South Africa's Top 2% Scientists 2024: Career-Long List
South Africa has 826 scientists on the 2024 career-long Top 2% list, up 6.6% from 775 in 2023. That places South Africa 33rd in the world by number of listed scientists, down 1 place. University of Cape Town has the most listed scientists (158), followed by University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg (117).
Scientists in South Africa on the list, by year
The career-long count has grown 54% 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 Town158
- 2University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg117
- 3Stellenbosch University98
- 4University of Pretoria84
- 5University of KwaZulu-Natal63
- 6University of Johannesburg58
- 7North-West University23
- 8University of the Free State23
- 9University of South Africa18
- 10University of the Western Cape17
All 826 scientists
| Rank in South Africa | World rank | Scientist | Institute | Sub-field | Rank in sub-field |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 189 | University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg | Organic Chemistry | Rank 2 | |
| 2 | 623 | University of Pretoria | Evolutionary Biology | Rank 7 | |
| 3 | 699 | University of Cape Town | Psychiatry | Rank 25 | |
| 4 | 723 | University of Johannesburg | Oncology & Carcinogenesis | Rank 28 | |
| 5 | 2,211 | Cape Peninsula University of Technology | Sport Sciences | Rank 2 | |
| 6 | 2,511 | University of Cape Town | Ecology | Rank 52 | |
| 7 | 2,636 | Stellenbosch University | Ecology | Rank 56 | |
| 8 | 3,404 | University of Johannesburg | Environmental Sciences | Rank 16 | |
| 9 | 3,985 | University of the Free State | Applied Mathematics | Rank 16 | |
| 10 | 5,139 | University of Cape Town | Cardiovascular System & Hematology | Rank 259 | |
| 11 | 5,352 | The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research | Polymers | Rank 37 | |
| 12 | 6,014 | South African Medical Research Council | Public Health | Rank 48 | |
| 13 | 6,219 | University of Pretoria | Biochemistry & Molecular Biology | Rank 291 | |
| 14 | 6,892 | Stellenbosch University | Mechanical Engineering & Transports | Rank 41 | |
| 15 | 8,413 | University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg | Organic Chemistry | Rank 174 | |
| 16 | 8,798 | University of the Western Cape | Nuclear & Particle Physics | Rank 119 | |
| 17 | 9,659 | University of Johannesburg | Education | Rank 40 | |
| 18 | 9,861 | University of the Free State | Public Health | Rank 85 | |
| 19 | 10,051 | University of Cape Town | Nuclear & Particle Physics | Rank 140 | |
| 20 | 10,144 | University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg | General & Internal Medicine | Rank 165 | |
| 21 | 10,451 |
KM
|
University of Cape Town | Gastroenterology & Hepatology | Rank 181 |
| 22 | 10,511 | University of Cape Town | Marine Biology & Hydrobiology | Rank 50 | |
| 23 | 10,749 | Stellenbosch University | Organic Chemistry | Rank 229 | |
| 24 | 12,044 | School of Pathology | Arthritis & Rheumatology | Rank 113 | |
| 25 | 12,550 | University of KwaZulu-Natal | Evolutionary Biology | Rank 154 | |
| 26 | 12,565 | Rhodes University | Inorganic & Nuclear Chemistry | Rank 64 | |
| 27 | 12,594 |
EJ
|
University of Pretoria | Medicinal & Biomolecular Chemistry | Rank 41 |
| 28 | 12,734 | Stellenbosch University | Political Science & Public Administration | Rank 34 | |
| 29 | 13,016 | University of Johannesburg | Chemical Physics | Rank 304 | |
| 30 | 13,251 | Nelson Mandela University | Ecology | Rank 245 | |
| 31 | 13,336 | Stellenbosch University | Artificial Intelligence & Image Processing | Rank 279 | |
| 32 | 13,788 | University of South Africa | Energy | Rank 140 | |
| 33 | 13,973 | South African Radio Astronomy Observatory | Astronomy & Astrophysics | Rank 108 | |
| 34 | 14,904 | University of KwaZulu-Natal | Organic Chemistry | Rank 323 | |
| 35 | 15,238 | University of the Free State | Geochemistry & Geophysics | Rank 232 | |
| 36 | 15,249 | University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg | Geology | Rank 16 | |
| 37 | 15,331 | University of KwaZulu-Natal | Plant Biology & Botany | Rank 153 | |
| 38 | 15,474 | University of Johannesburg | Sport, Leisure & Tourism | Rank 19 | |
| 39 | 15,731 |
GL
|
University of Cape Town | Health Policy & Services | Rank 34 |
| 40 | 16,074 | Nelson Mandela University | Geology | Rank 18 | |
| 41 | 16,467 | University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg | Ecology | Rank 299 | |
| 42 | 16,991 | University of KwaZulu-Natal | Virology | Rank 117 | |
| 43 | 17,164 | University of Johannesburg | Geography | Rank 46 | |
| 44 | 17,198 | University of Cape Town | General & Internal Medicine | Rank 253 | |
| 45 | 18,651 | Stellenbosch University | Psychiatry | Rank 489 | |
| 46 | 18,969 | University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg | Ecology | Rank 342 | |
| 47 | 19,199 | University of Cape Town | Cardiovascular System & Hematology | Rank 832 | |
| 48 | 19,207 | University of Pretoria | Plant Biology & Botany | Rank 204 | |
| 49 | 19,359 | University of Pretoria | Endocrinology & Metabolism | Rank 505 | |
| 50 | 19,973 | University of Cape Town | Genetics & Heredity | Rank 106 | |
| 51 | 20,042 | University of Johannesburg | Applied Physics | Rank 487 | |
| 52 | 20,857 | South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity | Marine Biology & Hydrobiology | Rank 137 | |
| 53 | 20,873 | Stellenbosch University | Geochemistry & Geophysics | Rank 330 | |
| 54 | 20,886 | University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg | Geography | Rank 57 | |
| 55 | 21,807 | Rhodes University | Ecology | Rank 384 | |
| 56 | 22,445 | University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg | Anthropology | Rank 12 | |
| 57 | 22,791 | University of KwaZulu-Natal | Ecology | Rank 404 | |
| 58 | 22,808 | University of Cape Town | Respiratory System | Rank 220 | |
| 59 | 23,018 | Stellenbosch University | Food Science | Rank 88 | |
| 60 | 23,056 | University of Cape Town | Astronomy & Astrophysics | Rank 225 | |
| 61 | 23,471 | Groote Schuur Hospital | Respiratory System | Rank 226 | |
| 62 | 23,536 | Stellenbosch University | Ecology | Rank 412 | |
| 63 | 23,979 | University of Pretoria | Microbiology | Rank 597 | |
| 64 | 24,172 | Stellenbosch University | Microbiology | Rank 602 | |
| 65 | 24,726 | University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg | Electrical & Electronic Engineering | Rank 60 | |
| 66 | 25,051 | The Aurum Institute | Microbiology | Rank 621 | |
| 67 | 27,529 | Stellenbosch University | Obstetrics & Reproductive Medicine | Rank 218 | |
| 68 | 27,542 | University of Cape Town | Economics | Rank 241 | |
| 69 | 27,633 | South African Medical Research Council | Food Science | Rank 112 | |
| 70 | 27,650 | University of Johannesburg | Economics | Rank 244 | |
| 71 | 28,351 | Stellenbosch Institute for Advanced Study | Evolutionary Biology | Rank 268 | |
| 72 | 28,570 |
SK
|
University of Cape Town | Cardiovascular System & Hematology | Rank 1,165 |
| 73 | 28,824 |
WR
|
University of Cape Town | Virology | Rank 196 |
| 74 | 29,518 |
DM
|
University of Cape Town | Physical Chemistry | Rank 108 |
| 75 | 29,713 | Stellenbosch Institute for Advanced Study | Biochemistry & Molecular Biology | Rank 1,282 | |
| 76 | 30,096 | Stellenbosch University | Ecology | Rank 536 | |
| 77 | 30,398 |
BT
|
University of Strathclyde | Sport, Leisure & Tourism | Rank 40 |
| 78 | 30,656 | University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg | Artificial Intelligence & Image Processing | Rank 642 | |
| 79 | 30,660 | University of Cape Town | Virology | Rank 213 | |
| 80 | 31,295 | University of Cape Town | Oceanography | Rank 30 | |
| 81 | 31,619 | University of Johannesburg | Geochemistry & Geophysics | Rank 522 | |
| 82 | 31,918 |
ER
|
Stellenbosch University | Psychiatry | Rank 715 |
| 83 | 32,162 | Ithemba Laboratory for Accelerator-Based Sciences | Polymers | Rank 285 | |
| 84 | 32,289 |
WL
|
University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg | Archaeology | Rank 21 |
| 85 | 32,942 | Stellenbosch University | Plant Biology & Botany | Rank 395 | |
| 86 | 33,577 | University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg | Microbiology | Rank 854 | |
| 87 | 34,879 | University of KwaZulu-Natal | Chemical Engineering | Rank 129 | |
| 88 | 34,940 | University of Cape Town | Nuclear & Particle Physics | Rank 509 | |
| 89 | 35,196 |
TI
|
Human Sciences Research Council of South Africa | Urban & Regional Planning | Rank 39 |
| 90 | 35,810 | University of the Western Cape | Business & Management | Rank 367 | |
| 91 | 35,884 | South African Medical Research Council | General & Internal Medicine | Rank 491 | |
| 92 | 36,004 |
BN
|
University of Johannesburg | Geology | Rank 42 |
| 93 | 36,561 |
NM
|
University of Cape Town | Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences | Rank 543 |
| 94 | 36,868 | North-West University | Microbiology | Rank 931 | |
| 95 | 36,931 | University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg | General & Internal Medicine | Rank 504 | |
| 96 | 37,237 | University of Cape Town | Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences | Rank 556 | |
| 97 | 37,796 | University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg | Dentistry | Rank 180 | |
| 98 | 38,208 | University of Pretoria | Entomology | Rank 60 | |
| 99 | 38,476 | University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg | Cardiovascular System & Hematology | Rank 1,513 | |
| 100 | 38,843 | University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg | Public Health | Rank 370 | |
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See all 826 scientists in South Africa
You are seeing the first 100. 726 more are on the 2024 career-long list.
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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 career-long list, University of Cape Town has the most listed scientists from South Africa, with 158. It is followed by University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg with 117.
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 826 in 2024, a change of +54.1%.
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.