Information　aggregation　and　propagation　over　networks　via　graph　neural　networks　(GNNs)　plays　an　important　role　in　node　or　graph　representation　learning,　which　currently　depend　on　the　calculation　with　a　fixed　adjacency　matrix,　facing　over-smoothing　problem,　and　difficulty　to　stack　multiple　layers　for　high-level　representations.　In　contrast,　Transformer　calculates　an　importance　score　for　each　node　to　learn　its　embedding　via　the　attention　mechanism　and　has　achieved　great　successes　in　many　natural　language　processing　(NLP)　and　computer　vision　(CV)　tasks.　However,　Transformer　is　inflexible　to　extend　to　graphs,　as　its　input　and　output　must　have　the　same　dimension.　It　will　also　become　intractable　to　allocate　attention　over　a　large-scale　graph　due　to　distractions.　Moreover,　most　graph　Transformers　are　trained　in　supervised　ways,　which　consume　additional　resources　to　annotate　samples　with　potentially　wrong　labels　and　have　limited　generalization　of　representations.　Therefore,　this　article　attempts　to　build　a　new　Sparse　Graph　Transformer　with　Contrastive　learning　for　graph　representation　learning,　called　SGTC.　Specifically,　we　first　employ　centrality　measures　to　remove　the　redundant　topological　information　from　input　graph　according　to　the　influences　of　nodes　and　edges,　then　disturb　the　pruned　graph　to　get　two　different　augmentation　views,　and　learn　node　representations　in　a　contrastive　manner.　Besides,　a　novel　sparse　attention　mechanism　is　also　proposed　to　capture　structural　features　of　graphs,　which　effectively　save　memory　and　training　time.　SGTC　can　produce　low-dimensional　and　high-order　node　representations,　which　have　better　generalization　for　multiple　tasks.　The　proposed　model　is　evaluated　on　three　downstream　tasks　over　six　networks,　and　experimental　results　confirm　its　superior　performance　against　the　state-of-the-art　baselines.　©　2014　IEEE.