The American healthcare system is anchored by institutions that are not only national giants but global leaders in medical research, specialty care, and complex surgery. The annual U.S. News & World Report Best Hospitals Honor Roll is the definitive ranking, recognizing the hospitals that excel across the widest range of complex specialties and procedures.
The 2025-2026 Honor Roll highlights hospitals that earned the most points based on risk-adjusted mortality rates, preventable complications, patient experience, and specialized expertise.
The U.S. Best Hospitals 2025 Honor Roll (Top 10 Highlights)
While the full Honor Roll includes 20 hospitals, these institutions consistently rank at the very top, representing the gold standard in U.S. healthcare.
| Rank Highlight | Hospital Name | Location | Key Specialty & Distinction |
| 1 | Mayo Clinic – Rochester | Minnesota | Integrated Excellence: Consistently ranked at the top; renowned for its patient-first, multi-specialty team approach across all departments. |
| 2 | Cleveland Clinic | Ohio | Cardiology & Digital Health: Famous for its decades-long dominance in heart and vascular surgery and leadership in smart hospital technology. |
| 3 | The Johns Hopkins Hospital | Maryland | Academic Pioneer: Global leader in medical research, famous for its contributions to Neurosurgery and Rheumatology. |
| 4 | Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) | Massachusetts | Research Powerhouse: Largest hospital-based research program in the US; top-ranked in many specialties, including Cancer and Neurosciences. |
| 5 | NYU Langone Hospitals | New York | Rapid Ascent & Specialty Focus: Earned top rankings in multiple specialties for 2025, including top spots in Neurology and Cardiology. |
| 6 | Cedars-Sinai Medical Center | California | GI & Pulmonology Excellence: A major referral center known for high-quality care, particularly in Gastroenterology and Pulmonology. |
| 7 | New York-Presbyterian Hospital | New York | Comprehensive University Care: Joint listing for Columbia and Cornell campuses, excelling across complex surgical and medical specialties. |
| 8 | UCLA Medical Center | California | West Coast Leader: Highly ranked for specialties like Rheumatology and Pulmonology, serving as a key academic hub in Southern California. |
| 9 | Mount Sinai Hospital | New York | Cardiology & Geriatrics: Recognized for its top-tier Cardiology programs and was named No. 1 in Geriatrics specialty rankings. |
| 10 | Northwestern Memorial Hospital | Illinois | Midwest Excellence: The flagship hospital for Northwestern Medicine, consistently earning high marks across Chicago and the Midwest region. |
The Factors Driving U.S. Healthcare Leadership
These top U.S. hospitals maintain their elite status through several key commitments:
- Integrated Care Models: At the Mayo Clinic, the focus is on a coordinated, multi-specialty approach that brings the experts to the patient, reducing fragmentation of care and diagnostic errors.
- High-Volume Specialization: Institutions like the Cleveland Clinic perform complex, specialized surgeries at high volumes, which is directly linked to superior outcomes and lower complication rates for procedures like heart valve replacement.
- Research Translation: Academic leaders like Johns Hopkins and MGH continually funnel research discoveries into clinical practice, ensuring patients benefit immediately from the newest, most effective treatments available.
- Data Transparency: The rankings place a significant weight on patient outcomes (including 30-day survival rates) and patient safety metrics, pushing hospitals to be highly accountable for the quality of care delivered.
When patients need the most complex or specialized care, these hospitals are America’s trusted destination for medical excellence.