Journal guides › What is a good impact factor?
Quick answer. A good impact factor depends on the field. Across 21,396 journals in Web of Science categories, the median 2-year impact factor is 1.59; 3.07 or more puts a journal in the top quarter, and 5.33 or more in the top 10%. Inside a field, aim for the top quarter (Q1) of that field’s journals: the table below gives the threshold for each category.
1.59median impact factor
3.07top 25% starts at
5.33top 10% starts at
249subject categories
The impact factor is the average number of citations a journal’s recent papers receive in a year. Because citation habits differ so much between fields, a number that is excellent in mathematics can be ordinary in oncology. The figures on this page are calculated by ScholarsColab (updated 17 October 2026) with the same 2-year formula as the Journal Impact Factor, and update when the data is refreshed. How the impact factor works →
Good impact factor by subject category
Type your field to find its benchmarks. “Q1 starts at” is the impact factor needed to be in the top quarter of journals in that category.
| Web of Science category | Journals | Median | Q1 starts at | Top 10% from |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Education & Educational Research | 731 | 1.70 | 2.90 | 5.01 |
| Economics | 599 | 1.88 | 3.19 | 5.22 |
| History | 479 | 0.14 | 0.32 | 0.54 |
| Mathematics | 463 | 0.78 | 1.18 | 2.00 |
| Materials Science, Multidisciplinary | 456 | 3.88 | 6.29 | 11.0 |
| Public, Environmental & Occupational Health | 415 | 1.93 | 3.11 | 4.89 |
| Management | 413 | 3.24 | 5.49 | 8.20 |
| Language & Linguistics | 380 | 0.53 | 1.22 | 2.20 |
| Environmental Sciences | 374 | 3.53 | 5.51 | 8.46 |
| Engineering, Electrical & Electronic | 365 | 2.95 | 4.80 | 6.87 |
| Humanities, Multidisciplinary | 358 | 0.17 | 0.37 | 0.93 |
| Pharmacology & Pharmacy | 354 | 2.71 | 4.18 | 6.49 |
| Law | 337 | 0.63 | 1.17 | 2.07 |
| Mathematics, Applied | 334 | 1.19 | 1.97 | 2.87 |
| Oncology | 328 | 2.43 | 3.92 | 6.82 |
| Biochemistry & Molecular Biology | 326 | 3.29 | 4.96 | 8.44 |
| Medicine, General & Internal | 322 | 1.11 | 2.09 | 3.89 |
| Surgery | 317 | 1.42 | 2.14 | 3.00 |
| Neurosciences | 313 | 2.89 | 4.31 | 6.25 |
| Business | 310 | 3.55 | 5.88 | 7.81 |
| Political Science | 310 | 1.41 | 2.58 | 3.96 |
| Religion | 303 | 0.19 | 0.51 | 0.96 |
| Linguistics | 294 | 1.19 | 2.02 | 3.85 |
| Philosophy | 292 | 0.31 | 0.73 | 1.39 |
| Clinical Neurology | 286 | 1.95 | 2.95 | 4.83 |
| Psychiatry | 279 | 2.10 | 3.10 | 4.64 |
| Plant Sciences | 269 | 2.01 | 3.70 | 6.21 |
| Social Sciences, Interdisciplinary | 268 | 1.10 | 2.09 | 3.61 |
| Geosciences, Multidisciplinary | 263 | 2.33 | 3.78 | 5.82 |
| Computer Science, Information Systems | 258 | 3.70 | 5.80 | 8.21 |
| Chemistry, Multidisciplinary | 237 | 3.11 | 6.28 | 11.1 |
| Business, Finance | 234 | 2.38 | 4.01 | 6.58 |
| Cardiac & Cardiovascular System | 234 | 1.63 | 2.83 | 4.57 |
| Communication | 230 | 1.27 | 2.53 | 4.24 |
| Sociology | 220 | 1.41 | 2.22 | 3.24 |
| Psychology, Multidisciplinary | 218 | 1.61 | 2.69 | 4.65 |
| Radiology, Nuclear Medicine & Medical Imaging | 213 | 1.79 | 2.76 | 4.75 |
| Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence | 205 | 3.95 | 6.13 | 9.76 |
| Cell Biology | 203 | 3.72 | 6.18 | 11.3 |
| Ecology | 200 | 2.34 | 3.66 | 5.45 |
| Endocrinology & Metabolism | 193 | 2.86 | 4.51 | 6.92 |
| Nursing | 192 | 1.43 | 2.36 | 3.40 |
| Medicine, Research & Experimental | 192 | 2.54 | 5.11 | 8.54 |
| Health Care Sciences & Services | 191 | 2.07 | 3.45 | 5.12 |
| Genetics & Heredity | 191 | 2.53 | 4.06 | 6.65 |
| Environmental Studies | 191 | 2.94 | 4.76 | 7.93 |
| Pediatrics | 189 | 1.40 | 2.25 | 2.90 |
| Physics, Applied | 188 | 3.23 | 5.51 | 9.07 |
| Chemistry, Physical | 185 | 3.98 | 6.44 | 12.4 |
| Literature | 184 | 0.13 | 0.30 | 0.47 |
| Psychology, Clinical | 183 | 1.65 | 2.73 | 3.89 |
| Engineering, Mechanical | 182 | 2.48 | 4.05 | 6.29 |
| Food Science & Technology | 181 | 3.23 | 5.13 | 7.37 |
| Immunology | 181 | 3.16 | 4.70 | 7.65 |
| Area Studies | 180 | 0.59 | 1.20 | 1.96 |
| Energy & Fuels | 178 | 4.65 | 7.93 | 12.7 |
| Engineering, Multidisciplinary | 176 | 1.60 | 3.84 | 5.42 |
| Computer Science, Interdisciplinary Applications | 176 | 3.59 | 5.76 | 9.52 |
| Engineering, Civil | 175 | 2.30 | 4.32 | 6.32 |
| Zoology | 175 | 1.26 | 1.88 | 2.51 |
| Rehabilitation | 175 | 1.59 | 2.12 | 3.01 |
| Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology | 174 | 3.44 | 4.97 | 7.78 |
| Geography | 168 | 1.55 | 2.53 | 4.31 |
| Mechanics | 168 | 2.67 | 4.31 | 6.60 |
| Engineering, Chemical | 167 | 3.80 | 5.80 | 8.15 |
| Microbiology | 167 | 3.40 | 4.89 | 7.92 |
| Statistics & Probability | 166 | 1.31 | 1.97 | 2.79 |
| Veterinary Sciences | 162 | 1.32 | 2.21 | 3.05 |
| Information Science & Library Science | 162 | 2.13 | 3.96 | 6.89 |
| International Relations | 162 | 1.41 | 2.48 | 3.45 |
| Archaeology | 153 | 0.49 | 0.96 | 1.87 |
| Gastroenterology & Hepatology | 149 | 1.84 | 2.88 | 4.96 |
| Dentistry, Oral Surgery & Medicine | 149 | 1.90 | 2.83 | 4.31 |
| Computer Science, Theory & Methods | 147 | 2.32 | 4.37 | 6.71 |
| Nanoscience & Nanotechnology | 144 | 4.38 | 7.15 | 11.3 |
| Orthopedics | 140 | 1.59 | 2.61 | 3.39 |
| Multidisciplinary Sciences | 140 | 1.51 | 3.99 | 9.21 |
| Obstetrics & Gynecology | 139 | 1.43 | 2.31 | 3.11 |
| Infectious Diseases | 138 | 2.36 | 3.80 | 5.05 |
| Anthropology | 138 | 0.75 | 1.33 | 2.18 |
| Mathematics, Interdisciplinary Applications | 135 | 1.88 | 2.83 | 4.03 |
| Urology & Nephrology | 134 | 1.53 | 2.43 | 3.46 |
| Hospitality, Leisure, Sport & Tourism | 133 | 2.06 | 3.89 | 6.79 |
| Computer Science, Software Engineering | 131 | 2.44 | 4.55 | 6.52 |
| Water Resources | 131 | 2.91 | 4.51 | 7.25 |
| Agronomy | 131 | 1.77 | 2.87 | 5.21 |
| Sport Sciences | 130 | 1.75 | 2.78 | 4.09 |
| Engineering, Biomedical | 124 | 3.33 | 5.46 | 9.23 |
| Optics | 122 | 2.57 | 3.91 | 6.47 |
| Health Policy & Services | 121 | 2.04 | 2.97 | 4.28 |
| Telecommunications | 119 | 3.78 | 5.40 | 6.63 |
| Marine & Freshwater Biology | 118 | 1.65 | 2.39 | 3.67 |
| Physics, Multidisciplinary | 112 | 1.90 | 3.27 | 6.59 |
| Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences | 112 | 2.78 | 4.31 | 5.93 |
| Psychology, Applied | 112 | 2.36 | 4.35 | 6.36 |
| Nutrition & Dietetics | 111 | 2.81 | 4.12 | 6.49 |
| History & Philosophy Of Science | 110 | 0.55 | 1.21 | 2.51 |
| Chemistry, Analytical | 109 | 3.37 | 4.76 | 7.39 |
| Biology | 108 | 1.96 | 3.39 | 5.06 |
| Criminology & Penology | 108 | 1.53 | 2.25 | 2.90 |
| Operations Research & Management Science | 107 | 2.50 | 4.09 | 6.95 |
| Geochemistry & Geophysics | 107 | 1.67 | 3.14 | 4.31 |
| Respiratory System | 107 | 1.78 | 2.85 | 3.41 |
| Entomology | 106 | 1.28 | 2.02 | 3.29 |
| Toxicology | 106 | 3.02 | 4.78 | 6.63 |
| Peripheral Vascular Diseases | 104 | 1.68 | 2.64 | 4.21 |
| Hematology | 103 | 1.80 | 2.94 | 4.81 |
| Art | 103 | 0.17 | 0.37 | 0.93 |
| Green & Sustainable Science & Technology | 102 | 5.59 | 7.19 | 11.0 |
| Ophthalmology | 101 | 1.80 | 2.46 | 4.08 |
| Psychology, Experimental | 100 | 2.03 | 2.87 | 3.98 |
| Dermatology | 97 | 1.46 | 2.44 | 3.57 |
| Metallurgy & Metallurgical Engineering | 94 | 1.96 | 4.51 | 6.97 |
| Social Work | 94 | 1.26 | 1.62 | 2.18 |
| Polymer Science | 93 | 3.42 | 5.00 | 7.24 |
| Psychology, Development | 93 | 2.11 | 2.95 | 4.20 |
| Literature, Romance | 92 | 0.08 | 0.13 | 0.21 |
| Forestry | 92 | 1.60 | 2.68 | 4.01 |
| Psychology | 91 | 1.84 | 3.02 | 4.38 |
| Music | 90 | 0.20 | 0.50 | 1.10 |
| Construction & Building Technology | 90 | 2.18 | 4.11 | 7.54 |
| Agriculture, Multidisciplinary | 90 | 1.44 | 3.44 | 6.28 |
| Asian Studies | 90 | 0.18 | 0.34 | 0.58 |
| Public Administration | 90 | 2.33 | 3.33 | 4.79 |
| Pathology | 89 | 1.69 | 3.12 | 4.49 |
| Education, Scientific Disciplines | 87 | 1.61 | 3.48 | 4.75 |
| Automation & Control Systems | 87 | 2.45 | 3.96 | 7.37 |
| Architecture | 86 | 0.25 | 0.53 | 1.57 |
| Physiology | 86 | 2.67 | 3.52 | 4.07 |
| Biochemical Research Methods | 85 | 3.09 | 4.21 | 6.40 |
| Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science | 84 | 1.76 | 2.50 | 3.84 |
| Astronomy & Astrophysics | 83 | 2.39 | 4.02 | 8.18 |
| Engineering, Environmental | 81 | 4.55 | 6.49 | 9.84 |
| Biophysics | 81 | 2.59 | 3.61 | 5.04 |
| Instruments & Instrumentation | 80 | 2.54 | 4.57 | 6.39 |
| Physics, Condensed Matter | 80 | 3.00 | 5.88 | 8.94 |
| Urban Studies | 79 | 1.88 | 2.85 | 4.66 |
| Thermodynamics | 79 | 2.71 | 4.17 | 7.25 |
| Transportation Science & Technology | 76 | 2.95 | 5.46 | 7.64 |
| Ethics | 75 | 1.66 | 2.33 | 4.82 |
| Psychology, Social | 75 | 2.07 | 3.19 | 4.14 |
| Geriatrics & Gerontology | 73 | 2.64 | 4.12 | 5.95 |
| Biodiversity Conservation | 73 | 1.85 | 3.03 | 5.03 |
| Psychology, Educational | 72 | 2.01 | 3.40 | 4.67 |
| Chemistry, Applied | 71 | 3.01 | 5.44 | 7.76 |
| Chemistry, Medicinal | 71 | 3.20 | 4.80 | 7.06 |
| Engineering, Industrial | 70 | 2.89 | 5.65 | 9.09 |
| Geography, Physical | 69 | 2.20 | 3.74 | 5.87 |
| Engineering, Manufacturing | 68 | 3.99 | 5.55 | 9.54 |
| Anesthesiology | 68 | 1.35 | 2.50 | 3.54 |
| Mathematical & Computational Biology | 67 | 2.36 | 3.65 | 6.18 |
| Otorhinolaryngology | 67 | 1.35 | 1.97 | 2.62 |
| Women'S Studies | 66 | 1.28 | 1.80 | 2.24 |
| Medieval & Renaissance Studies | 66 | 0.09 | 0.21 | 0.38 |
| Cultural Studies | 66 | 0.59 | 1.21 | 1.69 |
| Oceanography | 65 | 2.02 | 2.66 | 3.99 |
| Development Studies | 65 | 2.07 | 2.98 | 5.57 |
| Social Sciences, Mathematical Methods | 65 | 1.80 | 3.33 | 5.41 |
| Social Issues | 64 | 1.44 | 2.23 | 3.28 |
| Family Studies | 64 | 1.38 | 1.94 | 2.65 |
| Engineering, Geological | 63 | 3.00 | 4.54 | 6.26 |
| Remote Sensing | 62 | 3.34 | 5.26 | 7.55 |
| Transportation | 61 | 3.35 | 4.70 | 7.36 |
| Fisheries | 61 | 1.74 | 2.80 | 3.99 |
| Education, Special | 61 | 1.67 | 2.18 | 3.14 |
| Computer Science, Hardware & Architecture | 60 | 2.73 | 4.42 | 7.16 |
| Critical Care Medicine | 60 | 1.62 | 2.64 | 4.19 |
| Physics, Mathematical | 59 | 1.86 | 2.63 | 3.73 |
| Rheumatology | 58 | 2.05 | 3.09 | 4.53 |
| Geology | 58 | 0.92 | 1.78 | 2.50 |
| Behavioral Sciences | 57 | 2.14 | 2.97 | 3.60 |
| Materials Science, Biomaterials | 56 | 3.87 | 5.88 | 8.66 |
| Paleontology | 56 | 1.39 | 1.80 | 2.39 |
| Substance Abuse | 56 | 1.83 | 2.54 | 3.53 |
| Chemistry, Organic | 55 | 2.14 | 3.31 | 4.49 |
| Evolutionary Biology | 55 | 2.57 | 3.60 | 4.78 |
| Regional & Urban Planning | 55 | 2.40 | 3.43 | 5.97 |
| Emergency Medicine | 54 | 1.29 | 1.93 | 3.02 |
| Engineering, Aerospace | 52 | 1.78 | 3.07 | 4.87 |
| Film, Radio, Television | 52 | 0.25 | 0.44 | 0.60 |
| Industrial Relations & Labor | 50 | 1.62 | 2.50 | 3.70 |
| Medical Informatics | 49 | 4.48 | 6.44 | 9.04 |
| Soil Science | 49 | 3.21 | 4.51 | 7.59 |
| Social Sciences, Biomedical | 49 | 1.89 | 2.53 | 3.29 |
| Demography | 49 | 1.68 | 2.59 | 3.48 |
| Gerontology | 48 | 1.68 | 2.40 | 3.12 |
| Robotics | 47 | 3.90 | 5.13 | 10.3 |
| Parasitology | 47 | 1.83 | 2.72 | 4.03 |
| Integrative & Complementary Medicine | 46 | 1.53 | 3.47 | 5.56 |
| Horticulture | 44 | 1.88 | 2.76 | 4.75 |
| Chemistry, Inorganic & Nuclear | 44 | 2.68 | 3.88 | 6.05 |
| Classics | 43 | 0.10 | 0.21 | 0.44 |
| Literary Theory & Criticism | 43 | 0.13 | 0.26 | 0.48 |
| Reproductive Biology | 43 | 2.15 | 3.17 | 4.67 |
| Ethnic Studies | 42 | 0.97 | 1.41 | 2.17 |
| Virology | 42 | 2.57 | 3.98 | 5.17 |
| Physics, Fluids & Plasmas | 42 | 2.70 | 3.39 | 4.21 |
| History Of Social Sciences | 42 | 0.67 | 1.04 | 1.37 |
| Electrochemistry | 41 | 3.98 | 6.20 | 10.3 |
| Spectroscopy | 41 | 2.00 | 2.83 | 4.39 |
| Nuclear Science & Technology | 41 | 1.74 | 2.33 | 3.19 |
| Developmental Biology | 41 | 1.90 | 3.37 | 4.77 |
| Acoustics | 40 | 1.32 | 2.68 | 5.28 |
| Theater | 40 | 0.09 | 0.24 | 0.43 |
| Physics, Atomic, Molecular & Chemical | 40 | 2.30 | 3.48 | 5.61 |
| Allergy | 39 | 1.89 | 3.18 | 4.39 |
| Agricultural Economics & Policy | 38 | 1.74 | 2.92 | 4.57 |
| Materials Science, Characterization, Testing | 37 | 2.09 | 3.66 | 5.33 |
| Imaging Science & Photographic Technology | 36 | 3.79 | 6.05 | 8.80 |
| Audiology & Speech-Language Pathology | 35 | 1.76 | 2.02 | 2.73 |
| Materials Science, Composites | 33 | 3.53 | 5.54 | 11.6 |
| Mining & Mineral Processing | 32 | 1.60 | 3.26 | 8.56 |
| Materials Science, Ceramics | 32 | 1.86 | 3.44 | 5.58 |
| Physics, Particles & Fields | 32 | 2.41 | 3.86 | 6.80 |
| Cell & Tissue Engineering | 32 | 3.70 | 5.11 | 7.47 |
| Computer Science, Cybernetics | 31 | 3.04 | 5.39 | 7.75 |
| Medical Laboratory Technology | 31 | 1.85 | 2.67 | 4.22 |
| Transplantation | 31 | 1.46 | 2.43 | 3.22 |
| Mycology | 31 | 3.23 | 4.23 | 5.59 |
| Crystallography | 30 | 1.91 | 3.08 | 4.06 |
| Mineralogy | 30 | 1.52 | 2.46 | 4.80 |
| Materials Science, Textiles | 29 | 1.94 | 3.94 | 5.72 |
| Tropical Medicine | 28 | 1.94 | 3.34 | 4.03 |
| Quantum Science & Technology | 27 | 3.82 | 5.25 | 6.89 |
| Ornithology | 27 | 1.10 | 2.00 | 2.58 |
| Primary Health Care | 27 | 1.69 | 2.19 | 3.31 |
| Ergonomics | 25 | 2.99 | 4.42 | 5.40 |
| Medical Ethics | 24 | 1.71 | 2.58 | 4.22 |
| Logic | 24 | 0.66 | 1.18 | 1.40 |
| Anatomy & Morphology | 23 | 1.32 | 1.98 | 2.64 |
| Literature, American | 23 | 0.06 | 0.09 | 0.24 |
| Medicine, Legal | 23 | 1.59 | 2.51 | 3.70 |
| Engineering, Marine | 23 | 1.63 | 3.32 | 4.22 |
| Psychology, Psychoanalysis | 23 | 0.37 | 0.67 | 0.99 |
| Materials Science, Paper & Wood | 22 | 1.43 | 2.61 | 4.45 |
| Physics, Nuclear | 22 | 1.98 | 2.85 | 4.55 |
| Literary Reviews | 21 | 0.04 | 0.07 | 0.26 |
| Materials Science, Coatings & Films | 21 | 3.41 | 5.96 | 6.60 |
| Limnology | 21 | 1.59 | 2.14 | 3.26 |
| Literature, British Isles | 20 | 0.07 | 0.23 | 0.29 |
| Literature, German, Dutch, Scandinavian | 20 | 0.09 | 0.16 | 0.19 |
| Engineering, Petroleum | 20 | 1.59 | 4.38 | 5.11 |
| Agricultural Engineering | 19 | 2.17 | 4.74 | 6.95 |
| Psychology, Biological | 16 | 1.61 | 2.45 | 3.82 |
| Neuroimaging | 16 | 2.35 | 3.95 | 4.81 |
| Engineering, Ocean | 16 | 2.98 | 4.66 | 5.95 |
| Folklore | 13 | 0.19 | 0.43 | 0.77 |
| Psychology, Mathematical | 12 | 1.87 | 2.50 | 3.90 |
| Literature, Slavic | 11 | 0.07 | 0.11 | 0.13 |
Fields with the highest and lowest impact factors
Highest medians
- Green & Sustainable Science & Technology: median 5.59, Q1 from 7.19
- Energy & Fuels: median 4.65, Q1 from 7.93
- Engineering, Environmental: median 4.55, Q1 from 6.49
- Medical Informatics: median 4.48, Q1 from 6.44
- Nanoscience & Nanotechnology: median 4.38, Q1 from 7.15
Lowest medians
- Literary Reviews: median 0.04, Q1 from 0.07
- Literature, American: median 0.06, Q1 from 0.09
- Literature, Slavic: median 0.07, Q1 from 0.11
- Literature, British Isles: median 0.07, Q1 from 0.23
- Literature, Romance: median 0.08, Q1 from 0.13
How to judge a journal’s impact factor
- Compare within the field: use the journal’s own category, not a general number.
- Look at the quartile: Q1 or Q2 in its category says more than the raw value.
- Check indexing first: an impact factor only means something for journals indexed in Web of Science or Scopus.
- Look beyond the number: scope, review time, acceptance rate and APC matter as much for where to submit.
Every journal page on ScholarsColab shows its impact factor, its rank in each category and where to find its official quartile. Find journals in your area with the Journal Finder or browse the Journal Directory.
Please note. These benchmarks are calculated by ScholarsColab and can differ from the official Journal Impact Factors and JCR quartiles published by Clarivate. Confirm a journal’s current impact factor on its website before you rely on it.
Frequently asked questions
What is a good impact factor?
It depends on the field. Across 21,396 journals in Web of Science categories, the median 2-year impact factor (calculated by ScholarsColab, 17 October 2026) is 1.59; a journal at 3.07 or above is in the top quarter, and 5.33 or above is in the top 10%. Within a field, a good impact factor is one in the top quarter (Q1) of that field’s journals.
Is an impact factor of 1 good?
65% of journals have a 2-year impact factor of 1 or more, so 1 is below the middle in many fields but respectable in fields with lower citation rates, such as mathematics or the humanities. Compare with the median of the journal’s own category in the table.
Is an impact factor of 3 good?
Yes, in most fields. Only 26% of journals reach 3 or more, which places a journal above the median in most categories. In fast-citing fields such as oncology or energy, the top quarter starts higher.
Is an impact factor of 5 good?
Yes. About 11% of journals reach 5 or more, which is in the top quarter of nearly every category.
What is a good impact factor in electrical engineering?
In Engineering, Electrical & Electronic, the median journal has a 2-year impact factor of 2.95, the top quarter (Q1) starts at 4.80 and the top 10% at 6.87 (ScholarsColab data, 17 October 2026).
What is a good impact factor in computer science?
In Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence, the median is 3.95, Q1 starts at 6.13 and the top 10% at 9.76. Other computer science categories are lower; see the table for each one.
Why do impact factors differ so much between fields?
Fields differ in how many papers cite each other and how quickly. Medicine and biology publish many papers with long reference lists, so citations accumulate fast; mathematics, engineering subfields and the humanities cite less and more slowly. That is why impact factors should only be compared within the same field.