The top scientific journals are a reliable source of information on the latest developments in engineering, science, and technology. The editors and peer-reviewers of the journal ensure that the published articles are original, accurate, and reliable. Every research scholar, academician, and scientist aspires to publish their research findings in the top journal publishers namely Science Magazine, Nature, The New England Journal of Medicine, and Physical Review Letters. In this article, iLovePhD compiled the most influential journals in the world related to medical, engineering, and natural sciences.
iLovePhD compiled the top 100 scientific journals of 2024 based on Google Scholar citations. Key areas include medical, engineering, and natural sciences. Prestigious journals like Nature, NEJM, and Science dominate due to their impact, quality, and interdisciplinary reach. Conferences are also prominent for their field-specific influence and innovation. This independent list is a guide for researchers and academicians aiming to publish impactful work.
What Makes a Journal “Top-Tier”?
Before we jump into our list of heavy hitters, let’s break down what actually makes a journal stand out from the crowd:
- Impact Factor: This is the big one, folks. The impact factor (IF) measures how frequently articles from a journal are cited in a given year. It’s like the academic world’s version of Instagram likes – the more, the merrier!
- Peer Review Process: Top journals usually have a rigorous peer review system. It’s like having your work critiqued by the toughest critics in your field.
- Reputation: Some journals have been around for ages and have built up a stellar reputation. Think of them as the academic equivalents of vintage wines – they just get better with time.
- Scope and Readership: Journals that cover broad, interdisciplinary topics often rank higher because they reach a wider audience.
- Publication Frequency: Journals that publish more frequently can disseminate research faster, which is a big plus in today’s fast-paced academic world.
What is Impact Factor?
Before we dive into the rankings, let’s clarify what an impact factor is. Introduced by Eugene Garfield in 1960, the impact factor measures the average number of citations to articles published in a particular journal. A higher impact factor indicates a journal’s prestige and relevance in its field.
Why Does Impact Factor Matter?
- Visibility: Higher impact factor journals often receive more attention from researchers, increasing the visibility of your work.
- Career Advancement: Publishing in reputable journals can enhance your CV and contribute to career opportunities.
- Funding Opportunities: Some grant agencies consider where you publish when assessing funding applications.
List of Top 100 Journals Google Scholar Ranking
Google Scholar is a widely used platform for academic research and citation analysis. It provides a ranking system that measures the impact and influence of scholarly journals based on the number of citations received by their articles. The following list represents the top 100 journals with impact factor based on the Google Scholar ranking.
The top 100 most influential and prestigious academic journals in 2024 – According to Google Scholar Rank are as follows.
| Rank | Journal Name | Reasons for Inclusion in Top 100 | Subject Areas Covered | Website URL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nature | Distinguished for its impact on diverse scientific disciplines. | General Science, Multidisciplinary Research | Nature |
| 2 | The New England Journal of Medicine | Renowned for high-impact medical research and clinical studies. | Medicine, Clinical Research, Healthcare | The New England Journal of Medicine |
| 3 | Science | A leading general science journal with a broad and global reach. | General Science, Multidisciplinary Research | Science |
| 4 | IEEE/CVF Conference on Computer Vision and Pattern Recognition | Central in the field of computer vision and pattern recognition. | Computer Vision, Pattern Recognition, Artificial Intelligence | CVF – Computer Vision Foundation |
| 5 | The Lancet | Prominent in medical research, particularly global health issues. | Medicine, Global Health, Clinical Research | The Lancet |
| 6 | Nature Communications | Focuses on open access, publishing high-quality multidisciplinary research. | Multidisciplinary Research, Open Access | Nature Communications |
| 7 | Advanced Materials | Leading in materials science, engineering, and applications. | Materials Science, Engineering, Nanotechnology | Advanced Materials |
| 8 | Cell | A premier journal in cellular and molecular biology. | Cell Biology, Molecular Biology, Genetics | Cell |
| 9 | Neural Information Processing Systems | Key conference in machine learning and artificial intelligence. | Machine Learning, Artificial Intelligence | NeurIPS – Neural Information Processing Systems |
| 10 | International Conference on Learning Representations | A significant conference shaping trends in machine learning. | Machine Learning, Deep Learning, Artificial Intelligence | ICLR – International Conference on Learning Representations |
| 11 | JAMA | High-impact medical journal, covering a broad range of specialties. | Medicine, Clinical Research, Healthcare | JAMA |
| 12 | Science of The Total Environment | Addresses environmental science and impact on human health. | Environmental Science, Public Health | Science of The Total Environment |
| 13 | Nature Medicine | Focus on translational and clinical research in medicine. | Medicine, Clinical Research, Translational Research | Nature Medicine |
| 14 | Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences | Covers a wide range of scientific disciplines. | General Science, Multidisciplinary Research | PNAS |
| 15 | Angewandte Chemie International Edition | Premier chemistry journal, covering a broad spectrum of topics. | Chemistry, Chemical Engineering | Angewandte Chemie International Edition |
| 16 | Chemical Reviews | Comprehensive reviews in chemistry, impacting the field. | Chemistry, Chemical Engineering | Chemical Reviews |
| 17 | International Conference on Machine Learning | Key conference in machine learning and artificial intelligence. | Machine Learning, Artificial Intelligence | ICML – International Conference on Machine Learning |
| 18 | Chemical Society Reviews | Reviews in the chemical sciences with a wide-ranging impact. | Chemistry, Chemical Engineering | Chemical Society Reviews |
| 19 | Journal of Cleaner Production | Focuses on sustainability and cleaner production practices. | Sustainability, Environmental Science | Journal of Cleaner Production |
| 20 | Nucleic Acids Research | Encompasses molecular biology and bioinformatics. | Molecular Biology, Bioinformatics | Nucleic Acids Research |
| 21 | European Conference on Computer Vision | Significant conference in computer vision research. | Computer Vision, Image Processing | ECCV – European Conference on Computer Vision |
| 22 | Advanced Energy Materials | Leading in energy-related materials research. | Materials Science, Energy | Advanced Energy Materials |
| 23 | Journal of the American Chemical Society | Premier chemistry journal, covering a broad spectrum of topics. | Chemistry, Chemical Engineering | Journal of the American Chemical Society |
| 24 | IEEE Access | Multidisciplinary open-access journal with a broad scope. | General Science, Multidisciplinary Research | IEEE Access |
| 25 | Advanced Functional Materials | Focus on materials science and engineering applications. | Materials Science, Engineering | Advanced Functional Materials |
| 26 | IEEE/CVF International Conference on Computer Vision | Significant conference in computer vision research. | Computer Vision, Image Processing | CVPR – IEEE/CVF Conference on Computer Vision and Pattern Recognition |
| 27 | Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews | Reviews and research on renewable and sustainable energy. | Energy, Sustainability | Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews |
| 28 | ACS Nano | Leading nanoscience and nanotechnology journal. | Nanoscience, Nanotechnology | ACS Nano |
| 29 | BMJ | High-impact medical journal covering various medical disciplines. | Medicine, Clinical Research, Healthcare | BMJ |
| 30 | Physical Review Letters | Publishes high-impact physics research. | Physics | Physical Review Letters |
| 31 | International Journal of Molecular Sciences | Covers a wide range of topics in molecular sciences. | Molecular Biology, Biochemistry | International Journal of Molecular Sciences |
| 32 | Journal of Clinical Oncology | Focuses on clinical cancer research and treatment. | Oncology, Clinical Research | Journal of Clinical Oncology |
| 33 | AAAI Conference on Artificial Intelligence | Key conference in artificial intelligence research. | Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning | AAAI – Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence |
| 34 | Science Advances | Publishes significant advances in various scientific disciplines. | General Science, Multidisciplinary Research | Science Advances |
| 35 | PLoS ONE | Open-access journal covering a wide range of scientific disciplines. | General Science, Multidisciplinary Research | PLoS ONE |
| 36 | Frontiers in Immunology | Focuses on immunology research and related fields. | Immunology, Biomedical Research | Frontiers in Immunology |
| 37 | Scientific Reports | Multidisciplinary open-access journal publishing research findings. | General Science, Multidisciplinary Research | Scientific Reports |
| 38 | Circulation | Leading journal in cardiovascular research. | Cardiology, Cardiovascular Research | Circulation |
| 39 | Chemical Engineering Journal | Covers a broad range of topics in chemical engineering. | Chemical Engineering | Chemical Engineering Journal |
| 40 | Energy & Environmental Science | Focuses on research at the intersection of energy and the environment. | Energy, Environmental Science | Energy & Environmental Science |
| 41 | Applied Catalysis B: Environmental | Focuses on environmental catalysis and pollution control. | Environmental Catalysis, Pollution Control | Applied Catalysis B: Environmental |
| 42 | International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health | Covers environmental research and public health issues. | Environmental Research, Public Health | International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health |
| 43 | The Lancet Oncology | Specialized in oncology research and clinical studies. | Oncology, Clinical Research | The Lancet Oncology |
| 44 | Journal of the American College of Cardiology | Leading in cardiology research and cardiovascular medicine. | Cardiology, Cardiovascular Research | Journal of the American College of Cardiology |
| 45 | Meeting of the Association for Computational Linguistics (ACL) | Key conference in computational linguistics research. | Computational Linguistics, Natural Language Processing | ACL – Association for Computational Linguistics |
| 46 | Nutrients | Focuses on nutritional science and dietary research. | Nutritional Science, Dietary Research | Nutrients |
| 47 | Nature Genetics | Leading in genetics research, covering a wide range of topics. | Genetics, Genomics, Molecular Biology | Nature Genetics |
| 48 | Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report | Key source for epidemiological data and public health reports. | Epidemiology, Public Health | MMWR – Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report |
| 49 | Applied Energy | Publishes research on energy systems, technologies, and policies. | Energy Systems, Energy Technologies, Energy Policy | Applied Energy |
| 50 | Nature Biotechnology | Focuses on biotechnology research and its applications. | Biotechnology, Molecular Biology, Genetic Engineering | Nature Biotechnology |
| 51 | Sustainability | Covers research on sustainable development and environmental sustainability. | Sustainability, Environmental Science | Sustainability |
| 52 | Nano Energy | Focuses on energy storage, conversion, and nanomaterials. | Nanoenergy, Nanomaterials, Energy Storage | Nano Energy |
| 53 | Joule | Covers research on energy and sustainability. | Energy, Sustainability | Joule |
| 54 | Journal of Materials Chemistry A | Focuses on materials for energy and sustainability. | Materials Science, Energy, Sustainability | Journal of Materials Chemistry A |
| 55 | Nature Materials | Premier materials science journal with a focus on materials research. | Materials Science, Nanotechnology, Condensed Matter Physics | Nature Materials |
| 56 | IEEE Transactions on Pattern Analysis and Machine Intelligence | Leading in pattern analysis and machine intelligence research. | Pattern Analysis, Machine Intelligence, Computer Vision | IEEE Transactions on Pattern Analysis and Machine Intelligence |
| 57 | ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces | Covers research at the interface of materials and their applications. | Materials Science, Nanotechnology, Interfaces | ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces |
| 58 | Nature Energy | Focuses on energy-related research, particularly renewable energy. | Energy, Renewable Energy, Sustainable Energy | Nature Energy |
| 59 | ACS Catalysis | Covers catalysis research with a focus on applications. | Catalysis, Chemical Engineering | ACS Catalysis |
| 60 | The Lancet Infectious Diseases | Specialized in infectious diseases research and clinical studies. | Infectious Diseases, Clinical Research | The Lancet Infectious Diseases |
| 61 | Conference on Empirical Methods in Natural Language Processing (EMNLP) | Key conference in natural language processing research. | Natural Language Processing, Computational Linguistics | EMNLP – Conference on Empirical Methods in Natural Language Processing |
| 62 | Journal of Business Research | Covers research in various business and management disciplines. | Business, Management, Marketing | Journal of Business Research |
| 63 | Gastroenterology | Leading in gastroenterology research and clinical studies. | Gastroenterology, Clinical Research | Gastroenterology |
| 64 | European Heart Journal | Premier journal in cardiology and cardiovascular research. | Cardiology, Cardiovascular Research | European Heart Journal |
| 65 | IEEE Internet of Things Journal | Focuses on research in the field of the Internet of Things. | Internet of Things, IoT, Networking | IEEE Internet of Things Journal |
| 66 | Nature Nanotechnology | Premier nanotechnology journal, covering a wide range of nanoscience. | Nanoscience, Nanotechnology | Nature Nanotechnology |
| 67 | Environmental Pollution | Focuses on research in environmental pollution and its effects. | Environmental Pollution, Environmental Health | Environmental Pollution |
| 68 | The Astrophysical Journal | Leading in astrophysics research. | Astrophysics, Astronomy | The Astrophysical Journal |
| 69 | Environmental Science & Technology | Covers research in environmental science and technology. | Environmental Science, Environmental Technology | Environmental Science & Technology |
| 70 | Frontiers in Psychology | Focuses on research in various areas of psychology. | Psychology, Behavioral Science, Cognitive Science | Frontiers in Psychology |
| 71 | Immunity | Leading in immunology research. | Immunology, Biomedical Research | Immunity |
| 72 | Sensors | Covers research in the field of sensors and sensing technology. | Sensors, Sensing Technology | Sensors |
| 73 | Annals of Oncology | Premier oncology journal covering various aspects of cancer research. | Oncology, Clinical Research | Annals of Oncology |
| 74 | ACS Energy Letters | Covers research in energy-related topics. | Energy, Materials Science | ACS Energy Letters |
| 75 | Journal of Hazardous Materials | Focuses on research related to hazardous materials and their impact. | Hazardous Materials, Environmental Science | Journal of Hazardous Materials |
| 76 | IEEE Communications Surveys & Tutorials | Covers tutorials and surveys in the field of communications. | Communications, Networking, Tutorials | IEEE Communications Surveys & Tutorials |
| 77 | Nature Neuroscience | Premier neuroscience journal covering a wide range of topics. | Neuroscience, Neurobiology | Nature Neuroscience |
| 78 | Gut | Focuses on research in gastroenterology and hepatology. | Gastroenterology, Hepatology | Gut |
| 79 | Molecular Cancer | Specialized in cancer research at the molecular level. | Cancer Research, Molecular Biology | Molecular Cancer |
| 80 | Molecules | Covers research in various areas of chemistry. | Chemistry, Chemical Biology | Molecules |
| 81 | Small | Covers research in nanotechnology, materials science, and related fields. | Nanotechnology, Materials Science, Biomedical Applications | Small |
| 82 | Clinical Infectious Diseases | Covers research in infectious diseases and clinical aspects. | Infectious Diseases, Clinical Research | Clinical Infectious Diseases |
| 83 | Nature Methods | Focuses on methods and techniques in biological and life sciences. | Life Sciences, Methods, Techniques | Nature Methods |
| 84 | Accounts of Chemical Research | Covers research in various areas of chemistry. | Chemistry, Chemical Research | Accounts of Chemical Research |
| 85 | IEEE Transactions on Industrial Informatics | Focuses on research in industrial informatics and automation. | Industrial Informatics, Automation | IEEE Transactions on Industrial Informatics |
| 86 | Physical Review D | Publishes high-impact research in particle physics and related fields. | Particle Physics, Astrophysics | Physical Review D |
| 87 | Bioresource Technology | Focuses on research related to bioresources and biotechnology. | Bioresources, Biotechnology | Bioresource Technology |
| 88 | American Economic Review | Premier economics journal, covering a wide range of economic topics. | Economics, Economic Research | American Economic Review |
| 89 | Cell Metabolism | Covers research in cellular metabolism and related areas. | Cell Metabolism, Cellular Biology | Cell Metabolism |
| 90 | Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society | Premier journal in astronomy and astrophysics research. | Astrophysics, Astronomy | Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society |
| 91 | Chemosphere | Covers research in environmental chemistry and toxicology. | Environmental Chemistry, Toxicology | Chemosphere |
| 92 | Blood | Premier hematology journal covering research in blood-related disorders. | Hematology, Blood Disorders | Blood |
| 93 | Cell Reports | Covers research in cellular biology and molecular biology. | Cellular Biology, Molecular Biology | Cell Reports |
| 94 | Nano Letters | Premier nanoscience and nanotechnology journal. | Nanoscience, Nanotechnology | Nano Letters |
| 95 | Advanced Science | Covers multidisciplinary research in various scientific areas. | Multidisciplinary Research | Advanced Science |
| 96 | Journal of High Energy Physics | Covers research in high-energy physics and related fields. | High-Energy Physics, Particle Physics | Journal of High Energy Physics |
| 97 | Nature Reviews Immunology | Premier immunology journal, covering a wide range of topics. | Immunology, Immunotherapy | Nature Reviews Immunology |
| 98 | Technological Forecasting and Social Change | Covers research in technological forecasting and social change. | Technological Forecasting, Social Sciences | Technological Forecasting and Social Change |
| 99 | Frontiers in Microbiology | Covers research in various areas of microbiology. | Microbiology, Biomedical Research | Frontiers in Microbiology |
| 100 | Water Research | Focuses on research related to water quality and treatment. | Water Quality, Water Treatment | Water Research |
Source: Google Scholar
10 Reasons Behind Top 100 Journals 2024
- Impact: Journals have a significant effect on their respective fields.
- Quality of Research: Publishes high-quality, influential research.
- Global Reach: Recognized internationally for its contributions.
- Interdisciplinarity: Addresses multidisciplinary topics, fostering collaboration.
- Innovation: Pioneers in introducing and advancing new concepts and methodologies.
- Citation Metrics: Frequently cited by other researchers, indicating influence.
- Open Access: Journals embracing open access to promote the dissemination of knowledge.
- Field Leadership: Plays a central role in shaping and leading its field.
- Peer Review: Maintains rigorous peer-review processes to ensure research quality.
- Conference Impact: For conference entries, significant impact and contributions in the respective conference area.
Q1: How often are journal rankings updated?
A: Most major ranking systems update their lists annually, but some may provide more frequent updates based on real-time data.
Q2: Are preprint servers like arXiv considered in these rankings?
A: While preprint servers are not typically included in traditional journal rankings, their influence is growing, and some newer metrics are beginning to account for their impact.
Q3: How can researchers identify the best journal for their work?
A: Researchers should consider factors such as the journal’s scope, impact factor, target audience, and publication speed, in addition to its overall ranking.
Q4: Are there any regional differences in top journal publications?
A: While many top journals have a global reach, regional variations in journal influence can exist, particularly in fields with strong local contexts.
Q5: How are interdisciplinary journals ranked?
A: Interdisciplinary journals are often evaluated based on their overall impact across multiple fields, which can sometimes lead to challenges in direct comparisons with specialized publications.
I hope this article will help you to find the Top 100 journals related to medical, engineering, and natural sciences in the World.
Copyright Infringement Disclaimer:
The above list consists of the top 100 journals based on the Google Scholar ranking. These rankings are determined by the number of citations received by articles published in these journals. The list includes renowned publications such as Nature, The New England Journal of Medicine, and Science, which cover a wide range of scientific disciplines. It also includes conferences and specific fields of study, such as computer vision, machine learning, and chemistry. While efforts have been made to ensure the accuracy of the rankings, users are encouraged to verify the information independently, as the rankings may change over time. The provided copyright infringement disclaimer clarifies that the list is for informational purposes only and does not claim ownership or authorship of the mentioned journals. It also highlights that the use of the list is at the user’s own risk, and iLovePhD.com is not liable for any errors or damages arising from its use.
Hi, about 1 year ago I did a journal ranking of PubMed journals for 2020 (all of them by month). This was based on total articles. Now that Medline is scripted I was thinking of doing a 2021 ranking but with a medline percent added. Its another way to look at medical journals. Its doable because PubMed owns the field and it would be difficult to do another topic mapping (WOS, Scopus, etc.) Its also interesting to see the differences between those in my ranking and this list. I think looking at both help give the full picture. However, using the journal name without the ID is problematic for many reasons. Is it possible to add the journal ID? I also, recently pulled out 1.8 million lines of text from PubMed abstracts to see what the top sources were for Systematic Reviews. Would like to see some articles breaking out data like this because not many (anyone) is doing it.
How is the impact factor calculated and why are they not in order of highest to lowest impact factor?
Thankyou so Much
Good one. Thanks for sharing