Q1 vs Q2 Journals: What Is the Difference and Does It Matter?

A Q1 journal ranks in the top 25% of its subject category by a citation metric; a Q2 journal ranks in the next 25%. The difference matters when a university, funder or evaluation scheme counts papers by quartile. Otherwise it is small: a journal at the 76th percentile is Q1 and one at the 74th is Q2, and the same journal can be Q1 in one source or category and Q2 in another. Choose the journal that fits your paper first, then use the quartile to decide between journals that fit equally well.

What do Q1 and Q2 mean?

Each source ranks the journals in a subject category by one citation metric and splits the list into four equal parts. Q1 holds the top quarter (75th to 100th percentile), Q2 the second (50th to 75th), Q3 the third and Q4 the bottom. On Journal Metrics the ranking metric is the Journal Metrics Score, computed from the August 2026 OpenAlex snapshot across 243 subfields. SCImago ranks by SJR. Scopus shows a CiteScore percentile instead of a quartile label.

A quartile is relative. It tells you how a journal compares with its neighbors in one category, not how good it is in absolute terms, and it says nothing about a single paper.

What the numbers show

From the current Journal Metrics data (22,642 journals):

36% of ranked journals are “Q1” (7,934 of 22,266), not 25%, because a journal listed in several subfields is labeled by its best quartile. 5,974 have Q2 as their best quartile.
10,974 journals hold different quartiles in different subfields.“Q1” without a category is incomplete.
The typical Q1 journal scores higher than the typical Q2 journal (median Journal Metrics Score 3.3 vs 1.6), but 226 Q2 journals score above the median Q1 journal. They sit in fields that cite heavily, where the Q1 bar is higher.
Q1 journals are not faster. Across 3,470 PubMed-indexed journals, the median time from submission to acceptance was 118 days for Q1 and 109 days for Q2.

When the difference matters

Formal evaluation. Some universities, hiring committees, PhD programs, funders and national assessment schemes award points or set requirements by quartile. Here Q1 versus Q2 can decide whether a paper counts. Find out which source, category and year they use, and check that one.
Visibility in your field. Q1 journals in a category are, on average, read and cited more. For work aimed at a broad audience in that field, that can matter.
Signaling on a CV. Readers outside your specialty may use quartile as a shortcut.

When it matters less

Near the boundary. A journal just inside Q1 and one just inside Q2 are effectively equal, and either can switch at the next release.
Specialty audiences. The journal your peers read may be a Q2 specialty title. A paper that reaches the right readers is cited more than one lost in a broad Q1 journal.
When sources disagree. A journal can be Q1 on Journal Metrics and Q2 on SCImago, or the reverse, because the data, metric and categories differ.
When time matters. A rejection from an ambitious Q1 target and a resubmission can add months. If a deadline is close, a well-matched Q2 journal may be the better plan.

How to choose between a Q1 and a Q2 journal

Shortlist journals by scope: they publish papers like yours. The journal explorer groups journals by field and quartile.
Check the quartile in the source your evaluator names, for the right category and year. See how to find a journal's quartile.
Compare acceptance time, fees and open access options on each journal's page.
Rank your list: the best-fitting Q1 journal first, then a Q2 fallback, and plan the order before you submit. See strategic journal selection and manuscript transfers between journals.
Confirm indexing before you submit, especially if your institution requires it. See how to check if a journal is Scopus indexed.

How to report the quartile

Give the source, the category and the year, for example “Q2 in Oncology, Journal Metrics, 2026”. Report the quartile at the time the paper was published if your evaluator asks for that; otherwise use the current one and say so.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between a Q1 and a Q2 journal?

A Q1 journal ranks in the top 25% of its subject category by a citation metric; a Q2 journal ranks between the 50th and 75th percentile. The quartile depends on the category, the year and the source.

Is a Q2 journal good?

Usually, yes. A Q2 journal is cited more than half of the journals in its category. Many respected specialty journals sit in Q2, and a journal near the boundary can move between Q1 and Q2 from one year to the next.

Why are more than 25% of journals listed as Q1?

Because many journals belong to several categories and are labeled by their best quartile. On Journal Metrics, 7,934 of 22,266 ranked journals (36%) are Q1 in at least one subfield.

Do Q1 journals review papers faster?

No. Across 3,470 PubMed-indexed journals, the median time from submission to acceptance was 118 days for Q1 journals and 109 days for Q2 journals.

Should I submit to a Q1 or a Q2 journal?

If your institution or funder rewards Q1 papers, aim for a Q1 journal that fits your paper and have a Q2 fallback ready. Otherwise choose by fit, readership and speed, and treat the quartile as one signal among several.

Q1 vs Q2 journals: does the quartile matter?