Purpose: Critical thinking (CT) in higher education institutions (HEIs) is rarely examined using bibliometric methods to provide a better reference path for future research. This study aims to provide a broad survey of the bibliometric literature on CT in HEIs. Design/methodology/approach: Compiled from the Scopus database, there were 670 articles published from 2018 to 2022 analyzed in the study. VOSviewer software was also used to analyze co-authorship, co-occurrence and citation. Findings: The results showed that the CT research literature was mainly published in the US However, the highest number of citations was from Australian authors. The most frequent keywords were CT, skills and higher education. Research limitations/implications: Due to the high variability of assessment strategies for each study, the current study suggests that further research focuses on the global assessment model of CT in HEIs. Originality/value: To the best of the research's knowledge, the study on CT in higher education with bibliometric analysis is rarely explored.