,662 | University of Fort Hare | Pharmacology & Pharmacy | Rank 94 | |
| 68 | 18,801 | South African Radio Astronomy Observatory | Astronomy & Astrophysics | Rank 150 | |
| 69 | 18,894 | Stellenbosch University | Microbiology | Rank 387 | |
| 70 | 19,130 | University of Johannesburg | Sport, Leisure & Tourism | Rank 95 | |
| 71 | 19,328 | University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg | Ecology | Rank 421 | |
| 72 | 19,455 | Desmond Tutu Health Foundation | Virology | Rank 55 | |
| 73 | 19,551 | University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg | Organic Chemistry | Rank 234 | |
| 74 | 19,830 | University of Cape Town | Dermatology & Venereal Diseases | Rank 60 | |
| 75 | 19,870 | University of KwaZulu-Natal | Plant Biology & Botany | Rank 272 | |
| 76 | 19,957 |
BT
|
University of Cape Town | Business & Management | Rank 570 |
| 77 | 20,293 |
CC
|
Stellenbosch University | Agronomy & Agriculture | Rank 132 |
| 78 | 20,510 | North-West University | Inorganic & Nuclear Chemistry | Rank 59 | |
| 79 | 22,243 | University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg | Accounting | Rank 53 | |
| 80 | 22,298 | Stellenbosch University | Ecology | Rank 477 | |
| 81 | 22,555 | University of Johannesburg | Plant Biology & Botany | Rank 311 | |
| 82 | 22,642 | University of Fort Hare | Microbiology | Rank 470 | |
| 83 | 22,738 | Rhodes University | Inorganic & Nuclear Chemistry | Rank 68 | |
| 84 | 23,035 | University of the Free State | Mechanical Engineering & Transports | Rank 229 | |
| 85 | 23,042 | University of Pretoria | Economics | Rank 366 | |
| 86 | 23,079 | University of Pretoria | Philosophy | Rank 37 | |
| 87 | 23,351 |
TI
|
Human Sciences Research Council of South Africa | Urban & Regional Planning | Rank 76 |
| 88 | 23,397 | University of Cape Town | Development Studies | Rank 26 | |
| 89 | 23,604 | University of Pretoria | Entomology | Rank 34 | |
| 90 | 24,145 |
HW
|
Stellenbosch University | Nuclear & Particle Physics | Rank 277 |
| 91 | 25,144 | University of the Western Cape | Nuclear & Particle Physics | Rank 288 | |
| 92 | 25,462 | University of South Africa | Political Science & Public Administration | Rank 197 | |
| 93 | 25,564 | Stellenbosch University | Political Science & Public Administration | Rank 199 | |
| 94 | 25,610 | University of South Africa | Applied Physics | Rank 496 | |
| 95 | 25,645 | Stellenbosch University | Mechanical Engineering & Transports | Rank 254 | |
| 96 | 26,404 | University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg | Energy | Rank 661 | |
| 97 | 26,410 | University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg | General & Internal Medicine | Rank 384 | |
| 98 | 26,927 | University of KwaZulu-Natal | Chemical Engineering | Rank 166 | |
| 99 | 27,992 | University of Pretoria | Business & Management | Rank 758 | |
| 100 | 28,080 | University of Johannesburg | Materials | Rank 503 | |
| No scientists match this filter. | |||||
See all 901 scientists in South Africa
You are seeing the first 100. 801 more are on the 2024 single-year list.
Countries with a similar count
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Frequently asked questions
How many scientists from South Africa are in the 2024 Stanford Top 2% list?
901 scientists affiliated with South Africa are on the 2024 single-year list, and 826 are on the career-long list.
Which institute in South Africa has the most Top 2% scientists?
On the 2024 single-year list, University of Cape Town has the most listed scientists from South Africa, with 139. It is followed by University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg with 118.
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 901 in 2024, a change of +53.0%.
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.