What is the Sensors JIF?

The JIF is 3.5 (2024 JCR). See the full year-by-year trend and category ranking in our Sensors JIF analysis.

What is the acceptance rate of Sensors?

Manusights currently treats ~50-60% as an estimate for Sensors, not an official journal-published rate. One common reason papers fail is demonstrating analyte detection in pure solutions without real-sample testing.

How long does Sensors take to review?

Sensors typically takes ~60-80 days median, but timing varies by editor, field, and reviewer availability. Expect an editorial screen first, then manuscript preparation, then peer review.

How much does it cost to publish in Sensors?

Sensors applies a publication fee, and the current page-level figure we track is ~$2,100 CHF. Reconfirm the official pricing page before budgeting because publisher fees can change.

Is Sensors peer reviewed?

Yes, Sensors is fully peer reviewed. All submissions undergo rigorous peer review by 2 reviewers assess sensor design, characterization rigor, and practical significance. First decision 60-80 days..

All Journal Guides

Journal Guide

Publishing in Sensors: Fit, Timeline & Submission Guide

Q: Is Sensors a good journal?

Sensors is a strong target if present sensing method detecting target analyte with clear advantages over existing approaches. It is a weaker fit if detecting molecules in synthetic samples is easy.

Q: What should I know before submitting to Sensors?

Wearable and point-of-care sensors have growing emphasis. Research on wearable biosensors, flexible sensors, or point-of-care diagnostic devices receives increasing editorial interest as mobile health grows.

Sensor technology: detecting molecules, signals, and environmental change

Should you submit here?

Submit if present sensing method detecting target analyte with clear advantages over existing approaches. Be careful if detecting molecules in synthetic samples is easy.

IF 3.5 · ~50-60% accepted · ~60-80 days median

Best fit if

Present sensing method detecting target analyte with clear advantages over existing approaches

Not ideal if

Detecting molecules in synthetic samples is easy

Also compare

Journal of Materials Chemistry Aand Small

3.5

Impact Factor (2024)

~50-60%

Acceptance Rate

~60-80 days median

Time to First Decision

Submission guide

Sensors submission guide

Sensors submission guide. Practical guidance for Sensors, plus what authors should do next. See what editors expect before you submit.

Journal assessment

Is Sensors a Good Journal? Fit Verdict

A practical Sensors fit verdict for authors deciding whether the manuscript is truly sensor-first, validated, and useful enough for this broad journal.

Desk rejection

How to Avoid Desk Rejection at Sensors

How to avoid desk rejection at Sensors by proving real-sample testing, full characterization, and practical performance outside the lab.

What Sensors Publishes

Sensors published by MDPI is an open-access journal covering sensor technologies across disciplines. With JIF 3.5 and broad coverage in Chemistry, Physics, and Engineering, Sensors emphasizes research on novel sensing approaches, sensor materials, and sensing applications. The journal publishes diverse sensor research from chemical sensors through physical sensors to biosensors. Critically: Sensors values practical sensing applications. Pure material science or detection method development without demonstration in sensor context is less competitive. The journal seeks papers showing how innovations enable new sensing capabilities.

Chemical sensors: electrochemical, optical, piezoelectric detection
Biosensors: biomarker detection, DNA/protein sensing, immunosensors
Environmental sensors: pollutant monitoring, air/water quality
Physical sensors: temperature, pressure, strain, motion detection
Smart materials for sensing: responsive polymers, nanostructures
Optical sensors: fluorescence, absorbance, surface plasmon resonance
Sensor signal processing and data analysis
Sensor applications in healthcare, environmental monitoring, IoT

Editor Insight

“Sensors publishes research advancing sensor technology and applications. We seek novel sensing platforms with demonstrated real-world applicability. Pure material science without sensor application is less competitive. The best papers combine novel sensing approach with practical demonstration.”

What Sensors Editors Look For

Novel sensing platform or approach with demonstrated detection capability

Present sensing method detecting target analyte with clear advantages over existing approaches. Show sensitivity, selectivity, response time. Quantify detection limits and dynamic range. Demonstrate practical sensing application.

Complete sensor characterization under realistic conditions

Test sensor in relevant matrices: blood serum for biomarkers, wastewater for pollutants, air samples for gases. Real-world conditions reveal sensor reliability. Lab-only testing in pure solutions is weak.

Understanding of sensing mechanism and signal generation

Explain how your sensor works. What's the transduction mechanism? How do chemical/physical changes generate detectable signal? Mechanistic understanding strengthens papers.

Reproducibility and practical sensor implementation

Show sensor fabrication reproducibility and describe implementation feasibility. Can others reproduce your sensor? Is fabrication scalable? Practical implementation matters.

Comparison with existing sensing approaches on performance metrics

Compare your sensor with state-of-the-art methods showing sensitivity, selectivity, cost, or ease-of-use advantages. Demonstrate clear performance improvement.

Why Papers Get Rejected

These patterns appear repeatedly in manuscripts that don't make it past Sensors's editorial review:

Demonstrating analyte detection in pure solutions without real-sample testing

Detecting molecules in synthetic samples is easy. Real samples contain interfering substances. Test in biological samples, environmental samples, or other complex matrices.

Reporting sensitivity without selectivity data

Sensitivity alone is insufficient. Show selectivity: testing against interferents and related compounds. Selective detection is what makes sensors useful.

Sensor platform without demonstration of practical application

Novel sensing chemistry is interesting, but Sensors expects application demonstration. Show actual disease diagnosis, pollutant monitoring, or other real-world sensing context.

Ignoring sensor stability and shelf life

Practical sensors must remain stable during storage and use. Address stability, shelf life, and environmental tolerance. Degrading sensors have limited utility.

Lacking comparison with existing commercial or reported sensors

Show your sensor's competitive position. How does performance (sensitivity, selectivity, cost, response time) compare with existing sensors for the same analyte?

Does your manuscript avoid these patterns?

The Free Readiness Scan reads your full manuscript against Sensors's criteria and flags the specific issues most likely to cause rejection.

Run Free Readiness Scan →

Insider Tips from Sensors Authors

Wearable and point-of-care sensors have growing emphasis

Research on wearable biosensors, flexible sensors, or point-of-care diagnostic devices receives increasing editorial interest as mobile health grows.

Multiplexing and simultaneous multi-analyte detection valued

Sensors detecting multiple biomarkers simultaneously or multiple analyte classes are more impactful than single-analyte detection.

Integration with IoT and wireless transmission gaining importance

Smart sensors with connectivity, data processing, or wireless transmission demonstrating Internet of Things integration increasingly competitive.

Graphene and nanostructure-based sensors remain hot topics

Sensors using graphene, graphene oxide, or other nanostructures for enhanced sensitivity remain scientifically prominent.

Lateral flow and paper-based sensors for low-resource settings valued

Sensors suitable for resource-limited environments or developing regions receive increasing attention for global health applications.

The Sensors Submission Process

Manuscript preparation

Prep

5,000-8,000 words with 5-7 figures. Include sensor fabrication, characterization, sensitivity/selectivity data in real samples, comparison with existing sensors, and practical application demonstration. Supporting: additional performance data, sensor images.

Submission via MDPI system

Day 0

Submit at https://www.mdpi.com/journal/sensors/submit. Required: manuscript emphasizing sensing novelty and practical application, figures showing sensor response and selectivity, cover letter highlighting performance advantages.

Editorial assessment

1-2 weeks

Editor assesses sensing novelty, performance significance, and practical applicability. Papers lacking real-sample testing or practical application may face lower priority. Moderate desk rejection ~15-25%.

Peer review

60-80 days

2 reviewers assess sensor design, characterization rigor, and practical significance. First decision 60-80 days.

Revision and publication

Revision: 2-4 weeks

Revisions often request real-sample validation or comparison with existing sensors. Quick revision. Publication 1-3 weeks after acceptance.

Sensors by the Numbers

2024 Impact Factor	3.9
5-Year Impact Factor	4.2
Acceptance rate	~50-60%
Desk rejection rate	~15-25%
Median first decision	~70 days
Open access APC	~$2,100 CHF
Publisher	MDPI
Founded	2001

Before you submit

Sensors accepts a small fraction of submissions. Make your attempt count.

Start with the Free Readiness Scan. Unlock the Full AI Diagnostic for $29. If you need deeper scientific feedback, choose Expert Review. The full report is calibrated to Sensors.

Run Free Readiness Scan See a sample report

Article Types

Article

5,000-8,000 words

Novel sensor development and application

Review

7,000-12,000 words

Sensor technology topic review

Short Note

2,500-4,000 words

Brief sensor finding

Landmark Sensors Papers

Papers that defined fields and changed science:

Electrochemical sensors development (1970s+) - continuous sensing foundation
Surface plasmon resonance biosensors (1990s+) - label-free real-time detection
Glucose biosensor (many variants) - enabled diabetes management
DNA biosensors and nanosensors (2000s+) - molecular-level detection
Wearable sensors boom (2010s+) - health monitoring revolution

Preparing a Sensors Submission?

Get pre-submission feedback from reviewers who've published in Sensors and know exactly what editors look for.

Run Free Readiness Scan

Need expert depth? See Expert Review Options

NDA-protected

Confidential

Primary Fields

BiosensorsChemical SensorsWearable SensorsIoT SensorsEnvironmental MonitoringPoint-of-Care Diagnostics

More Guides for This Journal

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Avoid Desk Rejection

Get expert pre-submission review before you submit to Sensors. 3-7 day turnaround.

Manuscript Rejected?

Expert revision help to strengthen your manuscript and resubmit with confidence.

Reviewer Response Help

Get expert guidance crafting your response to Sensors reviewers.

Reference library

Compare Sensors with the broader publishing context

This journal guide is the best starting point for Sensors. The reference library covers the surrounding questions authors usually ask next: whether the package is ready, what drives desk rejection, how neighboring journals compare, and what the submission constraints look like across the field.

Open the reference library →

Checklist system / operational asset

Elite Submission Checklist

A flagship pre-submission checklist that turns journal-fit, desk-reject, and package-quality lessons into one operational final-pass audit.

Flagship report / decision support

Desk Rejection Report

A canonical desk-rejection report that organizes the most common editorial failure modes, what they look like, and how to prevent them.

Dataset / reference hub

Journal Intelligence Dataset

A canonical journal dataset that combines selectivity posture, review timing, submission requirements, and Manusights fit signals in one citeable reference asset.

Dataset / reference guide

Peer Review Timelines by Journal

Reference-grade journal timeline data that authors, labs, and writing centers can cite when discussing realistic review timing.