Nine children's hospitals in California have been named among the best in the country in a new U.S. News & World Report ranking released Tuesday.
U.S. News & World Report recognized 90 children's hospitals in 34 states and Washington, D.C., in its 2026-2027 Best Children's Hospitals rankings.
This is the 20th year the publication has published the rankings to guide parents, their children's doctors, and caregivers in navigating a complex web of pediatric care choices for children with serious illnesses and rare conditions. California families don't always have those choices in their hometowns, and the rankings are intended to help them identify the best pediatric care options in their regions and the state.
U.S. News evaluated 114 hospitals across 11 specialties, looking at patient outcomes, medical practices and the resources available to care for children. The rankings also drew on surveys of thousands of pediatric specialists. The final report recognizes 90 children's hospitals in 34 states and Washington, D.C.
The California hospitals recognized among the nation's best are:
Children's Hospital Los Angeles ranked No. 1 in California and was the state's only hospital to make the national Honor Roll. Lucile Packard Children's Hospital Stanford and UCSF Benioff Children's Hospitals tied for No. 2 in the state.
Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Lucile Packard Children's Hospital Stanford, Rady Children's Hospital San Diego, and UCSF Benioff Children's Hospitals were each nationally ranked in all 11 specialties evaluated by U.S. News. Other California hospitals earned national recognition across multiple specialties.
Nationwide, eleven hospitals made the Honor Roll for strong performance across multiple specialties: Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, Boston Children's Hospital, Children's Hospital Colorado, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Children's National Hospital, Cincinnati Children's, Nationwide Children's Hospital, Seattle Children's Hospital, Texas Children's Hospital, and UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh.
Dana-Farber/Boston Children's ranked first for pediatric cancer; Texas Children's for cardiology and heart surgery; Boston Children's for neonatology and neurology and neurosurgery; and Children's Health Dallas-Scottish Rite for Children for orthopedics.
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