Jumonji AT-rich interactive domain 1B (JARID1B) and PHD finger protein 2 (PHF2), members of the histone demethylases, have been found to be involved in many types of tumors. However, the expression and prognostic significance of JARID1B and PHF2 in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) still remains unclear. In this study, JARID1B and PHF2 expression were detected on tissue microarrays of ESCC samples in 120 cases using immunohistochemical staining. Our results showed that JARID1B and PHF2 were overexpressed in ESCCs. In addition, a significant correlation was observed between JARID1B nuclear expression level and histological grade (P=0.003). Kaplan-Meier survival analysis showed a tendency that high cytoplasmic expression of JARID1B and PHF2 was associated with decreased overall survival of ESCC patients, whereas JARID1B high expression in the nucleus was associated with high overall survival, although there was no statistical significance. Overall, our data suggest that JARID1B and PHF2 are overexpressed in ESCC and that they may play crucial roles in the course of ESCC initiation and/or progression.