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U.S. News and World Report ranks children’s hospitals and pediatric specialties across the country.
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The ranking evaluates 11 specialties. Duke Hospital ranked third nationally for pediatric cardiology and heart surgery, second overall in the Southeast and first overall in North Carolina.
Levine Children’s Hospital is the second-best children’s hospital in North Carolina, and North Carolina Children’s Hospital at UNC is the third. Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta is the best children’s hospital in the Southeast.
Duke tied with Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta and Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt in Nashville for first in the Southeast for 2025-26. Levine and UNC were switched in state rankings for 2025-26.
U.S. News and World Report has released pediatric care rankings since 2007. The publication also ranks adult care, nationally and by state.
U.S. News and World Report released its 2026 hospital rankings in August, with three North Carolina hospitals earning spots in the top 50 nationally by specialty. Twenty hospitals across the state were also recognized as Best Regional Hospitals.
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The Charlotte Observer previously covered the best regional hospitals in the Charlotte area. The News and Observer previously covered the best regional hospitals in the Raleigh area.
U.S. News and World Report worked with North Carolina based research firm RTI International to compile the best pediatric care list.
Surveyed hospitals were either freestanding children’s hospitals, pediatric services that function autonomously within a larger medical center or specialty hospitals.
Survey results were collected between December 2025 and March 2026. Expert opinions were also evaluated.
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