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The Quartile ranking is a way of classifying journals based on their SJR Score within a subject category. Journals in the top 25% are Q1, the next 25% are Q2, and so on through Q4.
Use the table below to browse journals by quartile and explore other metrics such as the Impact Factor and H-Index.
A journal quartile classifies journals into four tiers (Q1, Q2, Q3, Q4) within a specific subject category, based on their SJR Score (or sometimes Impact Factor). Quartiles help researchers quickly assess where a journal stands compared to peers in the same field — not against unrelated disciplines.
| Quartile | Position | Quality Indication |
|---|---|---|
| Q1 | Top 25% | Highest-impact, most prestigious in the field |
| Q2 | 25%–50% | Strong reputation, frequently cited |
| Q3 | 50%–75% | Solid mid-tier journals |
| Q4 | Bottom 25% | Emerging or niche journals |
SCImago ranks all journals in a subject category by their SJR score, then divides them into four equal-sized groups:
A journal can have different quartiles in different subject categories — e.g., Q1 in “Cardiology” but Q2 in “Internal Medicine” if it’s indexed in both.
Q1 means the journal is in the top 25% of its subject category by SJR score. It’s the highest tier and typically the most competitive to publish in.
Generally yes — but a niche Q2 journal closely aligned with your scope may have higher acceptance rates and a more targeted audience than a broad Q1 journal where your work would be one of many.
Use our Q1 Medicine page (replace “medicine” with your subject) or the Quartile Journal Finder.
Yes — quartiles are recalculated annually. Journals can move up or down based on changes in citations and SJR scores.
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