Veterinarian salary in San Francisco, CA
Based on 81 certified H-1B filings in the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Daly City, El Sobrante, Concord, San Rafael, Brentwood.
Also listed as: Associate Veterinarian, Emergency Veterinarian
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $120,000 |
| 25th | $160,000 |
| 50th (median) | $200,034 |
| 75th | $225,000 |
| 90th | $260,000 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $128,500 | $124,800 | $138,750 | 18 |
| FY2021 | $180,000 | $147,800 | $204,000 | 19 |
| FY2022 | $180,000 | $133,000 | $202,500 | 27 |
| FY2023 | $175,396 | $160,000 | $200,000 | 16 |
| FY2024 | $198,600 | $169,100 | $289,500 | 16 |
| FY2025 | $175,000 | $137,155 | $213,250 | 34 |
| FY2026 | $225,000 | $186,181 | $225,000 | 47 |
Cost of living
San Francisco's median Veterinarian salary of $200,034 is worth about $173,000 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; San Francisco = 115.6).
Compared with all workers here
All Veterinarians in the San Francisco, CA area earned a median of $208,080 in May 2025 (1,350 employed). The H-1B median here is $200,034, 4% lower.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS metropolitan area estimates. BLS wages include some incentive pay; H-1B figures are base salary.
Top employers filing
| Employer | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Ocean Avenue Veterinary Hospital | $200,000 | 13 |
| Anima Vet Group | too few | 8 |
| Daly Vet Animal Hospital | too few | 8 |
| Avpm Ca 42 | too few | 6 |
| Medical Management International | too few | 4 |
| SAGE Veterinary Centers | too few | 3 |
| United Veterinary Care Ca | too few | 3 |
| Animal Vet Group | too few | 2 |
| Bay Area Animal Health | too few | 2 |
| Daly City Pet Hospital | too few | 2 |
Employers with at least 2 filings here. Median shown at 10+ filings.
By experience level
| Wage level | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level · Level I | $216,500 | 30 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $180,000 | 33 |
| Senior · Level III | too few | 4 |
| Expert · Level IV | too few | 6 |
Median shown when a level has at least 10 filings.
Minimum H-1B salary by level
| Wage level | Prevailing wage (most common) | Median offered salary | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entry-level · Level I | $109,117 | $216,500 | 30 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $147,638 | $180,000 | 33 |
The prevailing wage is the minimum an employer must pay for this job and area. Amounts vary by county within a metro and by wage source.