California hospitals claim a third of U.S. News Honor Roll slots in 2026-27 rankings

In the newly released 2026-27 U.S. News & World Report Best Hospitals rankings, California secured six spots on the Honor Roll, accounting for 30% of all hospitals in the top-20 nationwide. The honored institutions include Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and UCLA Ronald Reagan Medical Center in Los Angeles, Stanford Health Care-Stanford Hospital in Palo Alto, UC San Diego Health’s La Jolla campus along with Hillcrest and East Campus Medical Centers in San Diego, and UCSF Health-UCSF Medical Center in San Francisco.

The evaluation covered nearly 4,500 facilities and weighed factors such as survival rates, nursing quality, patient experience, and outcomes across 14 specialties and 23 procedures. Cedars-Sinai achieved top-50 national rankings in ten specialties and earned the highest “High Performing” rating for all evaluated procedures, while UCSF marked its 30th consecutive year on the Honor Roll with ten specialties in the nation’s top ten.

Statewide, the hospitals also led their local metro rankings, with UC Davis topping Sacramento and UC San Diego Health leading San Diego. U.S. News cautioned that patients need not seek an Honor Roll hospital for every condition, as many regional centers excel in particular specialties. The dominance reflects California’s sizable healthcare system and its emphasis on patient safety, as highlighted by recent Healthgrades awards for low complication rates.