Entry-level Veterinarian salary in San Francisco, CA

Based on 30 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level I 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

Median salary$216,500

Middle 50%$115.8k–$225k

vs. all levels here+8%comparison median $200,034

Filings30FY2025–FY2026 · latest two fiscal years

Salary range

All levels here

$75k$100k$125k$150k$175k$200k$225k$250k$275k$300k

Box: middle 50% of filings. Whiskers: 10th–90th percentile. 99% of filings are between $101,816 and $335,500.

Percentile	Salary
10th	$109,117
25th	$115,800
50th (median)	$216,500
75th	$225,000
90th	$264,000

Cost of living

San Francisco's median entry-level Veterinarian salary of $216,500 is worth about $187,300 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 $216,500, 4% higher.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS metropolitan area estimates. BLS wages include some incentive pay; H-1B figures are base salary.

Employers filing at this level

Employer	Median	Filings
Ocean Avenue Veterinary Hospital	too few	8
Avpm Ca 42	too few	4
Anima Vet Group	too few	3
Animal Vet Group	too few	2
Daly Vet Animal Hospital	too few	2
MPH Vet	too few	2
Veterinary Emergency Group	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.