Healthcare Jobs in San Francisco, CA
Healthcare jobs in San Francisco run from UCSF Health's campuses at Parnassus Heights and Mission Bay to Zuckerberg San Francisco General and Kaiser Permanente on Geary Boulevard. California's health care minimum wage reaches $25 an hour at the largest systems. Here are the current openings, then who is hiring and how to start.
Current healthcare Openings in San Francisco, CA
Listings marked External are sponsored openings provided by the Jobs2Careers network.
Healthcare Work in San Francisco
San Francisco's health care jobs cluster around a few big systems. UCSF Health runs the city's academic medical center across Parnassus Heights, Mission Bay, Mount Zion and Bayfront. The City and County of San Francisco, through its Department of Public Health, operates Zuckerberg San Francisco General, Laguna Honda Hospital and more than 15 primary care health centers. Kaiser Permanente's San Francisco Medical Center sits on Geary Boulevard, Dignity Health runs Saint Francis Memorial downtown and St. Mary's Medical Center, and Chinese Hospital anchors Chinatown.
Below the hospitals is a wide layer of clinics and long-term care: Mission Neighborhood Health Center on Shotwell Street in the Mission, One Medical offices from West Portal to the Inner Sunset, the San Francisco VA at Fort Miley, and the San Francisco Campus for Jewish Living on Silver Avenue. Pay is posted on nearly every job, much of the workforce is unionized, and California's SB 525 sets a health care minimum wage of $22 to $25 an hour at most covered employers. Bilingual workers who speak Cantonese, Mandarin or Spanish have an edge across the city.
Top San Francisco Employers Hiring Healthcare Workers
These employers have posted healthcare openings in San Francisco on their own career sites:
- UCSF Health - the academic medical center hires nurses, LVNs and clinical staff across Parnassus Heights, Mission Bay and Mount Zion.
- San Francisco Department of Public Health - recruits RNs, LVNs, nursing assistants and dental aides for San Francisco General, Laguna Honda and city clinics.
- Kaiser Permanente - its Geary Boulevard medical center and medical offices hire staff nurses, LVNs and nurse practitioners.
- Dignity Health - Saint Francis Memorial and St. Mary's Medical Center hire staff nurses and certified nursing assistants.
- Chinese Hospital - the Chinatown hospital hires RNs, clinic medical assistants, lab technicians and imaging technologists.
- San Francisco Campus for Jewish Living - the Silver Avenue senior care campus hires CNAs, LVNs and restorative nursing aides.
Healthcare Salaries in San Francisco
- Entry level: about $26 to $36 an hour for medical assistants, phlebotomists and certified nursing assistants.
- Licensed and technical: roughly $45 to $60 an hour for licensed vocational nurses.
- Registered nurses: about $62 to $113 an hour for staff nurses, and more for per diem work.
These are estimates based on ranges San Francisco employers published in their own postings in fall 2026, such as One Medical's phlebotomist pay of $26.25 to $28.25 an hour and Chinese Hospital's clinic medical assistant range of $26.80 to $40.17. Licensure, experience, union step scales, night and weekend shifts, and bilingual skills move pay the most. Large systems must pay at least the $25 SB 525 minimum to covered health care workers.
How to Start a Healthcare Career in San Francisco
Requirements depend on the role. Registered nurses are licensed by the California Board of Registered Nursing and LVNs by the Board of Vocational Nursing and Psychiatric Technicians. Nursing assistants are certified by the California Department of Public Health after at least 160 hours of training, and phlebotomists by CDPH Laboratory Field Services. Medical assistants are not licensed in California, though certification is needed to give injections. City College of San Francisco trains CNAs, LVNs, medical assistants, phlebotomists, pharmacy technicians and EMTs at its John Adams Center on Hayes Street, and the city's free HealthCare Academy offers CNA, medical assistant and EMT training.
What the Job Involves
Healthcare work covers direct patient care, such as bathing, feeding and moving patients, taking vital signs and giving medications, along with technical work in the lab, imaging and pharmacy and front-desk work scheduling patients and handling insurance. Hospitals run around the clock in 8 and 12 hour shifts, while clinics mostly keep daytime hours.
Skills Employers Look For
- The California license or certification the role requires
- BLS certification
- Electronic health record experience
- Bilingual skills, especially Cantonese, Mandarin or Spanish
- Compassion and patience with patients and families
- Reliability on nights, weekends and holidays
Career Path and Advancement
A common San Francisco path starts with a CNA or medical assistant certificate from City College or the HealthCare Academy, then a job at a skilled nursing campus or clinic. From there, workers move up to LVN through the CCSF program, then to registered nurse through City College, SF State or USF. Hospitals like UCSF Health, Kaiser and San Francisco General offer the next rungs: specialty nursing, charge and manager roles, and nurse practitioner jobs.
Related Careers in San Francisco
These San Francisco healthcare guides go deeper on specific roles:
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the minimum wage for healthcare workers in San Francisco?
California's SB 525 sets a separate health care minimum wage. Since July 1, 2026 it is $25 an hour at large health systems with 10,000 or more full-time employees and dialysis clinics, and $22 to $23 at most other covered employers. The general San Francisco minimum wage is $19.61 an hour.
Which healthcare jobs can I start without a degree in San Francisco?
Certified nursing assistant, medical assistant, phlebotomist and EMT roles all start with short certificate programs. City College of San Francisco offers each of them, and the city's HealthCare Academy offers free CNA, medical assistant and EMT training.
Do medical assistants need a license in California?
No. The Medical Board of California treats medical assistants as unlicensed staff who work under supervision. To give injections, though, they need training and certification from a board-approved organization.
Who are the largest healthcare employers in San Francisco?
UCSF Health, the San Francisco Department of Public Health, Kaiser Permanente and Dignity Health run most of the city's major hospitals. Chinese Hospital, the San Francisco VA and community clinics such as Mission Neighborhood Health Center hire across the city too.
How do I become a CNA in San Francisco?
Complete at least 160 hours of state-approved training, pass the competency exam and clear a Live Scan background check, and the California Department of Public Health certifies you. City College of San Francisco runs a one-semester CNA and home health aide course at its John Adams Center.
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