The basics:

• Hackensack University Medical Center ranked as New Jersey’s No. 1 hospital for 4th straight year
• U.S. News recognizes 11 New Jersey hospitals as Best Regional Hospitals
• Atlantic Health Morristown, Overlook medical centers rank Nos. 2 and 3 statewide
• Cooper University Health Care again earns Best Regional Hospital for Community Access

U.S. News & World Report once again ranked Hackensack Meridian Health Hackensack University Medical Center as the No. 1 hospital in New Jersey. This marks the fourth consecutive year HMH has occupied the top spot in the state. 

Released Aug. 4, the 2026-2027 Best Hospitals assessment covers dozens areas of care across medical specialties, procedures and conditions. The annual guide aims to offer patients information to make data-driven healthcare decisions together with their medical providers. This marks the 37th edition of the feature. 

After evaluating nearly 4,500 hospitals, U.S. News recognized 505 Best Regional Hospitals nationwide for superior clinical outcomes. New Jersey is home to 11. 

Following HMH, Atlantic Health facilities occupied the second- and third-place ranks. Cooper University Health Care-Camden, and then Englewood Health, close out the top five. 

This year, the publication designated 73 hospitals as Best Regional Hospitals for Community Access. One facility, again, holds that distinction here, Cooper University Health Care in Camden.  

Cooper also ranked No. 8 in the Best Regional Hospitals Philadelphia Metro (one spot behind last year). 

Among 28 total, nine New Jersey hospitals placed in the New York Metro: 

• No. 4 – HMH Hackensack University Medical Center 
• No. 10 – Atlantic Health Morristown Medical Center 
• No. 16 – Atlantic Health Overlook Medical Center 
• No. 21 – Englewood Hospital
• No. 23 – Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center 
• No. 23 – Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital 
• No. 25 – HMH Jersey Shore University Medical Center
• No. 25 – Penn Medicine Princeton Medical Center 
• No. 25 – Valley Hospital 

Of the ranked 14 adult specialties and 23 procedures & conditions in this year’s release, Hackensack Meridian and Atlantic Health each had multiple national placements: 

Hackensack Meridian Health HUMC 

• No. 38 – Cancer
• No. 45 – Cardiology, Heart & Vascular Surgery
• No. 43 – Diabetes & Endocrinology
• No. 34 – Neurology & Neurosurgery
• No. 14 – Orthopedics
• No. 36 – Pulmonology & Lung Surgery
• No. 32 – Urology

Atlantic Health Morristown Medical Center

• No. 41 – Cardiology, Heart & Vascular Surgery
• No. 13 – Orthopedics
• No. 25 – Urology 

At least one N.J. facility achieved High Performing across nearly all specialties and procedures & conditions. No New Jersey hospitals showed in Ophthalmology, Psychiatry and Rheumatology. Not all hospitals are ranked on each category. 

Just one hospital from the state was High Performing for Rehabilitation, according to U.S. News. That facility, Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation in West Orange, also ranked No. 3 nationwide in the Best Hospitals Rehabilitation rankings. 

Like last year, HMH JFK Johnson Rehabilitation Institute also placed on the national rankings (No. 39). In the New York Metro, Kessler took the No. 1 spot and JFK No. 7. 

Seven other local facilities earned recognition in the Rehabilitation Specialty: 

Rehabilitation is one of four new regional specialty rankings included this year, along with: 

Cancer 

In addition to HMH Hackensack Meridian Health, above, The Jack & Sheryl Morris Cancer Center/Rutgers Cancer Institute at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick earned High Performing.

Cardiology, Heart & Vascular Surgery 

In addition to the state rankings above, Atlantic Health Morristown Medical Center and HMH Hackensack University Medical Center earned the No. 8 and No. 9 spots, respectively, in the New York Metro region.

Orthopedics 

Similarly, beyond the state rankings, above, Atlantic Health Morristown Medical Center and HMH Hackensack University Medical Center ranked fourth and fifth, respectively, in the Metro New York region.

Behind the scenes

High Performing in a specialty indicates a hospital did not make the top 50, but was significantly better than average. According to U.S. News, hospitals that earned a High Performing rating in a procedure or condition typically have better patient outcomes compared to other hospitals. Other designations include as expected, evaluated, not ranked and not enough data available to evaluate.

To determine the Best Hospitals, U.S. News said it analyzed each hospital’s performance based on measures such as risk-adjusted mortality rates, preventable complications and patient experience. 

For the Best Hospitals Specialty Rankings and the Procedures & Conditions Ratings, the publication said it measures patient outcomes across more than 800 million patient care records.  

This year’s work included some methodology refinements, including a major overhaul for the Cardiology, Heart & Vascular Surgery specialty.