Switzerland's Top 2% Scientists 2026: Career-Long List

Switzerland has 3,759 scientists on the 2026 career-long Top 2% list, up 2.7% from 3,659 in 2025. That places Switzerland 13th in the world by number of listed scientists, down 1 place. ETH Zürich has the most listed scientists (553), followed by Universität Zürich (324).

Single Year

3,595

+46 (+1.3%) vs 2025

Career Data

3,759

+100 (+2.7%) vs 2025

World rank by count

#13

down 1 place vs 2025

Institutes

591

+19 (+3.3%) vs 2025

Scientists in Switzerland on the list, by year

The career-long count has grown 48% since 2020.

Career-long list, change on the previous year

2021+16.8%

2022+5.6%

2023+3.8%

2024+5.2%

2025+6.6%

2026+2.7%

Show the numbers

Year	Single Year	Change	Career Data	Change
2020	2,622		2,546
2021	3,016	+15.0%	2,974	+16.8%
2022	3,233	+7.2%	3,141	+5.6%
2023	3,311	+2.4%	3,261	+3.8%
2024	3,404	+2.8%	3,431	+5.2%
2025	3,549	+4.3%	3,659	+6.6%
2026	3,595	+1.3%	3,759	+2.7%

Top 10 institutes in Switzerland

By number of listed scientists

Career-long list2026

Show the list

1ETH Zürich553
2Universität Zürich324
3École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne277
4Université de Genève194
5University of Bern176
6Universität Basel151
7Université de Lausanne (UNIL)115
8Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois101
9Organisation Mondiale de la Santé89
10UniversitatsSpital Zurich87

All 3,759 scientists

Career-long list2026

Showing the 2026 career-long list. Looking for single-year rankings? See the single-year list

The first 100 are free to browse.

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Rank in Switzerland	World rank	Scientist	Institute	Sub-field	Rank in sub-field
1	2	GM Grätzel, Michael	École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne	Nanoscience & Nanotechnology	Rank 2
2	82	HD Hanahan, Douglas A.	Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research Lausanne	Oncology & Carcinogenesis	Rank 4
3	106	LU Laemmli, Ulrich K.	Université de Genève	Developmental Biology	Rank 8
4	453	KC Kor̈ner, Christian	Universität Basel	Ecology	Rank 6
5	519	Szabo, Csaba S.	University of Fribourg	Pharmacology & Pharmacy	Rank 4
6	681	HD Helbing, Dirk	ETH Zürich	Fluids & Plasmas	Rank 6
7	704	AR Aebersold, Ruedi H.	ETH Zürich	Biochemistry & Molecular Biology	Rank 39
8	709	LT Lüscher, Thomas Felix	UniversitatsSpital Zurich	Cardiovascular System & Hematology	Rank 36
9	782	GN Gisin, Nicolas	Université de Genève	General Physics	Rank 3
10	808	AJ Auwerx, Johan H.	École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne	Developmental Biology	Rank 45
11	907	DB Delley, Bernard T.	Paul Scherrer Institut	Applied Physics	Rank 32
12	1,093	SD Seebach, Dieter	ETH Zürich	Organic Chemistry	Rank 30
13	1,188	SN Spaldin, Nicola A.	ETH Zürich	Applied Physics	Rank 42
14	1,259	NE Nigg, Erich A.	Biozentrum, Universität Basel	Developmental Biology	Rank 77
15	1,275	UM Unser, Michael A.	École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne	Artificial Intelligence & Image Processing	Rank 40
16	1,294	WM Weller, Michael	Universitätsspital Zürich, Klinik für Neurologie	Oncology & Carcinogenesis	Rank 51
17	1,343	FE Fehr, Ernst	Universität Zürich	Economics	Rank 12
18	1,393	CP Clavien, Pierre Alain	UniversitatsSpital Zurich	Surgery	Rank 3
19	1,524	EJ Ellis, John R.	Organisation Européenne pour la Recherche Nucléaire	Nuclear & Particle Physics	Rank 13
20	1,537	WK Wüthrich, Kurt A.	ETH Zürich	Biochemistry & Molecular Biology	Rank 67
21	1,580	PN Patrice, Nordmann L.	University of Fribourg	Microbiology	Rank 25
22	1,619	SK Scrivener, Karen Louise	École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne	Building & Construction	Rank 4
23	1,685	TJ Tschopp, Júrg	Université de Lausanne (UNIL)	Immunology	Rank 57
24	1,729	BM Büttiker, Markus	Université de Genève	Applied Physics	Rank 62
25	1,735	MS McLennan, Scott M.	ETH Zürich	Geochemistry & Geophysics	Rank 10
26	1,760	ZR Zinkernagel, Rolf Martin	UniversitatsSpital Zurich	Immunology	Rank 58
27	1,873	SM Siegrist, Michael	ETH Zürich	Food Science	Rank 6
28	1,884	VG Von Gunten, Urs	Eawag - Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology	Environmental Engineering	Rank 4
29	1,963	HA Helenius, Ari M.	ETH Zürich	Developmental Biology	Rank 113
30	1,987	EL Excoffier, Laurent	University of Bern	Evolutionary Biology	Rank 29
31	1,990	PJ Provis, John Lloyd	Paul Scherrer Institut	Building & Construction	Rank 5
32	2,011	PD Pittet, Didier	Hôpitaux Universitaires de Genève	Microbiology	Rank 32
33	2,059	DF Diederich, François	ETH Zürich	Organic Chemistry	Rank 54
34	2,101	LM Lüscher, Martin	University of Bern	Nuclear & Particle Physics	Rank 18
35	2,121	AC Akdiş, Cezmi A. A.	Swiss Institute of Allergy and Asthma Research	Allergy	Rank 6
36	2,183	AJ Angst, Jules	Universität Zürich	Psychiatry	Rank 75
37	2,211	FB Frey, Bruno S.	Universität Basel	Economics	Rank 20
38	2,231	NL Novotný, Lukas	ETH Zürich	Optics	Rank 12
39	2,334	BA Bairoch, Amos	SIB Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics	Developmental Biology	Rank 132
40	2,574	RJ Reubi, Jean Claude	University of Bern, Institute of Pathology	Nuclear Medicine & Medical Imaging	Rank 6
41	2,669	BA Baiker, Alfons	ETH Zürich	Physical Chemistry	Rank 13
42	2,739	VP Vuilleumier, Patrik O.	Université de Genève	Neurology & Neurosurgery	Rank 246
43	2,750	PT Perneger, Thomas V.	Université de Genève Faculté de Médecine	General & Internal Medicine	Rank 61
44	2,855	FR Frackowiak, RSJ	École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne	Neurology & Neurosurgery	Rank 254
45	3,069	SF Sallusto, Federica	ETH Zürich	Immunology	Rank 106
46	3,181	SM Schwab, Martin Ernst	Universität Zürich	Neurology & Neurosurgery	Rank 277
47	3,183	KJ Kolar, Johann Walter	ETH Zürich	Electrical & Electronic Engineering	Rank 8
48	3,214	BM Baggiolini, Marco	Wander Ltd.	Immunology	Rank 116
49	3,245	PJ Pérez-Ramírez, Javier	NCCR Catalysis	Organic Chemistry	Rank 81
50	3,257	MF Messerli, Franz H.	Kantonsspital Luzern	Cardiovascular System & Hematology	Rank 154
51	3,415	DV Dietz, Volkmar	Uniklinik Balgrist	Neurology & Neurosurgery	Rank 289
52	3,432	BA Borbély, Alexander A.	Universität Zürich	Neurology & Neurosurgery	Rank 290
53	3,471	LN Lang, Niklaus Peter	University Hospital Bern	Dentistry	Rank 5
54	3,552	SB Smit, Berend	École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne	Chemical Physics	Rank 98
55	3,590	BJ Bosch, Jaime M.	University Hospital Bern	Gastroenterology & Hepatology	Rank 61
56	3,626	RR Rizzoli, René R.	Hôpitaux Universitaires de Genève	Endocrinology & Metabolism	Rank 114
57	3,721	GG Gabbiani, Giulio	Université de Genève Faculté de Médecine	Pathology	Rank 13
58	3,881	NB Nowack, Bernd	Empa - Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology	Environmental Sciences	Rank 22
59	3,910	AS Antonarakis, Stylianos E.	Université de Genève	Genetics & Heredity	Rank 5
60	3,925	MM Morari, Manfred A.	ETH Zürich	Industrial Engineering & Automation	Rank 24
61	3,943	HM Hengartner, Michael Otmar	ETH Zürich	Developmental Biology	Rank 196
62	4,042	DD Damjanovic, Dragan	École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne	Applied Physics	Rank 114
63	4,056	WS Windecker, Stephan W.	University Hospital Bern	Cardiovascular System & Hematology	Rank 196
64	4,074	CW Curtin, W. A.	École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne	Materials	Rank 46
65	4,212	SD Sornette, Didier	ETH Zürich	Fluids & Plasmas	Rank 30
66	4,243	AA Aguzzi, Adriano A.	Institute for the Science of the Aging Brain (ISAB)	Neurology & Neurosurgery	Rank 358
67	4,265	SA Steinfeld, Aldo	ETH Zürich	Energy	Rank 52
68	4,276	RR Roubenoff, Ronenn	Novartis International AG	Nutrition & Dietetics	Rank 35
69	4,362	PS Pratsinis, Sotiris E.	ETH Zürich	Chemical Engineering	Rank 15
70	4,386	VS van Schaik, Carel P.	Universität Zürich	Behavioral Science & Comparative Psychology	Rank 8
71	4,400	VM Vetterli, Martin	Audiovisual Communications Laboratory	Networking & Telecommunications	Rank 31
72	4,474	DO de Oniś, Mercedes	Organisation Mondiale de la Santé	Nutrition & Dietetics	Rank 38
73	4,525	SA Sayed, Ali H.H.	École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne	Networking & Telecommunications	Rank 32
74	4,572	VO Voinnet, Olivier	ETH Zürich	Developmental Biology	Rank 222
75	4,629	KU Keller, Ursula	ETH Zürich	Optics	Rank 21
76	4,637	MH Markram, Henry	École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne	Neurology & Neurosurgery	Rank 385
77	4,727	WA Wagner, Andreas	Universität Zürich	Evolutionary Biology	Rank 47
78	4,812	ZA Züttel, Andreas	Empa - Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology	Materials	Rank 54
79	4,861	CE Constable, Edwin C.	Universität Basel	Inorganic & Nuclear Chemistry	Rank 22
80	4,916	WE Weibel, Ewald R.	University of Bern	Physiology	Rank 12
81	4,952	ZJ Zhu, Jieping	Institut des Sciences et Ingénierie Chimiques	Organic Chemistry	Rank 121
82	5,055	ST Stocker, Thomas F.	University of Bern	Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences	Rank 63
83	5,067	GC Gerber, Christian A.	Uniklinik Balgrist	Orthopedics	Rank 18
84	5,087	SK Scherer, Klaus R.	Université de Genève	Social Psychology	Rank 87
85	5,137	SN Sartorius, Norman	Association for the Improvement of Mental Health Programmes	Psychiatry	Rank 153
86	5,154	LD Loss, Daniel V.	Universität Basel	Applied Physics	Rank 135
87	5,158	GN Gruber, Nicolas	ETH Zürich	Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences	Rank 64
88	5,315	VG van Gunsteren, Wilfred F.V.	ETH Zürich	Chemical Physics	Rank 136
89	5,362	BT Boller, Thomas	Botanischer Garten	Plant Biology & Botany	Rank 42
90	5,402	HE Hargittai, Eszter	Universität Zürich	Communication & Media Studies	Rank 5
91	5,435	GJ Goudet, Jérôme	Université de Lausanne (UNIL)	Evolutionary Biology	Rank 67
92	5,537	OK Oberauer, Klaus	Universität Zürich	Experimental Psychology	Rank 95
93	5,658	BE Bakker, Eric J.	Université de Genève	Analytical Chemistry	Rank 23
94	5,674	SJ Six, Johan W.	ETH Zürich	Agronomy & Agriculture	Rank 22
95	5,691	AM Aapro, Matti S.	Genolier Cancer Centre	Oncology & Carcinogenesis	Rank 241
96	5,802	FJ Fruchart, Jean Charles	Residual Risk Reduction Initiative (R3i) Foundation	Cardiovascular System & Hematology	Rank 276
97	5,835	KJ Kirchner, James W.	ETH Zürich	Environmental Engineering	Rank 14
98	6,129	SG Salanti, Georgia	Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine	General & Internal Medicine	Rank 101
99	6,143	HX Hu, Xile	École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne	Organic Chemistry	Rank 139
100	6,208	BL Benini, Luca	ETH Zürich	Computer Hardware & Architecture	Rank 2
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Countries with a similar count

Career-long list2026

Netherlands5,001 scientists

Spain4,103 scientists

India3,898 scientists

Sweden3,661 scientists

South Korea2,889 scientists

Denmark2,309 scientists

Explore other countries

Career-long list2026

Germany12,809 scientists

France7,613 scientists

Belgium2,294 scientists

Austria1,566 scientists

Luxembourg74 scientists

United Kingdom21,350 scientists

All countries on the world map

Frequently asked questions

How many scientists from Switzerland are in the 2026 Stanford Top 2% list?

3,595 scientists affiliated with Switzerland are on the 2026 single-year list, and 3,759 are on the career-long list.

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

On the 2026 career-long list, ETH Zürich has the most listed scientists from Switzerland, with 553. It is followed by Universität Zürich with 324.

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

On the career-long list, Switzerland went from 2,546 scientists in 2020 to 3,759 in 2026, a change of +47.6%.

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.