What are the top physical sciences journals in 2026?

The top Physical Sciences journals in 2026 are ranked by OpenAlex Citation Rate on this page. The ranked list above shows the highest-IF physical sciences publications currently in our catalog, with publisher, ISSN, and open-access status for each.

How is the physical sciences journal ranking on this page determined?

The ranking is by latest OpenAlex, Scopus and DOAJ Citation Rate for journals tagged with Physical Sciences as a primary research area. Where multiple sub-disciplines apply, the journal is grouped under the broadest matching tag. We refresh the OpenAlex data annually upon each data refresh.

Top 10 Physical Sciences Journals (2026 Ranking)

Q: What is the highest citation rate physical sciences journal?

The highest citation rate physical sciences journal in 2026 is shown at position #1 in the ranked list on this page. Impact factors are sourced from our latest data refresh and updated annually. Rankings differ across sub-disciplines — see the Sub-disciplines panel for finer-grained lists.

Q: How do I search journal of physical sciences citation rate by ISSN?

Use the JournalsHub ISSN Checker — paste the 8-digit ISSN of any physical sciences journal and you get the latest OpenAlex Citation Rate, CiteScore, SJR, quartile, and indexing status (Scopus, DOAJ, Web of Science, UGC CARE) in one panel.

Q: Are there open access physical sciences journals with high citation rate?

Yes. Several Physical Sciences journals are both open access and high impact — they are flagged with a green 'Open Access' badge in the ranked list. Examples in life sciences include eLife, PLOS Biology, and Nature Communications. Filter our catalog by OA + Physical Sciences for the full list.

Explore the leading academic journals in Physical Sciences. This list features high-impact publications ranked by their latest metrics, APC fees, and indexing status.

Highest Citation Rate Physical Sciences Journal 2026

The highest citation rate physical sciences journal currently in our catalog is Nature, with a 2026 OpenAlex Citation Rate of 69.50, published by Nature Portfolio. The ranked list below shows the full physical sciences journal ranking by Citation Rate.

Data refreshed from our latest data refresh. Search any physical sciences journal citation rate by ISSN →

Ranked List: Top Physical Sciences Publications

Nature

Nature Portfolio · ISSN: 0028-0836

CR: 69.50

Science

American Association for the Advancement of Science · ISSN: 0036-8075

CR: 63.70

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences

National Academy of Sciences · ISSN: 0027-8424

CR: 54.05

Nature Communications

Nature Portfolio · ISSN: 2041-1723

CR: 17.70

Open Access

Journal of the American Chemical Society

American Chemical Society · ISSN: 0002-7863

CR: 16.30

Physical Review Letters

American Physical Society · ISSN: 0031-9007

CR: 9.10

Frontiers in Soft Matter

Frontiers Media S.A. · ISSN: 2813-0499

CR: 3.71

Open Access

Indian Journal of Physics

Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science / Springer · ISSN: 0973-1458

CR: 1.90

Journal of Earth System Science

Indian Academy of Sciences / Springer · ISSN: 0253-4126

CR: 1.70

#10

Pramana - Journal of Physics

Indian Academy of Sciences / Springer · ISSN: 0304-4289

CR: 1.50

All Journals in Physical Sciences

Anales (Asociación Física Argentina)

CEILAP-UNIDEF-CONICET-CITEDEF

0327-358X IF 0.20

Frontiers in Soft Matter

Frontiers Media S.A.

2813-0499 IF 3.71

Indian Journal of Chemistry

CSIR-NIScPR

0019-5103 IF 0.80

Indian Journal of Physics

Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science / Springer

0973-1458 IF 1.90

Journal of Earth System Science

Indian Academy of Sciences / Springer

0253-4126 IF 1.70

Journal of the American Chemical Society

American Chemical Society

0002-7863 IF 15.11

Journal of the Indian Chemical Society

Elsevier

0019-4522 IF 0.70

MAUSAM

India Meteorological Department

0252-9416 IF 0.50

Momento

Universidad Nacional de Colombia

0121-4470 IF 0.41

Nature

Nature Portfolio

0028-0836 IF 14.74

Nature Communications

Nature Portfolio

2041-1723 IF 14.53

Physical Review Letters

American Physical Society

0031-9007 IF 7.83

Pramana - Journal of Physics

Indian Academy of Sciences / Springer

0304-4289 IF 1.50

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences

National Academy of Sciences

0027-8424 IF 6.78

Revista Colombiana de Química

Universidad Nacional de Colombia

0120-2804 IF 1.12

Science

American Association for the Advancement of Science

0036-8075 IF 16.89

Best Journals for Physical Sciences

Physical Sciences Journals — Frequently Asked Questions

What is the highest citation rate physical sciences journal in 2026?

The top-ranked physical sciences journal on this page is the highest-impact-factor publication in our catalog for this field, sourced from our latest data refresh. Compare it with the rest of the ranked list above to see how citation rates distribute across this discipline.

How do I search journal of physical sciences citation rate?

Use the ISSN Checker to look up any physical sciences journal by ISSN — you get the latest OpenAlex Citation Rate, CiteScore, quartile, indexing badges, and OA status in one view. Or browse the ranked list above directly.

Are there open access physical sciences journals with high citation rate?

Yes — physical sciences titles flagged with the green Open Access badge above are both peer-reviewed and freely readable. Several are also DOAJ-listed and Scopus-indexed.

What does physical sciences journal ranking mean?

The physical sciences journal ranking on this page is by OpenAlex Citation Rate — the average citation count for articles published in the prior two years. Other ranking systems (CiteScore, SJR, OpenAlex Quartiles) apply different windows and weightings. Read what journal citation rate means »

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