Understanding the 8 Major Academic Journal Ranking Systems

With eight major academic journal ranking systems used worldwide, understanding the differences between them is crucial for strategic publication planning. This guide explains each system for ranking scientific journals in detail: who publishes it, what the rankings mean, and who uses them for evaluating peer reviewed journals.

Not sure which ranking you should use? Check out our guide: Which Journal Ranking Should I Use?

VHB-JOURQUAL (Updated 2024)

Publisher

VHB (Verband der Hochschullehrer für Betriebswirtschaft e.V.) - the German Academic Association for Business Research.

Official Source

Rankings

• A+: Exceptional quality peer reviewed journals
• A: High-quality journals
• B: Established journals
• C: Recognized journals
• D: Entry-level journals

Who Uses VHB-JOURQUAL?

Primary Users:

• German universities and business schools
• Austrian academic institutions
• Swiss German-speaking universities
• European researchers publishing in business and economics

Geographic Focus: Primarily Germany, Austria, and Switzerland (DACH region)

VHB-JOURQUAL is the gold standard for academic journal rankings in German-speaking countries. If you're applying for academic positions in Germany, Austria, or Switzerland, or seeking research grants from German funding agencies (like DFG - Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft), VHB rankings are crucial. German universities often require candidates to demonstrate publications in VHB A or A+ peer reviewed journals for tenure and promotion.

Key Insight: VHB has broader discipline coverage than some academic journal rankings and includes important European journals that might not appear in UK or US-centric lists.

ABDC Journal Quality List (Updated 2022)

Publisher

ABDC (Australian Business Deans Council) - a consortium of business deans from Australian universities.

Official Source

Rankings

• A*: Top-tier peer reviewed journals (highest quality)
• A: Excellent journals
• B: Well-regarded journals
• C: Recognized journals

Who Uses ABDC?

Primary Users:

• Australian universities (mandatory for most business schools)
• New Zealand academic institutions
• Asian-Pacific business schools
• International researchers targeting Australian positions

Geographic Focus: Australia and New Zealand, with growing influence in Asia-Pacific

The ABDC list is mandatory for research evaluation at most Australian universities. If you're seeking academic positions in Australia or New Zealand, ABDC academic journal rankings directly impact hiring, promotion, and research funding decisions. The Australian Research Council (ARC) and university research offices use ABDC to evaluate research output quality. ABDC also provides strong finance journal ranking coverage.

Key Insight: ABDC underwent a major update in 2022 and is known for its rigorous peer-review process for ranking scientific journals. Australian universities often set minimum publication requirements (e.g., "at least 3 ABDC A* or A publications for promotion to Associate Professor").

ABS Academic Journal Guide (Updated 2024)

Publisher

ABS (Chartered Association of Business Schools) - the UK's representative body for business schools.

Official Source

Rankings

• 4*: World elite peer reviewed journals
• 4: Top journals
• 3: Highly regarded journals
• 2: Recognized journals
• 1: Modest-quality journals

Who Uses the ABS Ranking?

Primary Users:

• UK universities and business schools (nearly universal adoption)
• Irish academic institutions
• Commonwealth countries (Canada, South Africa, Singapore)
• European Business Schools (EFMD, EQUIS-accredited institutions)

Geographic Focus: United Kingdom and Ireland, with significant influence across Europe

The ABS ranking is the dominant academic journal ranking system in the UK higher education sector. UK's Research Excellence Framework (REF) - which determines university research funding - relies heavily on ABS ranking classifications. British universities typically require publications in ABS 3, 4, or 4* peer reviewed journals for tenure and promotion.

Key Insight: ABS ranking 4* journals are extremely selective (only ~5% of listed journals achieve this rating). A single ABS 4* publication can significantly boost your academic profile in UK institutions. The ABS ranking also provides comprehensive finance journal ranking coverage.

HCERES Journal List (Updated 2021)

Publisher

HCERES (Haut Conseil de l'Évaluation de la Recherche et de l'Enseignement Supérieur) - the French High Council for Evaluation of Research and Higher Education.

Official Source

Rankings

• Not explicitly ranked - peer reviewed journals are categorized by discipline and recognized status

Who Uses HCERES?

Primary Users:

• French universities and grandes écoles
• French-speaking institutions in Belgium, Switzerland, and Canada (Quebec)
• French research institutes (CNRS, INSERM)

Geographic Focus: France and Francophone countries

HCERES evaluates all French higher education and research institutions. While it doesn't use A/B/C academic journal rankings like other systems, being listed in HCERES is essential for French academics. French universities and funding agencies (like ANR - Agence Nationale de la Recherche) use HCERES to assess research quality in peer reviewed journals.

Key Insight: HCERES includes many French-language journals and European publications that don't appear in Anglo-American academic journal rankings. If you're working in France or applying for French research grants, HCERES recognition is critical.

SJR (SCImago Journal Rank) (Updated 2024)

Publisher

SCImago Research Group - a Spanish research group that analyzes science, technology, and innovation using data from Scopus (Elsevier).

Official Source

Rankings

• Q1: Top 25% of peer reviewed journals in each category (highest quartile)
• Q2: 25-50th percentile
• Q3: 50-75th percentile
• Q4: Bottom 25%

Who Uses SJR?

Primary Users:

• Global: Researchers and institutions worldwide
• Particularly important in Southern Europe (Spain, Italy, Portugal)
• Latin American universities
• Eastern European institutions
• Asian universities (China, India, Southeast Asia)

Geographic Focus: Truly international, but especially important outside Anglo-American academic systems

SJR is the most internationally accessible system for ranking scientific journals because:

1. It's free and publicly available (no subscription required)
2. It covers the broadest range of peer reviewed journals (over 25,000 titles)
3. It includes journals from all countries and languages
4. It's based on Scopus, the largest citation database

Key Insight: SJR is particularly valuable for interdisciplinary researchers and those in emerging fields where specialized academic journal rankings don't exist. It's also widely used in countries without national ranking systems and provides comprehensive finance journal ranking data.

Financial Times 50 (FT50) (Updated 2025)

Publisher

Financial Times - the British international daily newspaper.

Official Source

Rankings

• Binary: Peer reviewed journals are either on the list (elite) or not
• No internal A/B/C ranking—being listed is the achievement

Who Uses FT50?

Primary Users:

• Business schools worldwide (especially top-tier MBA programs)
• Management and strategy researchers
• Institutions seeking Financial Times business school rankings

Geographic Focus: Global, but with strong emphasis on top international business schools

The FT50 list represents the most prestigious business and management peer reviewed journals globally. Only 50 journals make the cut, making it the most exclusive of all academic journal rankings. Business schools use FT50 publications to:

• Evaluate faculty research for hiring and promotion
• Determine bonuses and research awards
• Boost their institution's Financial Times business school ranking

Key Insight: A single FT50 publication can be career-defining, especially at elite business schools. The FT50 includes top finance journal ranking entries. However, the list is extremely narrow (only 50 journals vs. thousands in other rankings), so it's less useful for comprehensive research evaluation.

UTD 24 List (Updated 2025)

Publisher

University of Texas at Dallas - Naveen Jindal School of Management.

Official Source

Rankings

• Binary: 24 peer reviewed journals across 8 business disciplines
• No quality tiers—all listed journals are considered top-tier

Who Uses UTD 24?

Primary Users:

• US business schools (particularly top research-focused institutions)
• North American management researchers
• Schools ranked in UTD Top 100 Business School Rankings

Geographic Focus: United States, with influence in North American research institutions

The UTD list is ultra-selective for ranking scientific journals, featuring only 24 peer reviewed journals across eight major business disciplines:

• Accounting (3 journals)
• Finance (3 journals) - key finance journal ranking entries
• Information Systems (3 journals)
• Management (3 journals)
• Marketing (3 journals)
• Operations Management (3 journals)
• Organizations (3 journals)
• Strategy (3 journals)

Key Insight: UTD is the most selective of all academic journal rankings (only 24 journals total). Publications in UTD journals are highly valued at US research universities, often resulting in significant salary increases, reduced teaching loads, and accelerated promotion.

JUFO - Publication Forum Finland (Updated 2024)

Publisher

Federation of Finnish Learned Societies - managed by the Publication Forum (Julkaisufoorumi) steering group.

Official Source

Rankings

• Level 3: Highest level (top international peer reviewed journals)
• Level 2: Leading scholarly channels
• Level 1: Basic scientific publication channels
• Level 0: Other identified publication venues

Who Uses JUFO?

Primary Users:

• Finnish universities and research institutions
• Nordic academic institutions
• Researchers collaborating with Finnish partners
• Those seeking funding from Finnish research councils

Geographic Focus: Finland and Nordic countries

JUFO (Julkaisufoorumi) is the most comprehensive of all academic journal rankings, covering over 40,000 publication channels across all academic disciplines—not just business and management. Finnish universities and the Research Council of Finland use JUFO levels directly in research evaluation and funding allocation decisions.

Key Insight: Unlike business-focused academic journal rankings, JUFO covers all scientific disciplines, making it invaluable for interdisciplinary researchers. JUFO Level 3 peer reviewed journals represent the absolute top tier of international scholarship. The system also provides finance journal ranking coverage alongside STEM and humanities.

Compare Journals Across All Academic Journal Rankings

Want to see how a specific journal ranks across all eight systems? Use Journal Rankings to instantly check peer reviewed journals and compare their rankings across all major systems.

Features:

• ✓ Check journals across VHB, ABDC, ABS ranking, HCERES, SJR, FT50, UTD, and JUFO
• ✓ Compare academic journal rankings instantly
• ✓ Identify high-overlap journals for international mobility
• ✓ Free to use—no registration required

Search Journal Rankings Now →

Next Steps

Now that you understand the different systems for ranking scientific journals, learn how to choose the right one for your situation:

Read: Which Journal Ranking Should I Use? →

This guide will help you:

• Select the academic journal rankings that matter for your institution
• Navigate geographic requirements
• Match rankings to your discipline
• Build a strategic publication plan for peer reviewed journals

Last updated: January 2026