Last Updated on June 19, 2026 by Admin
The JCR Impact Factor 2025 has officially been released! On June 17, 2026, Clarivate published the much-anticipated Journal Citation Reports (JCR) 2026 edition, bringing the latest Journal Impact Factor (JIF) data based on citations made during the calendar year 2025.
Important Note: Although the report is called JCR 2026, the data inside is the Impact Factor 2025—calculated using citations from 2025 to articles published in 2023 and 2024. This is a common point of confusion, so remember: JCR 2026 = Impact Factor 2025 data.
This year’s release covers 22,643 journals across 254 subject categories—a significant expansion that reflects the evolving global research landscape.
Key Highlights of JCR Impact Factor 2025
📊 By the Numbers
| Metric | Data |
|---|---|
| Total Journals Covered | 22,643 |
| Subject Categories | 254 |
| Journals Receiving First JIF | 521 (from 47 countries/regions) |
| Science Journals (SCIE) | 15,023 |
| Social Science Journals (SSCI) | 7,721 |
| Arts & Humanities Journals (AHCI) | 3,460 |
| Gold Open Access Journals | 6,703 (6% increase from 2024) |
| Release Date | June 17, 2026 |
| Published By | Clarivate |
🏆 Top Performing Journals in 2025
CA – A Cancer Journal for Clinicians once again claims the top spot globally with a staggering Impact Factor of 685.2. After a sharp drop to 232.4 in the previous cycle, this year’s rebound reflects the full implementation of the retraction citation exclusion policy.
Top Medical Journals (The “Big Four”):
Top Multidisciplinary Journals (CNS):
🇨🇳 Rising Stars: Chinese Journals
Chinese journals continue their impressive ascent in the 2025 JCR rankings:
- Signal Transduction and Targeted Therapy (STTT) – 81.2 (ranked #1 among Chinese journals)
- eScience – 52.9
- iMeta – 44.4
- Nano-Micro Letters – 38.5
- Molecular Plant – 32.7
Major Changes in the 2025 JCR Release
1. Retraction Citation Exclusion (Continued)
Building on the policy introduced last year, Clarivate continues to exclude citations to and from retracted articles from the JIF numerator. However, retracted articles still count in the denominator (total citable articles) to maintain transparency.
This policy affects approximately 1% of indexed journals and is a critical step toward strengthening research integrity.
2. First-Time JIF Recipients
A total of 521 journals from 47 countries/regions received their first-ever Journal Impact Factor in this release. Notably, 58% of these come from outside the United States and Western Europe—a clear sign of global academic expansion.
3. Gold Open Access Growth
Gold OA journals increased by 6% to 6,703 titles. Top categories for Gold OA include:
- Education & Educational Research
- Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
- Medicine, General & Internal
4. Enhanced Transparency: “Forthcoming” Designation
Journals with missing denominator content in Web of Science are now visible directly within JCR and clearly labeled with a “Forthcoming” designation. Users can still access the most recent available metrics from the previous year, improving transparency at the point of discovery.
How to Download the JCR Impact Factor 2025 Full List (PDF/Excel)
The official full database requires a Clarivate subscription (typically available through university libraries).
Click here for the latest JCR Impact Factor 2025 (Released in 2026)
| Journal Name | IF 2025 | Quartile |
| CA-A CANCER JOURNAL FOR CLINICIANS | 685.2 | Q1 |
| NATURE REVIEWS MOLECULAR CELL BIOLOGY | 118.0 | Q1 |
| LANCET | 109.0 | Q1 |
| NATURE REVIEWS MICROBIOLOGY | 104.6 | Q1 |
| MMWR Surveillance Summaries | 96.9 | Q1 |
| Nature Reviews Clinical Oncology | 94.6 | Q1 |
| NATURE REVIEWS DRUG DISCOVERY | 91.2 | Q1 |
| NEW ENGLAND JOURNAL OF MEDICINE | 84.5 | Q1 |
| Nature Reviews Materials | 83.3 | Q1 |
| Signal Transduction and Targeted Therapy | 81.2 | Q1 |
| ANNALS OF ONCOLOGY | 80.4 | Q1 |
| Nature Reviews Disease Primers | 79.8 | Q1 |
| World Psychiatry | 79.5 | Q1 |
| Nature Reviews Earth & Environment | 74.1 | Q1 |
| Nature Energy | 70.1 | Q1 |
| JAMA-JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION | 65.4 | Q1 |
| Living Reviews in Relativity | 64.6 | Q1 |
| CHEMICAL REVIEWS | 64.2 | Q1 |
| NATURE REVIEWS CANCER | 60.7 | Q1 |
| Nature Reviews Gastroenterology & Hepatology | 57.5 | Q1 |
| NATURE | 56.1 | Q1 |
| CANCER CELL | 56.1 | Q1 |
| Annual Review of Organizational Psychology and Organizational Behavior | 55.9 | Q1 |
| BMJ-British Medical Journal | 55.1 | Q1 |
| LANCET NEUROLOGY | 54.6 | Q1 |
| Nature Reviews Methods Primers | 54.2 | Q1 |
| eScience | 52.9 | Q1 |
| NATURE MEDICINE | 52.5 | Q1 |
| NATURE REVIEWS GENETICS | 51.4 | Q1 |
| MMWR Recommendations and Reports | 51.3 | Q1 |
| Electrochemical Energy Reviews | 50.7 | Q1 |
| IEEE Communications Surveys and Tutorials | 50.6 | Q1 |
| Nature Reviews Chemistry | 50.3 | Q1 |
| Nature Reviews Cardiology | 50.2 | Q1 |
| REVIEWS OF MODERN PHYSICS | 48.9 | Q1 |
| Nature Catalysis | 48.3 | Q1 |
| CHEMICAL SOCIETY REVIEWS | 48.3 | Q1 |
| Journal of Hematology & Oncology | 47.8 | Q1 |
| SCIENCE | 47.3 | Q1 |
| NATURE REVIEWS IMMUNOLOGY | 47.1 | Q1 |
| Nature Reviews Nephrology | 46.7 | Q1 |
| Nature Reviews Physics | 46.6 | Q1 |
| EUROPEAN HEART JOURNAL | 45.3 | Q1 |
| CELL | 45.1 | Q1 |
| JOURNAL OF CLINICAL ONCOLOGY | 44.7 | Q1 |
| NATURE BIOTECHNOLOGY | 44.5 | Q1 |
| iMeta | 44.4 | Q1 |
| PROGRESS IN MATERIALS SCIENCE | 42.9 | Q1 |
Download the Full JCR 2025 Impact Factor List
- ✅ PDF format (all journals & categories)
- ✅ Excel/CSV versions available for research, institutional use
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1: What is the JCR Impact Factor 2025?
It refers to the Journal Impact Factor (JIF) data released by Clarivate in the JCR 2026 report on June 17, 2026. It is calculated using citations made during the calendar year 2025 to articles published in 2023 and 2024.
Q2: When was the JCR Impact Factor 2025 released?
The official release date was June 17, 2026.
Q3: How many journals are covered?
The JCR 2026 edition covers 22,643 journals across 254 subject categories.
Q4: Which journal has the highest Impact Factor in 2025?
CA – A Cancer Journal for Clinicians with an Impact Factor of 685.2.
Q5: What is the difference between JCR 2025 and JCR Impact Factor 2025?
JCR 2025 (released June 2025) contains 2024 citation data. JCR Impact Factor 2025 refers to 2025 citation data, which is published in the JCR 2026 report.
Q6: Are retracted articles included in the JIF calculation?
No. Citations to and from retracted articles are excluded from the JIF numerator, though retracted articles remain in the denominator for transparency.
Q7: Can I download the full JCR list for free?
The complete official database requires a Clarivate subscription. Many universities provide access. Selected free Excel/PDF summaries are available through academic platforms for reference.
Q8: Is a higher JIF always better?
Not necessarily. JIF must be interpreted within a specific subject category. A JIF of 2.0 may be Q1 in a humanities field, while a JIF of 8.0 may be Q2 in clinical medicine. Always evaluate JIF relative to your discipline.
Conclusion
The JCR Impact Factor 2025 (JCR 2026 edition) is a landmark release, covering 22,643 journals with significant expansions in Open Access, first-time recipients, and global representation. The continued exclusion of retracted citations reinforces research integrity, while enhanced transparency features make journal evaluation more reliable than ever.
Whether you are a researcher choosing where to submit, a librarian managing subscriptions, or a publisher benchmarking your portfolio—the JCR Impact Factor 2025 is your most trusted, publisher-neutral guide.
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