9 CA Children's Hospitals Among Nation's Best: U.S. News Rankings

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.

The 2025-2026 Best Children's Hospitals report includes both national and state and regional rankings. They are intended as a guide to assist parents and caregivers, along with their physicians, as they navigate the challenges of finding the best possible care for children with serious illnesses or complex medical needs.

For the second year, it includes an 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.

Ben Harder, chief of health analysis and managing editor at U.S. News, pointed out data that shows 1 in 5 U.S. children has a mental, emotional, behavioral or developmental disorder, and nearly 1 in 3 youth ages 12 to 17 are navigating a mental or behavioral health condition.

"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," Harder said.

In California, Children's Hospital Los Angeles and Rady Children's Hospital in San Diego tied for the No. 1 pediatric hospital.

Six Golden State hospitals were ranked among the top 50 nationally for behavioral health services in the 2025-2026 Best Children's Hospitals rankings.

Here's how California hospitals performed. Their state rankings are in parenthesis.

• Children's Hospital Los Angeles (No. 1, top 50 for behavioral health services)
• Rady Children's Hospital, San Diego (No. 1, top 50 for behavioral health services)
• Lucile Packard Children's Hospital Stanford, Palo Alto (No. 3, top 50 for behavioral health services)
• UCSF Benioff Children's Hospitals, San Francisco and Oakland (No. 3, top 50 for behavioral health services)
• UCLA Mattel Children's Hospital, Los Angeles (No. 5, top 50 for behavioral health services)
• CHOC Children's Hospital, Orange (No. 6, top 50 for behavioral health services)
• UC Davis Children's Hospital, Sacramento (No. 7)
• Loma Linda University Children's Hospital, Loma Linda (No. 8)
• Valley Children's Healthcare and Hospital, Madera (No. 9)

The top five hospitals by selected specialties are:

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)
5. Nationwide Children's Hospital (Columbus, Ohio)

Pediatric Cardiology & Heart Surgery
1. Texas Children's Hospital (Houston)
2. Children's Hospital Colorado (Aurora)
3. Duke Children's Hospital and Health Center (Durham, North Carolina)
4. MUSC Children's Heart Network of South Carolina (Charleston, South Carolina)
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, California)
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. (tie) Boston Children's Hospital and Texas Children's Hospital (Houston)

2025-202 Best Children’s Hospitals Honor Roll
(Hospitals garnering rankings in multiple specialties, listed alphabetically)

• Boston Children's Hospital
• Children's Hospital Colorado (Aurora)
• 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, Ohio)
• Rady Children's Hospital (San Diego)
• Seattle Children's Hospital
• Texas Children's Hospital (Houston)