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Subfield · Mathematics

Statistics and Probability research

Statistics and Probability is a subfield of Mathematics. Science Explorer counts 294k research works in it since 1950. 18.7% of them reached the world's top 10% most cited for their field and year.

In short: study of the collection, analysis, interpretation, and presentation of data.

Research works
294k
fractional, since 1950
In the world top 10%
55k
per year above
Top-10% rate
18.7%
share of its works in the world top 10%
Topics
20
Growth, 2013–17 → 2018–22
+12%
the tick is no change

What is Statistics and Probability research about, and what is growing?

By the world's output in 2019–23, its most used keywords are Bayesian Methods, Model Selection, Regression Analysis, Principal Component Analysis, Regularization, Variable Selection. Gaining share since 2009–13: Methodology, Sample Size Calculation, Statistical Analysis, Benford's Law, Fraud Detection. Losing share: Capture-Recapture, Population Size Estimation, Statistical Modeling, Multicollinearity.

▲ gaining share of this field◆ holding its share▼ losing share

Size is the world's fractional works in 2019–23 in the topics tagged with each word; colour compares the word's share of this field with 2009–13. Each links to the topic it comes from most.

All 40 words, with their numbers
  1. Bayesian Methods13k◆ 0.97×2 topics
  2. Model Selection10k◆ 0.95×3 topics
  3. Regression Analysis9,968◆ 0.87×3 topics
  4. Principal Component Analysis8,383▼ 0.85×3 topics
  5. Regularization7,653◆ 0.96×1 topic
  6. Variable Selection7,653◆ 0.96×1 topic
  7. Multicollinearity5,903▼ 0.84×1 topic
  8. Outlier Detection5,903▼ 0.84×1 topic
  9. Bayesian Modeling5,534◆ 0.93×1 topic
  10. Multiple Imputation5,534◆ 0.93×1 topic
  11. Adaptive Designs5,212◆ 0.98×1 topic
  12. False Discovery Rate5,212◆ 0.98×1 topic
  13. Generalized Exponential4,913◆ 1.12×1 topic
  14. Skew Distributions4,913◆ 1.12×1 topic
  15. Mathematical Achievement4,725◆ 1.06×1 topic
  16. Numerical Cognition4,725◆ 1.06×1 topic
  17. Causal Inference4,090▲ 1.36×1 topic
  18. Propensity Score4,090▲ 1.36×1 topic
  19. Data Science3,463▲ 1.19×1 topic
  20. Statistics Anxiety3,463▲ 1.19×1 topic
  21. Fuzzy Differential Equations3,354◆ 0.93×1 topic
  22. Uncertainty Theory3,354◆ 0.93×1 topic
  23. Bayesian Monte Carlo2,038◆ 0.94×1 topic
  24. Markov Chain2,038◆ 0.94×1 topic
  25. Approximation Theorems1,990◆ 0.91×1 topic
  26. Statistical Convergence1,990◆ 0.91×1 topic
  27. Statistical Analysis1,837▲ 1.93×2 topics
  28. Eigenvalues1,770◆ 0.88×1 topic
  29. Random Matrix Theory1,770◆ 0.88×1 topic
  30. Statistical Modeling1,348▼ 0.79×2 topics
  31. Methodology1,081▲ 2.4×1 topic
  32. Sample Size Calculation1,081▲ 2.4×1 topic
  33. Randomized Response Technique1,066◆ 1.07×1 topic
  34. Sensitive Questions1,066◆ 1.07×1 topic
  35. Benford's Law756▲ 1.52×1 topic
  36. Fraud Detection756▲ 1.52×1 topic
  37. Capture-Recapture719▼ 0.69×1 topic
  38. Population Size Estimation719▼ 0.69×1 topic
  39. Machine Learning711◆ 0.90×1 topic
  40. Multivariate Analysis711◆ 0.90×1 topic

Which countries lead Statistics and Probability research?

On research quality in 2022–2025, the United States, the United Kingdom and China rank highest in Statistics and Probability. By volume, the United States and China publish the most (11k and 4.7k works in 2022–2025).

By research quality, 2022–2025

  1. 1 United States · #1 all time 19.0% top 10% · 11k works
  2. 2 United Kingdom · #2 all time 23.3% top 10% · 2k works
  3. 3 China · #5 all time 15.8% top 10% · 4.7k works
  4. 4 Germany · #4 all time 20.3% top 10% · 1.8k works
  5. 5 India · #11 all time 14.2% top 10% · 2.6k works
  6. 6 Canada · #3 all time 17.7% top 10% · 1.4k works
  7. 7 Netherlands · #7 all time 27.4% top 10% · 698 works
  8. 8 Saudi Arabia · #20 all time 28.5% top 10% · 821 works
  9. 9 France · #6 all time 16.1% top 10% · 1.5k works
  10. 10 Italy · #9 all time 19.0% top 10% · 1.2k works

The track on each row is that row’s top-10% rate. The ranking itself is the composite score, which the rate is only one part of.

Of 41 countries ranked in Statistics and Probability. Composite of field-normalised excellence (50%), output (30%) and citations (20%); the bracket is the all-time rank.

All countries ranked in Statistics and Probability

By volume, 2022–2025

  1. 1 United States 11k works
  2. 2 China 4.7k works
  3. 3 India 2.6k works
  4. 4 United Kingdom 2k works
  5. 5 Germany 1.8k works
  6. 6 France 1.5k works
  7. 7 Canada 1.4k works
  8. 8 Türkiye 1.2k works
  9. 9 Italy 1.2k works
  10. 10 Japan 1.1k works

How concentrated that is

The same countries as shares of everything the list above accounts for. A node where two countries do two thirds of the work and one spread evenly across twelve read alike as a ranking and not at all alike here.

United States: 39.6%China: 16.2%India: 9.0%United Kingdom: 6.8%6 others listed: 28.3%40%largest
United States11k · 39.6%China4,679 · 16.2%India2,597 · 9.0%United Kingdom1,978 · 6.8%6 others listed8,188 · 28.3%

Shares of the rows listed above, not of the whole node.

Which institutions lead Statistics and Probability research?

Harvard University (United States) ranks first in Statistics and Probability on research quality in 2022–2025, followed by Stanford University and University College London.

By research quality, 2022–2025

  1. 1 Harvard University United States · Cambridge · #2 all time 32.9% top 10% · 180 works
  2. 2 Stanford University United States · Stanford · #1 all time 31.3% top 10% · 168 works
  3. 3 University College London United Kingdom · London · #12 all time 31.2% top 10% · 128 works
  4. 4 University of Michigan United States · Ann Arbor · #4 all time 26.0% top 10% · 177 works
  5. 5 Columbia University United States · New York · #7 all time 26.9% top 10% · 146 works
  6. 6 University of Pennsylvania United States · Philadelphia · #16 all time 22.9% top 10% · 162 works
  7. 7 University of California, Los Angeles United States · Los Angeles · #6 all time 25.3% top 10% · 100 works
  8. 8 University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill United States · Chapel Hill · #14 all time 10.0% top 10% · 261 works
  9. 9 University of California, Berkeley United States · Berkeley · #3 all time 29.3% top 10% · 132 works
  10. 10 Yale University United States · New Haven · #21 all time 25.9% top 10% · 135 works

The track on each row is that row’s top-10% rate. The ranking itself is the composite score, which the rate is only one part of.

Of 76 institutions above the floor of 40 fractional works in Statistics and Probability.

Top 100 Statistics and Probability institutions

By volume, 2022–2025

  1. 1 University of North Carolina at Chapel HillUnited States 261 works
  2. 2 Harvard UniversityUnited States 180 works
  3. 3 University of MichiganUnited States 177 works
  4. 4 Stanford UniversityUnited States 168 works
  5. 5 University of PennsylvaniaUnited States 162 works
  6. 6 Columbia UniversityUnited States 146 works
  7. 7 Centre National de la Recherche ScientifiqueFrance 143 works
  8. 8 Duke UniversityUnited States 139 works
  9. 9 Yale UniversityUnited States 135 works
  10. 10 University of TorontoCanada 134 works

Who are the leading researchers in Statistics and Probability?

Among the most productive authors in Statistics and Probability, David Moher, John P. A. Ioannidis and Robert Tibshirani rank highest on the composite score.

  1. 1 David Moher Canada · #1 worldwide 38k citations · 235 works
  2. 2 John P. A. Ioannidis United States · #10 worldwide 8k citations · 222 works
  3. 3 Robert Tibshirani United States · #38 worldwide 13k citations · 155 works
  4. 4 M. Hashem Pesaran United States · #64 worldwide 9.1k citations · 161 works
  5. 5 Maarten J. Postma Netherlands · #90 worldwide 4.6k citations · 251 works
  6. 6 Daniel J. Sargent United States · #93 worldwide 4.1k citations · 146 works
  7. 7 Stuart Pocock United Kingdom · #122 worldwide 4.3k citations · 148 works
  8. 8 Marko Sarstedt Germany · #145 worldwide 11k citations · 117 works
  9. 9 Douglas G. Altman United Kingdom · #199 worldwide 23k citations · 108 works
  10. 10 Frederick Mosteller United States · #203 worldwide 2.3k citations · 145 works

Re-ranked on the composite score from the 4,884 highest-output authors in Statistics and Probability. Identities come from OpenAlex author disambiguation, which occasionally merges or splits people.

Top 100 Statistics and Probability researchers

Where is Statistics and Probability research done?

The largest centres of Statistics and Probability research in 2022–2025 are Beijing (China), London (United Kingdom), New York (United States) and Paris (France). Among places with at least 20 works in it, it is an unusually large share of all research in Redlands, Palapye and Fort Walton Beach.

Largest cities, 2022–2025

  1. 1 Beijing China 988 works
  2. 2 London United Kingdom 574 works
  3. 3 New York United States 569 works
  4. 4 Paris France 501 works
  5. 5 Tokyo Japan 446 works
  6. 6 Shanghai China 406 works
  7. 7 Seoul South Korea 332 works
  8. 8 Cambridge United States 319 works
  9. 9 Moscow Russia 286 works
  10. 10 Chapel Hill United States 269 works

Where it is the local speciality

  1. RedlandsUS · 21.6 works20×
  2. PalapyeBW · 27.8 works19×
  3. Fort Walton BeachUS · 23.4 works17×
← less than its size predicts1×more →

Location quotient: how much more of its research is in Statistics and Probability than the world average.

See Statistics and Probability on the map

Statistics and Probability research by country

The best places for Statistics and Probability research inside each country, with that country's researchers and world standing.

Where is the best place to study Statistics and Probability?

Among universities, judged by research, Université de Technologie de Compiègne, King Mongkut's University of Technology North Bangkok and London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine score highest, combining excellence, specialisation, size, growth and international reach. Research strength is one signal when choosing where to study; it does not measure teaching.

0%25%50%mean 35.12%fractional works in this node (log) →share in the world top 10% →Université de Technologie de Compiègne: 24, 59.5%King Mongkut's University of Technology North Bangkok: 58, 19.2%London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine: 38, 48.3%Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University: 67, 32.4%Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University: 26, 29.5%Imam Mohammad ibn Saud Islamic University: 50, 34.3%King Abdulaziz University: 106, 27.9%Harvard University: 180, 32.9%Quaid-i-Azam University: 38, 29.2%University of Tabuk: 34, 38.0%Université de Techno…London School of Hyg…Princess Nourah bint…King Mongkut's Unive…
above the meannear itbelow it

One dot per university in the table below. The upper left is the interesting corner: small places doing unusually strong work.

#UniversityScoreTop 10%SpecialisationWorksGrowth
1 Université de Technologie de CompiègneFrance 60.359.5%16.8×24 -52.5%
2 King Mongkut's University of Technology North BangkokThailand 59.519.2%10.3×58 +444.0%
3 London School of Hygiene & Tropical MedicineUnited Kingdom 55.548.3%5.8×38 +2.1%
4 Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman UniversitySaudi Arabia 55.032.4%5.9×67 —
5 Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar UniversityIndia 53.129.5%8.5×26 +710.9%
6 Imam Mohammad ibn Saud Islamic UniversitySaudi Arabia 52.834.3%6.1×50 +58.1%
7 King Abdulaziz UniversitySaudi Arabia 51.227.9%4.4×106 +88.5%
8 Harvard UniversityUnited States 49.632.9%3.3×180 +16.0%
9 Quaid-i-Azam UniversityPakistan 49.429.2%5.8×38 +135.0%
10 University of TabukSaudi Arabia 49.438.0%5.7×34 —

Universities only. Score blends excellence (30%), specialisation (25%), size (20%), growth (15%) and international reach (10%), 2015–2022; growth compares 2010–14 with 2015–19.

Is Statistics and Probability research growing?

Output in 2018–2022 was 12% higher than in 2013–2017, peaking in 2025. The fastest-growing topics are Statistical Methods in Epidemiology, Survey Sampling and Estimation Techniques and Advanced Causal Inference Techniques.

19801990200020102020
grewheldshrank

The same series as a ribbon — one cell per year, darker for more. The line above answers how much; this answers when.

Which topics inside it are moving

Growth and decline on one axis around a shared zero. Two lists side by side hide the thing that matters: whether the growth dwarfs the decline, or the other way round.

  1. Statistical Methods in Epidemiology+207%
  2. Survey Sampling and Estimation Techniques+118%
  3. Advanced Causal Inference Techniques+103%
  4. Cognitive and developmental aspects of mathematical skills+91%
  5. Education, Psychology, and Complexity Research+83%
  6. Probabilistic Statistics in Medicine+81%
← shrinkingno changegrowing →

Growth in output from 2005–09 to 2015–19. Every topic is a page of its own.

What does Statistics and Probability include?

Advanced Statistical Methods and Models: 39k fractional worksStatistical Methods and Inference: 39k fractional worksStatistical Methods and …29kStatistical Methods and Bayesian Inference: 29k fractional worksStatistical Methods in C…27kStatistical Methods in Clinical Trials: 27k fractional worksCognitive and developmental aspects of mathematical skills: 24k fractional worksStatistical Distribution Estimation and Applications: 24k fractional worksStatistics Education and Methodologies: 17k fractional worksAdvanced Causal Inference Techniques: 17k fractional worksFuzzy Systems and Optimization: 16k fractional worksApproximation Theory and Sequence Spaces: 12k fractional worksMarkov Chains and Monte Carlo Methods: 12k fractional worksRandom Matrices and Applications: 10k fractional works

Area is fractional works in that topic. Every name below is a page of its own.