top-tier pediatric care
Austin children's hospital is among best in Texas, per U.S. News
Dell Children's Medical Center is Austin's best pediatric hospital.
Austin has many renowned hospitals providing exceptional care, and now one local hospital – Dell Children's Medical Center – has earned national acclaim for its 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 it's 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."
Dell Children's Medical Center topped the list as the best pediatric hospital in Austin, and it ranked fourth statewide. 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 in the nation.
The best pediatric hospital in Texas
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).
The hospital 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.
Other high-performing Texas pediatric hospital include:
- Children's Health Dallas
- Cook Children's Medical Center, Fort Worth
- Children's Memorial Hermann Hospital, Houston
- MD Anderson Children's Cancer Hospital, Houston
