Annals of Mathematics

Q: What is the most prestigious journal in mathematics?

Annals of Mathematics is widely cited alongside Inventiones Mathematicae and Acta Mathematica as the most prestigious venue for publishing landmark theorems in pure mathematics.

Annals of Mathematics is a bimonthly peer-reviewed academic journal of pure mathematics published by Princeton University with the cooperation of the Institute for Advanced Study. Founded in 1884, it is indexed under print ISSN 0003-486X and electronic ISSN 1939-8980, serving as one of the discipline's premier research venues whose impact is assessed through metrics including OpenAlex mean citedness and Clarivate Journal Citation Reports.

ByCASRAI Editorial Board

· Last updated 8 Nov 2026

What the journal is and who runs it

The Annals of Mathematics publishes foundational research across all areas of pure mathematics. The journal was founded in 1884 and has been managed with the editorial cooperation of Princeton University and the Institute for Advanced Study’s School of Mathematics since the 1930s. The journal is distinct from recent publications such as the Annals of Mathematics and Computer Science (annalsmcs.org), which operates under separate governance.

Journal metrics and citation characteristics

Evaluating mathematical journals through citation metrics requires discipline-specific context. Mathematical papers accrue citations gradually over decades rather than experiencing immediate post-publication spikes. Key verified indicators for Annals of Mathematics include:

OpenAlex 2-year mean citedness: 25.34 (OpenAlex source record S45918994, checked 8 November 2026).
Total verified publications: 6,308 cataloged works with 529,620 total citations (OpenAlex, checked 8 November 2026).
Crossref registered DOIs: 6,301 total DOIs assigned under publisher Annals of Mathematics (Crossref API, checked 8 November 2026).
h-index: 329, with an i10-index of 4,245 (OpenAlex, checked 8 November 2026).
Publication cadence: Six issues per year across two annual volumes.

How the Journal Impact Factor is calculated

The Clarivate Journal Impact Factor calculates the ratio of citations received in a given JCR year to citable items published in the two preceding years. Because Clarivate’s Journal Citation Reports is a paywalled platform, researchers should consult institutional subscriptions or official publisher disclosures for current JCR metrics rather than third-party aggregators.

Responsible metric use in pure mathematics

The International Mathematical Union and the San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment (DORA) caution against using journal-level metrics to evaluate individual papers or researchers. Pure mathematics papers often achieve peak impact 5 to 10 years after publication—exemplified by breakthroughs like the collaborative Polymath1 project density Hales-Jewett theorem publication (2012). Furthermore, mathematics adheres to strict alphabetical authorship traditions where author position conveys no seniority, making peer consensus more meaningful than raw citation ratios.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Annals of Mathematics a good journal?

Yes. Annals of Mathematics is universally regarded within the mathematical community as one of the most prestigious journals in the world for pure mathematics.

What are the top 4 math journals?

Informally termed the “Core Four” in pure mathematics, they comprise Annals of Mathematics, Acta Mathematica, Inventiones Mathematicae, and the Journal of the American Mathematical Society (JAMS).

What is the impact factor of Annals of Mathematics?

Clarivate publishes the official JIF inside the licensed Journal Citation Reports. In open bibliometrics, OpenAlex reports a 2-year mean citedness of 25.34 for the journal as of November 2026.

What is the most prestigious journal in mathematics?

Annals of Mathematics is widely cited alongside Inventiones Mathematicae and Acta Mathematica as the most prestigious venue for publishing landmark theorems in pure mathematics.

Sources

OpenAlex Source API, “Annals of Mathematics” (record S45918994), https://api.openalex.org/sources/S45918994, retrieved 8 November 2026.
Crossref Journal API, “Annals of Mathematics” (ISSN 0003-486X), https://api.crossref.org/journals/0003-486X, retrieved 8 November 2026.
NLM Catalog, “Annals of mathematics” (NLM ID 101581697), https://eutils.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/eutils/esummary.fcgi?db=nlmcatalog&id=101581697, retrieved 8 November 2026.

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