Wednesday, September 17, 2025

Five-Star Quality Acute Care Hospitals in Pennsylvania

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) uses a star rating system for assessing the overall quality of an acute care hospital that treats Medicare and Medicaid enrollees. This rating methodology examines hospital-submitted data on assorted quality metrics, computes a standardized score for each measure, and then aggregates the scores into a unified overall quality rating on a 1 to 5-star scale, with 5-stars being the scale's top score. Specific metrics examined for acute care hospitals include  the timeliness of care, patient safety, readmission rates, patient experience, and mortality.  As of September 1, 2025, only fifteen acute care hospitals in the state of Pennsylvania earned a CMS five-star quality rating.  Listed alphabetically, here are the CMS five-star quality acute care hospitals in Pennsylvania:

Five-Star Quality Acute Care Hospitals in Pennsylvania

Tuesday, September 16, 2025

Optometrist Pay in the Great Lakes Region

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) latest occupational employment data reported nearly 41,000 optometrists at work in the United States as of May 2024.  At that time, just over 6,000 optometrists were employed in the five-state Great Lakes region. BLS data shows the region to be a modestly weak one for optometrist pay.  Only one state in the region, Wisconsin, produced an annual mean wage level for optometrists that topped the national average. A deeper look into BLS data from May 2024 details the following about optometrist pay in the Great Lakes region:

Optometrist Pay in the Great Lakes Region

Optometrist Pay in the Great Lakes Region

State # Employed Annual Mean Wages Wage Rank*
IL 1,670 $134,250 28th
IN 960 $133,060 30th
MI 1,330 $133,610 29th
OH 1,450 $131,550 34th
WI 750 $141,570 20th
U.S. 40,900 $137,190 -------

(*) annual mean wage ranking among the 50 states and the District of Columbia

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OES. Data extracted on September 16, 2025

Sunday, September 14, 2025

CMS Five-Star Quality Acute Care Hospitals in Michigan

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) utilizes a star rating system to gauge the quality of of more than 4,000 acute care hospitals that treat Medicare and Medicaid enrollees. This rating methodology analyzes hospital-reported data on multiple quality metrics, including mortality, the timeliness of care, patient safety, readmission rates, and patient experience.  The CMS employs a multi-step analytical process to calculate a standardized score for each measure, then aggregates the scores into an all-embracing quality rating on a 1 to 5-star scale, with 5-stars being the highest score on the scale. Based on this analysis, as of September 13, 2025, only six (6) acute care hospitals in the state of Michigan earned a five-star quality rating from the CMS.  Listed alphabetically, here are the hospitals rated by the CMS as five-star quality acute care hospitals in Michigan:

CMS Five-Star Quality Acute Care Hospitals in Michigan

Friday, September 12, 2025

Speech Language Pathologist Pay in the U.S. Southwest

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) recently published reports indicating that nearly 174,000 speech-language pathologists (SLPs) were working in the United States as of May 2024. More than 24,500 of those employed as SLPs lived in the four-state Southwest region of the country. The Southwest region performed relatively well, with all states but one—Oklahoma—reporting annual mean wages above the national average. New Mexico, specifically, ranked in the top ten. An examination of BLS data from May 2024 reveals the following about speech-language pathologist pay in the U.S. Southwest:

Speech Language Pathologist Pay in the U.S. Southwest

Speech Language Pathologist Pay in the U.S. Southwest


State # Employed Annual Mean Wages Wage Rank*
AZ 2,830 $98,390 15th
NM 1,040 $106,280 6th
OK 2,040 $87,210 28th
TX 18,600 $94,850 18th
U.S. 173,910 $91,089 -------

(*) annual mean wage ranking among the 50 states and the District of Columbia

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OES. Data extracted on September 12, 2025

Thursday, September 11, 2025

Clinical Lab Tech Pay in New England

More than 337,000 clinical laboratory technologists and technicians were employed in the United States as of May 2024 according to data released earlier this summer by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).  Just over 20,000 clinical lab techs were employed in the six-state New England region.  For clinical lab techs, New England is one of the best in the nation in terms of pay.  The average annual mean wage for clinical lab techs in every state in the region is near or above the national average. Moreover, four states in the region rank in the top 10 nationally for clinical lab tech annual mean wages.  BLS data from May 2024 reveals the following about clinical lab tech pay in New England:

Clinical Lab Tech Pay in New England

Clinical Lab Tech Pay in New England

State # Employed Annual Mean Wages Wage Rank*
CT 3,850 $75,690 8th
MA 12,780 $72,960 11th
ME 1,240 $66,540 20th
NH 650 $78,350 5th
RI 1,130 $82,450 2nd
VT 490 $76,110 7th
U.S. 337,740 $65,012 -------

(*) annual mean wage ranking among the 50 states and the District of Columbia

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OES. Data extracted on September 11, 2025

Five-Star Quality Acute Care Hospitals in North Carolina

The CMS (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services) operates a star rating system to appraise the quality of of more than 4,000 acute care hospitals that serve Medicare and Medicaid participants. This rating methodology involves assessing hospital-reported data on assorted quality metrics, including mortality, patient safety, readmission rates, the timeliness of care, and patient experience.  The CMS utilizes a multi-step analytical process to compute a standardized score for each measure, then consolidates the scores into a unified quality rating on a 1 to 5-star scale, with 5-stars being the top the scale. Based on this assessment, as of September 11, 2025, only eight (8) acute care hospitals in the state of North Carolina earned a five-star quality rating from the CMS.  Listed alphabetically, here are the hospitals rated by the CMS as five-star quality acute care hospitals in North Carolina:

Five-Star Quality Acute Care Hospitals in North Carolina

Monday, September 8, 2025

Family Medicine Physician Pay in the Far West

Recently released data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) put family medicine physician employment in the United States at just over 104,700 as of May 2024. More than 22,840 family medicine physicians were working in the six-state Far West region. A look at BLS data reveals a wide pay disparity for family medicine physicians across the region. Two states in the Far West reported annual mean wages for family medicine physicians that fell below the national average, while three states came in above. Notably, Alaska ranked among the top ten states nationwide for annual mean wages in the field. Data for Nevada & Hawaii was incomplete due to a reporting error. A closer examination of May 2024 BLS data provides the following details about family medicine physician pay in the Far West region:

Family Medicine Physician Pay in the Far West

Family Medicine Physician Pay in the Far West

State # Employed Annual Mean Wages Wage Rank*
AK 650 $286,990 9st
CA 18,640 $257,060 22nd
HI N/A $209,870 47th
NV 360 N/A N/A
OR 1,770 $250,080 24th
WA 1,420 $226,040 39th
U.S. 104,780 $253,047 -------

(*) annual mean wage ranking among the 50 states and the District of Columbia

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OES. Data extracted on September 8, 2025

CMS Five-Star Quality Acute Care Hospitals in Georgia

The CMS (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services) employs a star rating system to assess the quality of more than 4,000 acute care hospitals that treat Medicaid and Medicare participants. This rating methodology analyzes hospital-submitted data on assorted quality metrics, calculates a score for each measure, and then aggregates the scores into a unified quality rating on a 1 to 5-star scale, with 5-stars being the top score on the scale. The particular metrics examined for acute care hospitals include mortality, the timeliness of care, patient safety, readmission rates, and patient experience. As of August 30, 2025, only five (5) acute care hospitals in the state of Georgia earned a five-star quality rating from the CMS.  Alphabetically listed, here are the hospitals rated by the CMS as five-star quality acute care hospitals in Georgia:

CMS Five-Star Quality Acute Care Hospitals in Georgia

Friday, September 5, 2025

Five-Star Quality Acute Care Hospitals in Illinois

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) utilizes a star rating system to appraise the quality of acute care hospitals that treat Medicaid and Medicare enrollees. This rating methodology analyzes collected data on assorted quality measures, computes a score for each measure, and then consolidates the scores into a single, all-embracing quality rating on a 1 to 5-star scale, with 5-stars being the scale's top score. The particular metrics examined for acute care hospitals include the timeliness of care, patient safety, readmission rates, patient experience, and mortality. The data used in the CMS scoring system comes from various reports submitted by participating hospitals.  Only hospitals that submit data used in the CMS quality rating process are eligible for a quality rating.  As of September 5, 2025, only 12 acute care hospitals in the state of Illinois earned a five-star quality rating.  Alphabetically listed, here are the 12 hospitals rated by the CMS as five-star quality acute care hospitals in Illinois:

Five-Star Quality Acute Care Hospitals in Illinois

Thursday, September 4, 2025

Dental Assistant Pay in the Rocky Mountain Region

As of May 2024, the most current date of occupational employment data available from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the BLS reported dental assistant employment in the United States at nearly 287,800. The five-state Rocky Mountain region accounted for over 11,400 of those dental assistant jobs. However, due to a statewide reporting error, Colorado’s employment and wage data were not available in the May 2024 BLS release. Historically, Colorado has been home to approximately 40% of the region’s dental assistants and has consistently recorded wage levels above the national average for the occupation.

In contrast, the available data show that Idaho and Utah—home to another 49% of the region’s dental assistants—ranked in the bottom ten nationally for dental assistant annual mean wages. A closer look at the May 2024 BLS data reveals the following details about dental assistant pay in the Rocky Mountain region:

Dental Assistant Pay in the Rocky Mountain Region

Dental Assistant Pay in the Rocky Mountain Region



State # Employed Annual Mean Wages Wage Rank*
CO N/A N/A N/A
ID 2,860 $42,710 40th
MT 1,540 $45,930 33rd
UT 6,310 $40,260 47th
WY 700 $43,160 38th
U.S. 287,780 $48,225 -------

(*) annual mean wage ranking among the 50 states and the District of Columbia

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OES. Data extracted on September 2, 2025

Tuesday, September 2, 2025

CMS Five-Star Quality Acute Care Hospitals in New York

The CMS (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services) uses a star rating system to measure the overall quality of acute care hospitals that treat Medicare and Medicaid participants. This rating methodology assesses collected data on various quality measures, calculates a score for each measure, and then combines the scores into a single, overall quality rating on a 1 to 5-star scale, with 5-stars being the highest score on the scale. Specific metrics examined for acute care hospitals include patient safety, readmission rates, patient experience, the timeliness of care, and mortality experience. The data used in the CMS scoring system comes from assorted reports submitted by the hospitals themselves.  Only hospitals that provide data used in the CMS quality rating process are eligible for an overall quality rating.  As of September 1, 2025, only 12 acute care hospitals in the state of New York earned a five-star quality rating.  Per CMS analysis, here are the 12 five-star quality acute care hospitals in New York (alphabetically listed):

CMS Five-Star Quality Acute Care Hospitals in New York

Saturday, August 30, 2025

Optometrist Pay in the Far Western U.S.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' (BLS) latest occupational employment figures put optometrist employment at over 40,900 nationally as of May 2024.  At that time, an estimated 8,940 optometrists were working in the six-state Far Western U.S. region. BLS data shows the region to be a relatively good one for optometrist pay, with only one state in the region recording an annual mean wage level for optometrists that was below the national average for the profession.  The region's two smallest population states, Alaska and Hawaii, ranked among the fifteen best states in the nation for optometrist annual mean wage levels. A deeper review of BLS data from May 2024 provides the following state-level details about optometrist pay in the Far Western U.S. region:

Optometrist Pay in the Far Western U.S.

Optometrist Pay in the Far Western U.S.

State # Employed Annual Mean Wages Wage Rank*
AK 70 $154,110 10th
CA 6,790 $142,850 17th
HI 230 $145,060 14th
NV 360 $138,650 23rd
OR 560 $122,340 43rd
WA 930 $159,450 2nd
U.S. 40,900 $137,190 -------

(*) annual mean wage ranking among the 50 states and the District of Columbia

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OES. Data extracted on August 30, 2025

Friday, August 29, 2025

Five-Star Quality Acute Care Hospitals in Texas

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) employs a star rating system to gauge the overall quality of acute care hospitals that treat Medicare and Medicaid participants. The CMS rating methodology involves collecting data on various quality measures, calculating scores for each measure, and then combining these scores into a single, overall quality rating on a 1 to 5-star scale, with 5-stars being the top of the scale. Specific measures applied to acute care hospitals include mortality experience, patient safety, readmission rates, patient experience, and the timeliness of care. The data used in the CMS rating system comes from various reports submitted by the hospitals themselves.  Only hospitals that submit data used for the CMS rating methodology are eligible for an overall quality rating.  As of August 24, 2025, only 22 acute care hospitals in the state of Texas earned a five-star quality rating.  Based on CMS analysis, these were the 22 five-star quality acute care hospitals in Texas (alphabetically listed):

Five-Star Quality Acute Care Hospitals in Texas

  1. Ascension Seton Hays
    Location:  Kyle
    View Rating Details

  2. Baylor Scott & White Medical Center - Irving
    Location:  Irving
    View Rating Details

  3. Location:  Frisco

Thursday, August 28, 2025

Nurse Practitioner Pay in the Rocky Mountain Region

Earlier this year, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) released May 2024 data showing that nurse practitioner (NP) employment in the United States had surpassed 303,400. The five-state Rocky Mountain region accounted for just over 3% of those NP jobs. Nurse practitioner pay across the region was moderate, with all states except Wyoming meeting or exceeding the national average. However, it's important to note that due to a statewide data reporting error, employment and wage data for Colorado was unavailable. A closer look at the available BLS data from May 2024 reveals the following about nurse practitioner pay in the Rocky Mountain region:

Nurse Practitioner Pay in the Rocky Mountain Region

Nurse Practitioner Pay in the Rocky Mountain Region


State # Employed Annual Mean Wages Wage Rank*
CO N/A N/A N/A
ID 1,570 $131,380 18th
MT 1,050 $131,560 17th
UT 2,860 $131,680 16th
WY 440 $126,060 34th
U.S. 303,410 $130,077 -------

(*) annual mean wage ranking among the 50 states and the District of Columbia

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OES. Data extracted on August 28, 2025

Wednesday, August 27, 2025

Dental Assistant Pay in the Southeastern U.S.

The most recent occupational employment statistics from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported that, as of May 2024, there were almost 288,000 dental assistants employed in the United States.  More than 86,000 dental assistants working in May 2024 lived in the twelve-state Southeastern U.S. region.  BLS data reveals the Southeast to be one of the weakest regions of the country for dental assistant pay.  In only one Southeastern states was the average annual mean wage for dental assistants above the profession's national average of $48,225.  Moreover, five states in the region ranked among the ten worst states in the nation for dental assistant annual mean wages, and three other Southeastern states ranked in the bottom third.  A deeper examination of May 2024 BLS data details the following about dental assistant pay in the Southeastern U.S.:

Dental Assistant Pay in the Southeastern U.S

Dental Assistant Pay in the Southeastern U.S

State # Employed Annual Mean Wages Wage Rank*
AL 4,450 $39,600 49th
AR 3,020 $40,730 46th
FL 23,020 $46,670 30th
GA 9,730 $45,510 36th
KY 4,250 $45,720 35th
LA 4,420 $41,450 45th
MS 2,690 $40,160 48th
NC 11,100 $49,270 21st
SC 5,380 $45,890 34th
TN 6,370 $46,680 29th
VA 11,040 $47,900 25th
WV 1,380 $39,280 50th
U.S. 287,780 $48,225 -------

(*) annual mean wage ranking among the 50 states and the District of Columbia

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OES. Data extracted on August 27, 2025

Top Rated Teaching Hospitals in the Rocky Mountain Region

In the 2025-26 U.S. News & World Report (USNWR) review of U.S. hospitals, only 152 hospitals surveyed received national recognition in one or more of the 15 adult specialties examined in the USNWR study. The five-state Rocky Mountain region of the U.S. is home to multiple teaching hospitals, but no teaching hospital in the region distinguished itself with a spot in the survey's honor roll of the top 20 hospitals in the country.  As such, the Rocky Mountain region was the only region of the U.S. without at least one hospital that made the honor roll.  Nonetheless, two teaching hospitals in the region earned national recognition in at least two adult specialties.  For earning such distinction in the latest USNWR survey, these two hospitals stand out as the top rated teaching hospitals in the Rocky Mountain region:

Top Rated Teaching Hospitals in the Rocky Mountain Region

Top Rated Teaching Hospitals in the Rocky Mountain Region

University of Colorado Hospital
Location:  Aurora, CO
Nationally Rated Adult Specialties:  4
  • Cancer:  #40
  • Diabetes & Endocrinology:  #41
  • Obstetrics & Gynecology:  #48
  • Pulmonology & Lung Surgery:  #20
  • See Rating Details
Location:  Salt Lake City, UT
Nationally Rated Adult Specialties:  2

To find other teaching hospitals in the Rocky Mountain region and elsewhere, visit our U.S. Teaching Hospitals resource page.

Monday, August 25, 2025

Top Rated Teaching Hospitals in the Mid-East Region

Only 152 hospitals, out of nearly 5,000 studied, earned national distinction in one or more of the 15 adult specialties analyzed in the most recent (25-26) U.S. News & World Report survey of U.S. hospitals.  The Mid-East region of the country, an area that encompasses five states and the District of Columbia, was home to multiple teaching hospitals that earned national distinction in at least one of the specialties examined in the USNWR survey.  However, there were six teaching hospitals in the region that were named to the survey's honor roll of the 20 best hospitals in the nation, giving the region more top 20 national hospitals than any other region of the country.  For earning distinction as a top 20 hospital in the U.S., these six institutions stood out as the top rated teaching hospitals in the Mid-East region:


Top rated Teaching Hospitals in the Mid-East Region


Top Rated Teaching Hospitals in the Mid-East Region

Location:  New York City
Nationally Rated Adult Specialties:  13

  • Cancer:  #16
  • Cardiology & Heart Surgery:  #1
  • Diabetes & Endocrinology:  #4
  • Ear, Nose & Throat:  #20
  • Gastroenterology & GI Surgery:  #4
  • Geriatrics:  #1
  • Neurology & Neurosurgery:  #1
  • Obstetrics & Gynecology:  #12
  • Orthopedics:  #2
  • Pulmonology & Lung Surgery:  #1
  • Rehabilitation:  #5
  • Rheumatology:  #9
  • Urology:  #2
  • See Rating Details

  • Location:  Baltimore, MD
    Nationally Rated Adult Specialties:  15

  • Cancer:  #8
  • Cardiology & Heart Surgery:  #10
  • Diabetes & Endocrinology:  #6
  • Ear, Nose & Throat:  #6
  • Gastroenterology & GI Surgery:  #6
  • Geriatrics:  #10
  • Neurology & Neurosurgery:  #7
  • Obstetrics & Gynecology:  #2
  • Ophthalmology:  #3
  • Orthopedics:  #22
  • Psychiatry:  #4
  • Pulmonology & Lung Surgery:  #11
  • Rehabilitation:  #24
  • Rheumatology:  #1
  • Urology:  #8
  • See Rating Details

  • Location:  New York City
    Nationally Rated Adult Specialties:  14

  • Cancer:  #15
  • Cardiology & Heart Surgery:  #5
  • Diabetes & Endocrinology:  #2
  • Ear, Nose & Throat:  #10
  • Gastroenterology & GI Surgery:  #11
  • Geriatrics:  #6
  • Neurology & Neurosurgery:  #3
  • Obstetrics & Gynecology:  #4
  • Orthopedics:  #4
  • Psychiatry:  #3
  • Pulmonology & Lung Surgery:  #10
  • Rehabilitation:  #10
  • Rheumatology:  #3
  • Urology:  #4
  • See Rating Details

  • Location:  Philadelphia
    Nationally Rated Adult Specialties:  11

  • Cancer:  #10
  • Cardiology & Heart Surgery:  #9
  • Diabetes & Endocrinology:  #23
  • Ear, Nose & Throat:  #7
  • Gastroenterology & GI Surgery:  #12
  • Geriatrics:  #8
  • Neurology & Neurosurgery:  #8
  • Obstetrics & Gynecology:  #21
  • Orthopedics:  #9
  • Pulmonology & Lung Surgery:  #12
  • Urology:  #13
  • See Rating Details

  • Location:  New York City
    Nationally Rated Adult Specialties:  12

  • Cancer:  #6
  • Cardiology & Heart Surgery:  #2
  • Diabetes & Endocrinology:  #19
  • Ear, Nose & Throat:  #35
  • Gastroenterology & GI Surgery:  #5
  • Geriatrics:  #3
  • Neurology & Neurosurgery:  #11
  • Obstetrics & Gynecology:  #17
  • Orthopedics:  #14
  • Pulmonology & Lung Surgery:  #21
  • Rehabilitation:  #21
  • Urology:  #6
  • See Rating Details

  • Location:  Hackensack, NJ
    Nationally Rated Adult Specialties:  10

  • Cancer:  #37
  • Cardiology & Heart Surgery:  #37
  • Diabetes & Endocrinology:  #29
  • Ear, Nose & Throat:  #50
  • Gastroenterology & GI Surgery:  #47
  • Geriatrics:  #32
  • Neurology & Neurosurgery:  #33
  • Orthopedics:  #20
  • Pulmonology & Lung Surgery:  #23
  • Urology:  #12
  • See Rating Details

  • To find other teaching hospitals in the Mid-East region and elsewhere, visit our U.S. Teaching Hospitals resource page.