The University of California has been named the top institution worldwide for highly cited researchers, according to the 2025 Highly Cited Researchers List released by Clarivate. This year, 288 scientists from UC’s 10 campuses and three national laboratories were recognized as being among the most influential in their fields.
The annual list identifies researchers whose published work ranks in the top one percent of citations over the past decade. In 2025, Clarivate recognized a total of 6,868 researchers from more than 1,300 institutions across 60 countries. The University of California accounts for about 4.2 percent of those listed this year.
David Pendlebury, head of research analysis at Clarivate’s Institute for Scientific Information, stated: “The Highly Cited Researchers list identifies and celebrates exceptional individual researchers at the University of California who demonstrate significant and broad influence in their fields. They exemplify excellence in their research as well as integrity in their publication and citation practices. These researchers continue to shape the future of science, technology and academia globally and deliver innovation that drives societal progress.”
UC President James B. Milliken commented on the ranking: “As this ranking shows, UC scientists have an outsized global influence when it comes to creating new knowledge and opening up exciting new pathways for further research and discovery. No other institution in the world is doing more to advance new cures for disease, develop cutting-edge technology that keeps America prosperous and secure, and forge new understandings of our universe and our place in it than the University of California.”
This year’s rankings place UC ahead of other leading institutions such as the Chinese Academy of Sciences (258 highly cited researchers), Harvard University (170), Stanford University (141), and Tsinghua University (91). Four UC campuses are among the top 25 globally: UC Berkeley ranks 15th with 53 highly cited researchers; both UCLA and UC San Diego are tied at 18th with 50 each; UC San Francisco is ranked 21st with 48.
UC also leads Clarivate’s analysis on “Researchers With Staying Power,” which highlights those who have appeared on the list every year from 2014 to 2024. Of these consistent high achievers, UC represents more primary affiliations than any other institution—354 out of a total of 4,455 stated affiliations over eleven years—with six campuses featured among the world’s top thirty for this metric.
Additionally, twelve scientists affiliated with UC were recognized for being leaders in two or more disciplines—a distinction achieved by only a small subset worldwide. Rob Knight from UC San Diego stands out as one of just thirty-one scientists globally recognized in three or more fields.
Clarivate selects its honorees based on quantitative metrics such as citation counts but also incorporates qualitative analysis and expert judgment before finalizing its annual list.
