Phoenix Children’s has been named the No. 1 children’s hospital in Arizona in U.S. News & World Report’s 2026-2027 Best Children’s Hospitals rankings, while also earning national recognition across six pediatric specialties.
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The latest rankings mark the 20th edition of U.S. News’ annual evaluation of pediatric hospitals, which is designed to help families and physicians identify leading care for children facing serious illnesses, complex conditions and rare diagnoses. This year, 90 children’s hospitals across 34 states and Washington, D.C., were recognized across 11 pediatric specialties.
For Arizona, Phoenix Children’s emerged as the state’s top-ranked pediatric hospital and placed No. 4 in the Southwest region, according to data accompanying the U.S. News rankings.
Phoenix Children’s also earned national recognition in six specialties, led by a No. 29 ranking in pediatric neurology and neurosurgery and No. 30 in pediatric gastroenterology and GI surgery.
The hospital ranked No. 43 nationally in diabetes and endocrinology, No. 44 in pediatric cancer and No. 44 in pediatric cardiology and heart surgery. Phoenix Children’s also received recognition among the Top 50 pediatric and adolescent behavioral health programs.
The results put Phoenix Children’s among a select group of pediatric hospitals nationally recognized for specialized care at a time when Arizona’s rapid population growth continues to increase demand for healthcare services.
“For two decades, U.S. News has helped guide families to top-tier pediatric care,” said Ben Harder, chief of health analysis and managing editor at U.S. News. “Finding the right medical team for a rare diagnosis or complex surgery can be overwhelming, and U.S. News’ annual evaluation of the Best Children’s Hospitals provides a clear starting point for parents and referring pediatricians alike.”
For the 2026-2027 rankings, U.S. News and research firm RTI International collected and analyzed clinical data from 114 children’s hospitals and surveyed thousands of pediatric specialists. Hospitals were evaluated on factors including clinical outcomes, adherence to established best practices and the quality and level of resources directly related to patient care.
This year’s rankings also include the third annual evaluation of pediatric and adolescent behavioral health programs, reflecting the growing importance of mental and behavioral healthcare for children and teens.
Nationally, 11 hospitals earned spots on the 2026-2027 Best Children’s Hospitals Honor Roll, representing institutions that demonstrated high performance across multiple pediatric specialties. Here they are, in alphabetical order:
● Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago
● 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, Cincinnati
● Nationwide Children’s Hospital, Columbus, Ohio
● Seattle Children’s Hospital
● Texas Children’s Hospital, Houston
● UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh
For Arizona families, however, the rankings put the spotlight squarely on Phoenix Children’s, whose six nationally recognized specialties helped secure its position as the state’s highest-ranked pediatric hospital.
