UCSF Benioff Children's Tops US News Rankings

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UCSF Benioff Children's Hospitals achieved its strongest showing to date in the 2026-27 U.S. News & World Report Best Children's Hospitals list, tying as the best among children's hospitals in Northern California. All specialties assessed were nationally recognized for the ninth consecutive year, with four ranking among the nation's top 10 for the first time.

Neonatology remained the hospitals' highest-ranked program at No. 6 in the nation. Cancer tied for No. 8 and gastroenterology and GI surgery placed No. 10, while nephrology moved into the top 10 for the first time at No. 9. UCSF Benioff Children's Hospitals also tied as both No. 2 in California and No. 3 in the Pacific Region.

"Every family should be able to access extraordinary care that is comprehensive, convenient and centered around their child and their needs," said Suresh Gunasekaran, president and chief executive officer of UCSF Health. "These results reflect the expertise and commitment of our teams, and the strength of the pediatric health system we are building to make that level of care easier to access for more children and families across the region."

UCSF Benioff Oakland and San Francisco are evaluated together across the 11 ranked specialties, reflecting an integrated pediatric health system that connects children and families to highly specialized care and expertise across the region.

Five specialties ranked as best in Northern California. Cancer, cardiology and heart surgery, and urology retained the region's top position, while gastroenterology and GI surgery and orthopedics ranked as the best this year.

Five UCSF Benioff Children's Hospitals specialties improved their national rankings. Orthopedics made the largest gain, rising 17 places to No. 21, while neurology and neurosurgery climbed seven places to No. 11. Nephrology moved to No. 9, entering the national top 10 for the first time.

Across specialties, our teams are delivering some of the best pediatric care in the country ...

Nicholas Holmes, MD, president of UCSF Benioff Children's Hospitals

Neurology and neurosurgery's rise comes as UCSF Health expands access to specialized pediatric neuroscience care. In July, UCSF Benioff San Francisco opened an eight-bed Children's Neuroscience Specialty Unit for children with conditions such as epilepsy, stroke, headache disorders, and neuroinflammatory diseases.

The hospitals also earned national recognition for pediatric and adolescent behavioral health care. In recent years, UCSF Benioff Oakland opened an outpatient mental health facility next to its hospital, and plans are underway to add a 20-bed inpatient behavioral health unit to the hospital by 2031.

Bringing world-class care to more families across the region

UCSF Benioff Children's Hospitals bring together highly specialized pediatric care, research, and expertise across a regional system serving children and families throughout Northern California.

"These rankings reflect the depth and clinical excellence of our pediatric health system," said Nicholas Holmes, MD, president of UCSF Benioff Children's Hospitals. "Across specialties, our teams are working together to deliver some of the best pediatric care in the country, and we are continuing to invest in the people, programs and places that will allow more children and families throughout Northern California to benefit from that expertise."

That investment includes a $1.6 billion modernization of the Oakland campus, anchored by a new seven-story hospital building scheduled to open in 2031. The building will include a larger emergency department, a new neonatal intensive care unit, seven surgical suites, and three times as many single-patient rooms, designed with more space to keep families close to their children during care.

The 2026-27 rankings mark the 20th year of U.S. News & World Report's Best Children's Hospitals assessment, which considers patient outcomes, hospital resources directly related to care, adherence to best practices, and other indicators of quality. In the 2026-27 rankings, 91 of the 199 eligible children's hospitals ranked among the top 50 in at least one specialty.

Ranking best in Northern California, No. 2 in California, and No. 3 in the Pacific Region are shared distinctions with other pediatric hospitals. Cancer's No. 8 national ranking is also a shared distinction.

About UCSF Benioff Children's Hospitals

UCSF Benioff Children's Hospitals are among the nation's leading pediatric specialty hospitals, according to U.S. News & World Report 2026-27 rankings. Their expertise covers virtually all pediatric conditions, including cancer, heart disease, neurological disorders, pulmonology, and diabetes and endocrinology, as well as the care of critically ill newborns. The two campuses in San Francisco and Oakland are known for basic and clinical research, and for translating research into interventions for treating and preventing pediatric disease. They are part of UCSF Health, whose adult hospital ranks among the top medical centers nationwide and serves as the teaching hospital for the University of California, San Francisco, a national leader in biomedical research and graduate-level health/sciences education. Visit https://www.ucsfhealth.org .