The 6 Best Children's Hospitals in the Great Lakes Region

US News and World Report recently released its Children's Hospital Rankings for 2020-21.  These rankings were based on an evaluation of a hospital's performance in ten children's medical specialties: (a) cancer, (b) cardiology and heart surgery, (c) diabetes and endocrinology, (d) gastroenterology and gastrointestinal surgery, (e) nephrology, (f) neonatology, (g) neurology and neurosurgery, (h) orthopedics, (i) pulmonology, and (j) urology.  The methodology employed to develop these rankings is discussed in more detail here.  Based on this analysis, 88 hospitals across the country earned a top 50 national ranking in at least one pediatric care specialty, including 16 children's hospitals in the five-state Great Lakes region.  Remarkably, six hospitals in the region earned top 50 national recognition in all ten pediatric specialties studied, and two of those institutions earned distinction as being rated among the ten highest ranked children's hospital in the United States.  The Great Lakes region topped all other regions of the country for the number of children's hospitals earning top 50 national recognition in all ten pediatric specialties studied.  Here's a quick look at the 6 Best Children's Hospitals in the Great Lakes region and the pediatric specialty areas in which they excel:

The 6 Best Children's Hospitals in the Great Lakes Region

Cincinnati Children's Hospital (#3 overall nationally)

Location: Cincinnati, OH

Nationally Ranked Pediatric Specialties: 10 of 10 
Pediatric Specialties Ranked in Top 50 Nationally:
#3   Cancer
#14 Cardiology & Heart Surgery
#3   Diabetes & Endocrinology
#5   Gastroenterology & GI Surgery
#3   Nephrology
#7   Neonatology
#5   Neurology & Neurosurgery
#3   Orthopedics
#4   Pulmonology
#4   Urology

Nationwide Children's Hospital (#8 overall nationally)

Location: Columbus, OH
Nationally Ranked Pediatric Specialties: 10 of 10 
Pediatric Specialties Ranked in Top 50 Nationally:
#8   Cancer
#32 Cardiology & Heart Surgery
#11 Diabetes & Endocrinology
#10 Gastroenterology & GI Surgery
#9   Nephrology
#39 Neonatology
#6   Neurology & Neurosurgery
#8   Orthopedics
#6   Pulmonology
#10 Urology

Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago

Location: Chicago
Nationally Ranked Pediatric Specialties: 10 of 10 
Pediatric Specialties Ranked in Top 50 Nationally:
#14 Cancer
#8   Cardiology & Heart Surgery
#32 Diabetes & Endocrinology
#14 Gastroenterology & GI Surgery
#12 Nephrology
#8   Neonatology
#11 Neurology & Neurosurgery
#35 Orthopedics
#21 Pulmonology
#7   Urology

Riley Hospital for Children at IU Health

Location: Indianapolis, IN
Nationally Ranked Pediatric Specialties: 10 of 10 
Pediatric Specialties Ranked in Top 50 Nationally:
#22 Cancer
#5   Cardiology & Heart Surgery
#26 Diabetes & Endocrinology
#21 Gastroenterology & GI Surgery
#14 Nephrology
#14 Neonatology
#22 Neurology & Neurosurgery
#44 Orthopedics
#14 Pulmonology
#2   Urology 

Cleveland Clinic Children's Hospital

Location: Cleveland
Nationally Ranked Pediatric Specialties: 10 of 10 
Pediatric Specialties Ranked in Top 50 Nationally:
#17 Cancer
#15 Cardiology & Heart Surgery
#44 Diabetes & Endocrinology
#12 Gastroenterology & GI Surgery
#35 Nephrology
#14 Neonatology
#25 Neurology & Neurosurgery
#26 Orthopedics
#32 Pulmonology
#23 Urology

Mott Children's Hospital | Michigan Medicine

Location: Ann Arbor, MI
Nationally Ranked Pediatric Specialties: 10 of 10 
Pediatric Specialties Ranked in Top 50 Nationally:
#26 Cancer
#24 Cardiology & Heart Surgery
#16 Diabetes & Endocrinology
#28 Gastroenterology & GI Surgery
#17 Nephrology
#44 Neonatology
#20 Neurology & Neurosurgery
#22 Orthopedics
#18 Pulmonology
#22 Urology

To find other children's hospitals in the Great Lakes states and elsewhere, visit our U.S. Children's Hospitals resource page.