Announcements

Updates on campus events, policies, construction and more.

close  

Information for Our Community

Whether you are part of our community or are interested in joining us, we welcome you to WashU Medicine.

close  


Visit the News Hub
News Release

St. Louis Children’s Hospital again ranked No. 1 children’s hospital in Missouri and St. Louis by U.S. News & World Report

Rankings mark the 18th straight year St. Louis Children's — staffed by WashU Medicine pediatric specialists — has topped the region for pediatric care

September 15, 2026

St. Louis Children's Hospital at nightSt. Louis Children's Hospital

St. Louis Children's Hospital, powered by expert care from WashU Medicine pediatric specialists, consistently ranks among the nation's top hospitals.

U.S. News & World Report has again recognized St. Louis Children’s Hospital — with the WashU Medicine physicians who provide the care there — among America’s Best Children’s Hospitals, ranking St. Louis Children’s No. 1 in Missouri, No. 1 in St. Louis, and tied for No. 4 in the Midwest region encompassing 13 states.

This is the 18th consecutive year St. Louis Children’s has been ranked the top children’s hospital in the St. Louis region and among the top children’s hospitals nationwide. WashU Medicine physicians are the physician providers at St. Louis Children’s, where they bring world-renowned expertise — informed by the latest research discoveries — to patients needing the most specialized care.

“Receiving this award is an honor and a testament to the people who work toward our mission of doing what is right for kids,” said Nikki Stafford, St. Louis Children’s Hospital president. “While I have only recently joined this incredible organization, I’ve already seen firsthand the passion, expertise, and commitment that define this team — including the physicians and caregivers who provide outstanding care to children every day. I look forward to building on this success together.”

St. Louis Children’s ranked in all 11 specialties and in the top 20 for six of those specialty areas. The full rankings for pediatric specialty areas include:

  • Neurology & Neurosurgery (No. 9)
  • Pulmonology (No. 10)
  • Neonatal Care (No. 12)
  • Diabetes & Endocrine Disorders (No. 15)
  • Orthopedics (No. 17)
  • Nephrology (No. 19)
  • Cancer (No. 21)
  • Gastroenterology & GI Surgery (No. 25)
  • Urology (No. 27)
  • Cardiology & Heart Surgery (No. 43)
  • Behavioral Health (Top 50)*
    • *Hospitals were not individually ranked.

U.S. News & World Report analyzes data for more than 100 pediatric hospitals for its Best Children’s Hospital rankings. The full rankings and methodology are available at USNews.com and will be published in the U.S. News Best Hospitals guidebook.

In August, U.S. News & World Report awarded BJC Health 130 recognitions for clinical excellence; among them, Barnes-Jewish Hospital, also supported by care from WashU Medicine physicians, was ranked No. 1 in St. Louis and Missouri.

About WashU Medicine

WashU Medicine is a global leader in academic medicine, including biomedical research, patient care and educational programs with 3,100 faculty. Its National Institutes of Health (NIH) research funding portfolio is the second largest among U.S. medical schools and has grown 78% since 2016. Together with institutional investment, WashU Medicine commits over $1.6 billion annually to basic and clinical research innovation and training. Its faculty practice is consistently among the top five in the country, with more than 2,550 faculty physicians practicing at 200 locations. WashU Medicine physicians exclusively staff Barnes-Jewish and St. Louis Children’s hospitals — the academic hospitals of BJC HealthCare — and Siteman Cancer Center, a partnership between BJC HealthCare and WashU Medicine and the only National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center in Missouri and southern Illinois. WashU Medicine physicians also treat patients at BJC’s community hospitals in our region. With a storied history in MD/PhD training, WashU Medicine recently dedicated $100 million to scholarships and curriculum renewal for its medical students, and is home to top-notch training programs in every medical subspecialty as well as physical therapy, occupational therapy, and audiology and communications sciences.

About St. Louis Children’s Hospital

St. Louis Children’s Hospital is part of BJC Health, one of the largest nonprofit health care organizations in the United States and has provided exceptional care for children from all 50 states and 80 countries around the world for more than 140 years. With its academic partner, WashU Medicine, St. Louis Children’s is consistently ranked among the nation’s best pediatric hospitals by U.S. News & World Report and earns national distinction for comprehensive services that include heart, cancer, neurology, and orthopedics. St. Louis Children’s is among an elite group of pediatric hospitals worldwide that have achieved a fifth consecutive, four-year Magnet Distinction® designation by the American Nurses Credentialing Center. St. Louis Children’s is also one of the few pediatric hospitals in the Midwest nationally recognized by the American College of Surgeons as a Level 1 Pediatric Trauma Center, which is the highest classification of trauma care.

About BJC Health

BJC Health is one of the largest integrated academic health care organizations in the United States and one of the largest private employer in Missouri. It serves as a driving force for economic growth, clinical excellence, and exceptional patient care throughout the Midwest and beyond. Headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri, BJC’s 48,000 employees, 24 hospitals, and hundreds of clinics and service organizations, operate in two regions as BJC HealthCare in the St. Louis area (BJC East Region) and Saint Luke’s in the Kansas City area (BJC West Region). Its dedication to improving urban, suburban, and rural communities across Missouri, southern Illinois, and eastern Kansas is supported by more than $1.3 billion in annual community investment. BJC’s long-standing affiliation with nationally renowned WashU Medicine powers its academic mission in the East, most notably at U.S. News & World Report ranked Barnes-Jewish Hospital and St. Louis Children’s Hospital; as well as at the Alvin J. Siteman Cancer Center, the only National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center in the state of Missouri. In the West Region, Saint Luke’s Hospital of Kansas City serves as a primary training site for University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Medicine. BJC is consistently recognized as a great place to work, from Newsweek’s America’s Greatest Workplaces to Forbes’ list of Best Large Employers.

Photo of Rachel Yann

Media Contact

Rachel Yann

618-334-1787

Rachel.Yann@bjc.org

Photo of Abeeha Shamshad

Media Contact

Abeeha Shamshad

Senior Media Relations Specialist

925-998-0775

abeeha@wustl.edu

Editors' Picks