U.S. News Announces the 2025-2026 Best Children's Hospitals

The new edition names 86 top pediatric hospitals, includes the second annual evaluation of pediatric and adolescent behavioral health programs.

WASHINGTON, Oct. 7, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- U.S. News & World Report, the global authority in hospital rankings and consumer advice, today announced the 19th edition of Best Children's Hospitals, an annual evaluation of pediatric hospitals by specialty and by location.

U.S. News has been evaluating specialty care at pediatric hospitals since 2007. Best Children's Hospitals is designed to assist parents and caregivers, along with their physicians, in navigating the challenges of finding the best possible care for children with serious illnesses or complex medical needs. A hospital that has earned a "Best" designation may be a good option for families to consider, in consultation with their child's medical provider(s) and care team.

U.S. News now evaluates 11 pediatric specialties. The 2025-2026 edition includes the second annual evaluation of the Best Children's Hospitals for Pediatric & Adolescent Behavioral Health, in which U.S. News evaluated hospitals for their care of children and teens in mental and behavioral health conditions such as autism, anxiety, depression, ADHD, bipolar disorder, language and learning disorders, and substance abuse and addiction.

"U.S. News has long assisted parents and caregivers in finding the best possible care for children with serious illnesses or complex medical needs. Our annual rankings of pediatric hospitals provide a roadmap to exceptional care for families, not just by specialty, but also by region and state," said Ben Harder, chief of health analysis and managing editor at U.S. News.

"The data are clear: one in five U.S. children has a mental, emotional, behavioral or developmental disorder and nearly one in three youth ages 12 to 17 are navigating a mental or behavioral health condition," Harder added. "U.S. News' continued evaluation of the top hospitals for pediatric and adolescent behavioral health empowers families with the information they need to make the most informed decisions for their child's well-being and health."

Top Pediatric Hospitals by Region

Mid-Atlantic
1. Children's Hospital of Philadelphia – tie
1. Children's National Hospital (Washington, D.C.) – tie

Midwest
1. Cincinnati Children's – tie
1. Nationwide Children's Hospital (Columbus) – tie

New England
1. Boston Children's Hospital

Pacific
1. Children's Hospital Los Angeles – tie
1. Rady Children's Hospital (San Diego) – tie
1. Seattle Children's Hospital – tie

Rocky Mountain
1. Children's Hospital Colorado (Aurora, CO)

Southeast
1. Children's Healthcare of Atlanta – tie
1. Duke Children's Hospital and Health Center (Durham, NC) – tie
1. Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt (Nashville) – tie

Southwest
1. Texas Children's Hospital (Houston)

Top Five Pediatric Hospitals in Selected Specialties

Pediatric Cancer

1. Cincinnati Children's
2. Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
3. Dana-Farber/Boston Children's Cancer and Blood Disorders Center
4. Children's Hospital Colorado (Aurora, CO)
5. Nationwide Children's Hospital (Columbus)

Pediatric Cardiology & Heart Surgery

1. Texas Children's Hospital (Houston)
2. Children's Hospital Colorado (Aurora, CO)
3. Duke Children's Hospital and Health Center (Durham, NC)
4. MUSC Children's Heart Network of South Carolina (Charleston, SC)
5. Children's Hospital of Philadelphia

Neonatology

1. Boston Children's Hospital
2. Texas Children's Hospital (Houston) 
3. Lucile Packard Children's Hospital Stanford (Palo Alto, CA)
4. Cincinnati Children's
5. Children's Hospital of Philadelphia

Pediatric Neurology & Neurosurgery

1. Texas Children's Hospital (Houston)
2. Boston Children's Hospital
3. Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
4. Children's National Hospital (Washington, D.C.)
5. Cincinnati Children's

Pediatric Orthopedics

1. Children's Medical Center Dallas-Scottish Rite for Children Orthopedic and Sports Medicine Center
2. Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
3. Cincinnati Children's
4. Children's Hospital Los Angeles
5. Boston Children's Hospital – tie
6. Texas Children's Hospital (Houston) – tie

2025-2026 Best Children's Hospitals Honor Roll
The following ten Honor Roll hospitals appear in alphabetical order:

• Boston Children's Hospital
• Children's Hospital Colorado (Aurora, CO)
• Children's Hospital Los Angeles
• Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
• Children's National Hospital (Washington, D.C.)
• Cincinnati Children's
• Nationwide Children's Hospital (Columbus)
• Rady Children's Hospital (San Diego)
• Seattle Children's Hospital
• Texas Children's Hospital (Houston)

For the 2025-2026 rankings, U.S. News, together with RTI International, a North Carolina-based research firm, collected and analyzed data from 118 children's hospitals and surveyed thousands of pediatric specialists. Children's hospitals awarded a "Best" designation excelled at factors such as clinical outcomes, compliance with established best practices, and level and quality of hospital resources directly related to patient care.

This year's rankings will be published in the U.S. News & World Report's "Best Hospitals 2026 Guidebook," available to order from the U.S. News Online Store.

Parents and caregivers can use U.S. News' Doctor Finder tool to identify pediatricians providing primary and specialized care.

The full rankings for the 2025-2026 Best Children's Hospitals national, regional/state and specialty rankings can be found at USNews.com. For more information, explore #BestChildrensHospitals on Facebook, Instagram, Threads, TikTok and X.

About U.S. News & World Report
U.S. News & World Report is the global leader for journalism that empowers consumers, citizens, business leaders and policy officials to make confident decisions in all aspects of their lives and communities. A multifaceted media company, U.S. News provides unbiased rankings, independent reporting and analysis, and consumer advice to millions of people on USNews.com each month. A pillar in Washington for more than 90 years, U.S. News is the trusted home for in-depth and exclusive insights on education, health, politics, the economy, personal finance, travel, automobiles, real estate, careers and consumer products and services.

SOURCE U.S. News & World Report, L.P.