Top Radiology Programs 2026
Tier 1—Elite/National Flagships (Rank 1-5)
Harvard Massachusetts General Hospital
University of Pennsylvania
Stanford University
University of California, San Francisco
Johns Hopkins University
Tier 2—Upper-Elite Powerhouses (Rank 6-10)
New York University
University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
Emory University
Washington University in Saint Louis
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
Tier 3—High-Prestige Academic Leaders (Ranks 11-20)
University of California, Los Angeles
Weill Cornell Medicine
Mayo Clinic Rochester
Yale University
Harvard Brigham and Women's Hospital
University of Wisconsin, Madison
Duke University
University of Washington
University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
Columbia University
Tier 4—Strong National/Upper Training Programs (Rank 21-30)
University of California, San Diego
University of Pittsburgh
Northwestern University
University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
Vanderbilt University
Mayo Clinic Arizona
University of Virginia
University of Southern California
University of Maryland, Baltimore
Thomas Jefferson University
Tier 5—Solid Academic/Regional Powerhouses (Rank 31-45)
Boston University
University of Minnesota
Indiana University
Mayo Jacksonville
University of Iowa
Case Western Reserve University
Brown University
Medical College of Wisconsin
Medical University of South Carolina
University of Utah
Ohio State University, Columbus
University of California, Irvine
University of Colorado, Denver
University of California, Davis
Cleveland Clinic
Tier 6—Well-Respected Upper-Mid Programs (Rank 46-60)
University of Chicago
University of Alabama, Birmingham
Oregon Health & Science University
Wake Forest University
Wayne State University
Harvard Beth Israel Deaconess
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
University of Cincinnati
University of Rochester
Baylor College of Medicine
University of Miami
NYU Grossman Long Island
University of Florida
Loma Linda University
Albert Einstein Montgomery
Tier 7—Strong Regional/Emerging Programs (Rank 61-70)
Hofstra University/Northwell
University of Texas, Austin
Dartmouth College
University of Arizona
University of Illinois, Chicago
University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio
Henry Ford Hospital
State University of New York, Stony Brook
Virginia Commonwealth University
University of Texas, Health Science Center at Houston
Honorable Mentions (in alphabetical order) These are solid choices for many applicants, often with strong regional or niche strengths, but lower consensus across sources in this model.
Allegheny Health Network, Pittsburgh, PA
Augusta University
Baylor Scott and White
Bridgeport Hospital/Yale University
Cedars Sinai Medical Center
Corewell Health William Beaumont
Creighton University
Geisinger Health Siystem
George Washington University
Georgetown University
Harbor UCLA
Lahey Clinic
Loyola University of Chicago
Montefiore Medical Center/Albert Einstein
Ochsner Clinic
Pennsylvania State University
Rush University
Saint Louis University, Saint Louis
Santa Clara Valley Medical Center
Temple University
Tufts University
University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
University of Kansas
University of Kentucky
University of Massachusetts Medical School
University of Mississippi
University of Missouri, Columbia
University of Missouri, Kansas City
University of Nebraska Medical Center
University of New Mexico
University of Oklahoma
University of South Florida
University of Tennessee, Knoxville
University of Texas Galveston
University of Vermont
Virginia Mason University
Radiology Residency Programs by US Geographic Region
Northeast
1. Harvard University /MGH, Massachusetts Tier 1 — Elite / National Flagships
2. University of Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania Tier 1 — Elite / National Flagships
6. New York University, New York Tier 2 — Upper-Elite Powerhouses
10. Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York Tier 2 — Upper-Elite Powerhouses
12. Weill Cornell Medicine, New York Tier 3 — High-Prestige Academic Leaders
14. Yale University, Connecticut Tier 3 — High-Prestige Academic Leaders
15. Harvard Brigham and Women's Hospital, Massachusetts Tier 3 — High-Prestige Academic Leaders
20. Columbia University, New York Tier 3 — High-Prestige Academic Leaders
22. University of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Tier 4 — Strong National / Upper-Mid Academic
30. Thomas Jefferson University, Pennsylvania. Tier 4 — Strong National / Upper-Mid Academic
31. Boston University, Massachusetts. Tier 5 — Solid Academic / Regional Powerhouses
37. Brown University, Rhode Island. Tier 5 — Solid Academic / Regional Powerhouses
51. Harvard Beth Israel Deaconess, Massachusetts. Tier 6 — Well-Respected Upper-Mid Programs
52. Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Jersey. Tier 6 — Well-Respected Upper-Mid Programs
54. University of Rochester, New York. Tier 6 — Well-Respected Upper-Mid Programs
57. NYU Grossman Long Island, New York. Tier 6 — Well-Respected Upper-Mid Programs
60. Albert Einstein Montgomery, Pennsylvania. Tier 6 — Well-Respected Upper-Mid Programs
61. Hofstra University, New York. Tier 7 — Emerging / Strong Regional Programs
63. Dartmouth College, New Hampshire. Tier 7 — Emerging / Strong Regional Programs
68. State University of New York, Stony Brook, New York. Tier 7 — Emerging / Strong Regional Programs
Midwest
7. University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan Tier 2 — Upper-Elite Powerhouses
9. Washington University in Saint Louis, Missouri. Tier 2 — Upper-Elite Powerhouses
13. Mayo Clinic Rochester, Minnesota. Tier 3 — High-Prestige Academic Leaders
16. University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin. Tier 3 — High-Prestige Academic Leaders
23. Northwestern University, Illinois. Tier 4 — Strong National / Upper-Mid Academic
32. University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, Minnesota. Tier 5 — Solid Academic / Regional Powerhouses
33. Indiana University-Bloomington, Indiana. Tier 5 — Solid Academic / Regional Powerhouses
35. University of Iowa, Iowa. Tier 5 — Solid Academic / Regional Powerhouses
36. Case Western Reserve University, Ohio. Tier 5 — Solid Academic / Regional Powerhouses
38. Medical College of Wisconsin, Wisconsin. Tier 5 — Solid Academic / Regional Powerhouses
41. Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio. Tier 5 — Solid Academic / Regional Powerhouses
45. Cleveland Clinic, Ohio. Tier 5 — Solid Academic / Regional Powerhouses
46. University of Chicago, Illinois. Tier 6 — Well-Respected Upper-Mid Programs
50. Wayne State University, Michigan. Tier 6 — Well-Respected Upper-Mid Programs
53. University of Cincinnati, Ohio. Tier 6 — Well-Respected Upper-Mid Programs
65. University of Illinois, Chicago, Illinois. Tier 7 — Emerging / Strong Regional Programs
67. Henry Ford Hospital, Michigan. Tier 7 — Emerging / Strong Regional Programs
Mid-Atlantic and South
5. Johns Hopkins University, Maryland. Tier 1 — Elite / National Flagships
8. Emory University, Georgia. Tier 2 — Upper-Elite Powerhouses
17. Duke University, North Carolina. Tier 3 — High-Prestige Academic Leaders
19. University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Texas. Tier 3 — High-Prestige Academic Leaders
24. University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Tier 4 — Strong National / Upper-Mid Academic
25. Vanderbilt University, Tennessee. Tier 4 — Strong National / Upper-Mid Academic
27. University of Virginia, Virginia. Tier 4 — Strong National / Upper-Mid Academic
29. University of Maryland, Baltimore, MarylandTier 4 — Strong National / Upper-Mid Academic
34. Mayo Jacksonville, Florida. Tier 5 — Solid Academic / Regional Powerhouses
39. Medical University of South Carolina, South Carolina. Tier 5 — Solid Academic / Regional Powerhouses
47. University of Alabama, Birmingham, Alabama. Tier 6 — Well-Respected Upper-Mid Programs
49. Wake Forest University, North Carolina. Tier 6 — Well-Respected Upper-Mid Programs
55. Baylor College of Medicine, Texas. Tier 6 — Well-Respected Upper-Mid Programs
56. University of Miami, Florida. Tier 6 — Well-Respected Upper-Mid Programs
58. University of Florida, Florida. Tier 6 — Well-Respected Upper-Mid Programs
62. University of Texas, Austin, Texas. Tier 7 — Emerging / Strong Regional Programs
66. University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, Texas. Tier 7 — Emerging / Strong Regional Programs
69. Virginia Commonwealth University, Virginia. Tier 7 — Emerging / Strong Regional Programs
70. University of Texas, Health Science Center at Houston, Texas. Tier 7 — Emerging / Strong Regional Programs
West
3. Stanford University, California. Tier 1 — Elite / National Flagships
4. University of California, San Francisco, California. Tier 1 — Elite / National Flagships
11. University of California, Los Angeles, California. Tier 3 — High-Prestige Academic Leaders
18. University of Washington, Washington. Tier 3 — High-Prestige Academic Leaders
21. University of California, San Diego, California. Tier 4 — Strong National / Upper-Mid Academic
26. Mayo Clinic Arizona, Arizona. Tier 4 — Strong National / Upper-Mid Academic
28. University of Southern CaliforniaCaliforniaTier 4 — Strong National / Upper-Mid Academic
40. University of Utah, Utah. Tier 5 — Solid Academic / Regional Powerhouses
42. University of California, Irvine, California. Tier 5 — Solid Academic / Regional Powerhouses
43. University of Colorado, Denver, Colorado. Tier 5 — Solid Academic / Regional Powerhouses
44. University of California, Davis, California. Tier 5 — Solid Academic / Regional Powerhouses
48. Oregon Health & Science University, Oregon. Tier 6 — Well-Respected Upper-Mid Programs
59. Loma Linda University, California. Tier 6 — Well-Respected Upper-Mid Programs
64. University of Arizona, Arizona. Tier 7 — Emerging / Strong Regional Programs
Methodology
To build these composite rankings of radiology residency programs, I pulled data from four widely recognized sources: U.S. News & World Report (weighted at 50%), Doximity reputation rankings (25%), and the Blue Ridge Institute for Medical Research (BRIMR) rankings for research funding (25%). Aunt Minnie rankings were handled differently and applied as a bonus, since that system only designates a winner, runner-up, and semifinalists rather than providing a full ranked list.
The unequal weighting was intentional. Each source has strengths and limitations, and they should not be treated as interchangeable. U.S. News & World Report is a long-standing and broadly respected academic ranking system and has evaluated medical programs longer than the other sources. Doximity, while influential and widely used by trainees, relies on reputation-based ordering rather than numerical ranks and may be vulnerable to incompleteness or response bias. BRIMR rankings reflect research funding strength, which can correlate with overall departmental depth and faculty expertise, but are not a direct measure of clinical training quality. Instead, BRIMR serves as a proxy for the academic culture of a program—particularly the emphasis on research, discovery, and scholarly activity that often broadens resident education.
The base composite score was calculated as a weighted average of the rankings available for each program, with lower scores indicating stronger performance. Importantly, missing values were treated as non-contributory rather than as zeros; weights were renormalized across the sources that were available for a given program. To reward programs with broad recognition—and to avoid overvaluing programs represented in only one source—a 20% score penalty (i.e., a worse rank) was applied for each missing column among the four primary sources.
Programs with Aunt Minnie recognition received an additional bonus to reflect peer acclaim within the radiology community: a 20% score improvement for the winner, 10% for the runner-up, and 5% for semifinalists. Only programs with at least one ranking from U.S. News, Doximity, or BRIMR were included, ensuring the list focuses on established programs. Final tiers were then created based on natural score clusters and widely recognized prestige bands within radiology.
Before you ask, I can’t publish the individual rankings from each source (such as the raw U.S. News or Doximity lists), as I don’t have permission to do so. That said, all of this information is publicly available online. I used the 2025 rankings for U.S. News, Doximity, and AuntMinnie, along with the most recent 2024 BRIMR data.
Overall, the goal of this approach was not to crown a single “best” program, but to provide a balanced, transparent, and defensible framework that reflects how programs are viewed across multiple respected lenses—something I hope is genuinely useful for applicants navigating an increasingly complex landscape.
Finally, some readers will inevitably disagree with where certain programs landed—and in a few cases, I share that discomfort. For example, programs such as the University of New Mexico and Cedars-Sinai may appear lower than what I perceive to be their true program strength. That said, I deliberately resisted the temptation to “correct” rankings based on personal opinion. The goal was consistency and transparency, not subjective fine-tuning.
I have the greatest confidence in the upper portion of the list, where top-tier programs consistently appeared across multiple independent sources. As one moves further down the rankings, the data naturally become sparser, and those distinctions should be interpreted with increasing caution. At that point, small differences in rank are far less meaningful than broader tier placement.
Real-World Context
In practice, rankings like these represent only a small piece of a much larger puzzle. If your program isn’t near the top of this list—or doesn’t appear at all—that is not a cause for concern. Outstanding clinical training, mentorship, and research opportunities exist at virtually every U.S. radiology residency program.
For medical students, this list should be used thoughtfully when constructing a rank order list. A highly ranked program may still be a poor fit if its culture, workflow, or geographic location doesn’t align with your goals or lifestyle. Conversely, a program ranked lower may offer precisely the environment in which you’ll thrive. Do your homework, talk to current residents, and prioritize fit over prestige.
This year, I’ve also organized programs by geographic region within the United States. My hope is that this added context will be useful for applicants who want to compare programs nationally—or who are focused on specific regions as they make one of the most important decisions of their training.