First awarded in 1901, the Nobel Prize medals depict Alfred Nobel (1833-1896).

Nobel Prizes and Laureates

Awarded for “the greatest benefit to humankind”

Between 1901 and 2025, the Nobel Prizes and the Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel were awarded 633 times to 1,026 people and organisations. The Nobel Prize is an international award administered by the Nobel Foundation in Stockholm, Sweden, and based on the fortune of Alfred Nobel, Swedish inventor and entrepreneur. In 1968, Sveriges Riksbank established the Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel, founder of the Nobel Prize. Each prize consists of a medal, a personal diploma, and a cash award.

A person or organisation awarded the Nobel Prize is called Nobel Prize laureate. The word “laureate” refers to being signified by the laurel wreath. In ancient Greece, laurel wreaths were awarded to victors as a sign of honour.

See a full list of all Nobel Prize laureates.

Quick facts

Awards: 633
Laureates: 1,026
Prize categories: 6
Awards to women: 68
Awarded organisations: 28
Youngest laureate: 17
Oldest laureate: 97

More Nobel Prize facts and figures.

Explore prizes and laureates

Prize categories

Nobel Prize in Physics

1901–2025:119 prizes awarded to 230 laureates.

Illustration Physics 2018 Laser — Illustration of laser, Physics Prize 2018.
© Johan Jarnestad/The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences

Nobel Prize in Chemistry

1901–2025: 117 prizes awarded to 200 laureates.

Carolyn Bertozzi in the laboratory.
Image Credit: L.A. Cicero

Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine

1901–2025: 116 prizes awarded to 232 laureates.

Male hands filling a syringe with the right dosage for an insulin shot. — Preparing syringe for insulin shot.
Photo: MarsBars via Getty Images

Nobel Prize in Literature

1901–2025: 118 prizes awarded to 122 laureates.

Nobel Peace Prize

1901–2025: 106 prizes awarded to 143 laureates.

ICAN works for the abolishment of nuclear weapons.
Illustration: iStock

Prize in economic sciences

1901–2025: 57 prizes awarded to 99 laureates.

Thaler2017 — Richard Thaler was awarded the 2017 prize in economic sciences.
Photo: iStock

The Nobel Prize

Questions and answers

Why is there a Nobel Prize? 

Do you want to know more about the Nobel Prize and the Nobel Prize laureates? Find answers to the most commonly asked questions in the FAQ.

Reinhard Genzel’s Nobel Prize medal — © Nobel Prize Outreach. Photo: Bernhard Ludewig

What do the laureates receive?

Nobel Prize diploma

Each diploma is a unique work of art, created by leading Swedish and Norwegian artists and calligraphers. Look at some of the diplomas here.

Doris Lessing - Nobel Diploma — Doris Lessing’s Nobel Diploma
© The Nobel Foundation 2007. Artist: Karin Mamma Andersson. Calligrapher: Annika Rücker. Photo reproduction: Fredrika Berghult

Nobel Prize medal

The front of the gold Nobel Prize medals depict Alfred Nobel. The image on the reverse varies according to the institution awarding the prize. Read more about the medals.

Tu Youyou showing her Nobel Medal — Tu Youyou showing her Nobel Prize medal, 11 December 2015.
© Nobel Media. Photo: Alexander Mahmoud.

The prize money

The current amount is at SEK 11 million per full Nobel Prize. A Nobel Prize can be awarded to up to three laureates who share the prize money. Find out more about the prize amounts throughout history.

Flower decorations at the 2016 Nobel Prize award ceremony — Flower decorations by Florist Helén Magnusson at the Nobel Prize award ceremony at the Stockholm Concert Hall, 10 December 2016.
© Nobel Media. Photo: Pi Frisk.

Featured laureates

Marie Curie, née Skłodowska

Nobel Prize in Chemistry 1911in recognition of her services to the advancement of chemistry by the discovery of the elements radium and polonium, by the isolation of radium and the study of the nature and compounds of this remarkable element.

Nobel Prize in Physics 1903in recognition of the extraordinary services they have rendered by their joint researches on the radiation phenomena discovered by Professor Henri Becquerel.