U.S. News & World Report has released its 2024-2025 “Best Hospitals” rankings, showcasing the top healthcare institutions across the country. Of the nearly 5,000 hospitals in the U.S., only about 1 in 10 earned a spot in the prestigious list, which has now been compiled for 35 years.
The rankings, which were unveiled Tuesday morning, generate significant interest from patients and healthcare consumers. Hospitals often leverage their high rankings in marketing campaigns, using ads and billboards to promote their accomplishments. (You can view the full rankings on the U.S. News website.)
This year, 466 hospitals were recognized as Best Regional Hospitals, while 20 hospitals were named to the coveted “Honor Roll.” Additionally, U.S. News highlighted top hospitals in specialties like cancer care, heart surgery, and neurology.
Ben Harder, Chief of Health Analysis at U.S. News, explained that the rankings are designed to help consumers make more informed decisions when choosing a hospital. “Selecting the right hospital for your needs shouldn’t be a guessing game,” Harder said.
The rankings are based on a thorough review of millions of patient records, including data from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. This year, for the first time, U.S. News also incorporated records from Medicare Advantage plans and outpatient care, effectively doubling the amount of data used for analysis.
While the rankings are widely respected, some hospitals, like Penn Medicine, have voiced concerns. In June 2023, Penn Medicine criticized the rankings for placing too much emphasis on inpatient care and Medicare patients. Despite these critiques, the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania earned a spot on the Honor Roll, ranking as the top hospital in Pennsylvania.
In addition to its traditional rankings, U.S. News has introduced new categories this year, such as rankings for hospitals providing equitable care and a first-ever list of top ambulatory surgery centers. These additions reflect the growing trend of patients opting for outpatient services.
The U.S. News rankings also include the top 50 hospitals in 12 specialties, as well as a list of the top hospitals in three key specialties based on expert opinions. This year, 160 hospitals earned a place in at least one of the top 50 specialty rankings.
Top Hospitals in the 2024-2025 Honor Roll
Here are the hospitals that earned a spot on the 2024-2025 Best Hospitals Honor Roll. The hospitals are listed by state in alphabetical order, with each hospital ranking at the top or tied for first in their respective state:
- Arizona: Mayo Clinic-Arizona (Phoenix)
- California: Cedars-Sinai Medical Center (Los Angeles), Stanford Health Care-Stanford Hospital (Palo Alto), UCLA Medical Center (Los Angeles), UC San Diego Health-La Jolla and Hillcrest Hospitals (San Diego), UCSF Health-UCSF Medical Center (San Francisco)
- Illinois: Northwestern Medicine-Northwestern Memorial Hospital (Chicago), Rush University Medical Center (Chicago)
- Maryland: Johns Hopkins Hospital (Baltimore)
- Massachusetts: Brigham and Women’s Hospital (Boston), Massachusetts General Hospital (Boston)
- Minnesota: Mayo Clinic-Rochester (Rochester)
- New York: Mount Sinai Hospital (New York), NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital-Columbia and Cornell (New York), North Shore University Hospital at Northwell Health (Manhasset), NYU Langone Hospitals (New York)
- North Carolina: Duke University Hospital (Durham)
- Ohio: Cleveland Clinic (Cleveland)
- Pennsylvania: Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania-Penn Presbyterian (Philadelphia)
- Texas: Houston Methodist Hospital (Houston)
