Several exceptional pediatric hospitals in Texas have earned national acclaim for their top-notch healthcare for children and adolescents in U.S. News and World Report's 2026-2027 Best Children's Hospitals.

Each year, U.S. News surveys over 100 children's hospitals and thousands of pediatric specialists to determine its Best Children's Hospitals rankings. The winning hospitals excel at various factors such as "clinical outcomes, compliance with established best practices, and level and quality of hospital resources directly related to patient care."

Out of the 90 total children's hospitals selected across 34 states and Washington, D.C., only six were based in Texas.

"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, in a release. “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."

Texas Children's Hospital in Houston reigns as the No. 1 pediatric hospital in the Lone Star State and in the Southwest, and it was the only Texas hospital to be named in U.S. News' national Best Children's Hospitals Honor Roll list for 2026-2027.

Texas Children's also leads as the No. 1 best hospital in the U.S. in two pediatric specialties — Cardiology and Heart Surgery; Diabetes and Endocrinology. It earned top-five acclaim in seven more nationally ranked specialties: Nephrology (No. 2); Pulmonology and Lung Surgery (No. 2); Urology (No. 2); Neurology and Neurosurgery (No. 3); Gastroenterology and GI Surgery (No. 5); Neonatology (No. 5); and Orthopedics (No. 5).

Texas Children's is also ranked as the country's 12th best pediatric cancer hospital, and it's one of the top 50 Best Children's Hospitals for Behavioral Health in the U.S.

Elsewhere in Houston, Children's Memorial Hermann Hospital is the No. 3 best pediatric hospital in the Southwest for 2026-2027, and it earned top-50 ranks in seven specialties:

• No. 12 – Cardiology and Heart Surgery
• No. 26 – Neonatology
• No. 28 – Gastroenterology & GI Surgery
• No. 34 – Neurology and Neurosurgery
• No. 40 – Orthopedics
• No. 50 – Nephrology
• "Top 50" Best Children's Hospitals for Behavioral Health

MD Anderson's Children's Cancer Hospital in Houston was unranked in the regional list of the best pediatric care centers, but it ranked as the No. 33 best pediatric cancer hospital in the U.S.

In Central Texas, Dell Children's Medical Center topped the list as the No. 1 pediatric hospital in Austin, and it ranked fourth in the Southwest region. The hospital also earned high-performing rankings in six specialties: Cardiology and Heart Surgery (No. 9), Neonatology (No. 21), Neurology and Neurosurgery (No. 21), Pulmonology and Lung Surgery (No. 23), and Urology (No. 50). Dell Children's Medical Center was also named one of the top 50 best children's hospitals for behavioral health.

The two other high-performing Texas pediatric hospitals are Children's Health Dallas (No. 2 in the Southwest) and Cook Children's Medical Center in Fort Worth (No. 6 in the Southwest).