JAMA Network · Pediatrics

JAMA Pediatrics: acceptance rate, review time, and how to prepare

In 2025, JAMA Pediatrics received 3,325 manuscripts and accepted 10% overall and 5% of research manuscripts. The median first decision took 3 d without peer review and 44 d with it. Every figure below is quoted from the journal's own Year in Review editorials (2023–2025) and instructions for authors, captured 2026-09-12.

Submission requirementsJAMA Pediatrics at JAMA Network ↗
Sources: 3 annual editorials · instructions for authors · Scimago 2024
3,325
Manuscripts received, 2025
2,753 research
10%
Acceptance rate, 2025
5% research
3 d
First decision without review, median
2025
44 d
First decision with review, median
2025
Last verified 2026-09-12
Source: JAMA Pediatrics—The Year in Review, 2025
Acceptance rate

What is JAMA Pediatrics’s acceptance rate?

The journal publishes the answer itself. Its 2025 Year in Review editorial reports 3,325 manuscripts received, 2,753 of them research manuscripts, with an overall acceptance rate of 10% and a research acceptance rate of 5%. Across 2023–2025 the research acceptance rate moved from 5% to 5% while submissions rose 24%.

YearAll manuscripts receivedResearch manuscripts receivedAcceptance, overallAcceptance, researchSource
20253,3252,75310%5%JAMA Pediatrics—The Year in Review, 2025
20243,1432,62711%5%JAMA Pediatrics—The Year in Review 2024
20232,6831,92913%5%JAMA Pediatrics—The Year in Review, 2023
Timelines

How long does JAMA Pediatrics take to reach a decision?

Median days, as published by the journal. 'Without peer review' is the editorial-triage decision; 'with peer review' is the decision after external review.
YearFirst decision, no reviewFirst decision, with reviewReviewer turnaroundAcceptance to publicationReceipt to publication
20253 d44 d———
20243 d43 d13 d76 d123 d
20233 d43 d13 d75 d126 d
JAMA Network peers, latest published year
JournalYearReceivedAcceptance, overallAcceptance, researchNo reviewWith review
JAMA Pediatrics20253,32510%5%3 d44 d
JAMA202511,52610.4%3.9%2.1 d25 d
JAMA Internal Medicine20254,17812%4%1 d35 d
JAMA Network Open202520,2339.9%—2 d49 d
JAMA Surgery20253,3219%5%10 d40 d
JAMA Dermatology20253,4137%7%3 d36 d
JAMA Cardiology20252,7939%5%8 d51 d
JAMA Neurology20253,2216%5%4 d35 d
JAMA Psychiatry20252,7258%5%2 d31 d
JAMA Otolaryngology–Head & Neck Surgery20251,73014%10%8 d50 d
Trend

How has it changed?

+24%
Manuscripts received, 2023 to 2025
2,683 → 3,325
5% → 5%
Research acceptance rate, 2023 to 2025
43 → 44 d
First decision with review, 2023 to 2025
Rejection

What gets papers rejected at JAMA Pediatrics?

The Year in Review editorials publish volumes, rates and timelines; they do not itemize reasons for rejection. This is the general evidence, cited.
statistics #1

In a content analysis of 151 medical-education manuscripts, the top reasons for rejection were inappropriate or incomplete statistics, overinterpretation of results, and inappropriate or suboptimal instrumentation. [12][14]

44–76%

Lack of new or useful knowledge was the most common reason for rejection at AJR, accounting for 44–76% of rejections in every country. [3]

2.58 of 9

BMJ reviewers found an average of 2.58 of nine major errors deliberately inserted into a test paper; training raised this only to about 3. [18]

Before you submit

What JAMA Pediatrics requires.

From the journal's instructions for authors, captured 2026-09-12. Instructions change; verify on the journal's page before submitting.
Original Investigation requirements
  • 3000 words of text (excluding abstract, tables, figures, acknowledgments, references)
  • Structured abstract, maximum 350 words
  • 50–75 references
  • No more than 5 tables and/or figures
  • Data Sharing Statement for all research articles
  • Clinical trials registered before submission; registry name, ID and URL in the abstract
  • Authorship form sent to all authors after submission
Reporting guidelines the journal names
  • CONSORT (randomized clinical trials)
  • STROBE (cohort, case-control, cross-sectional)
  • PRISMA or MOOSE (systematic reviews and meta-analyses)
  • STARD or TRIPOD (diagnostic and prognostic studies)
  • SQUIRE (quality improvement)
Cover letter: Required; state whether related papers from the same study were published, posted or submitted.
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Your manuscript is never stored, logged, or used for training.
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Sources

Where every number on this page comes from.

  1. Christakis DA. JAMA Pediatrics—The Year in Review, 2025. Published online March 16, 2026; JAMA Pediatr. 2026;180(5):479–480. JAMA Pediatrics—The Year in Review, 2025 (captured 2026-09-12).
  2. Christakis DA. JAMA Pediatrics—The Year in Review 2024. Published online March 17, 2025; 2025;179(5):494–495. JAMA Pediatrics—The Year in Review 2024 (captured 2026-09-12).
  3. Christakis DA. JAMA Pediatrics—The Year in Review, 2023. Published online March 18, 2024; 178(5). JAMA Pediatrics—The Year in Review, 2023 (captured 2026-09-12).
  4. JAMA Pediatrics. Instructions for Authors. jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapediatrics/pages/instructions-for-authors (captured 2026-09-12).
  5. Scimago Journal Rank, 2024 edition: SJR 5.085, Q1, H-index 231, ISSN 21686211, 21686203.

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