Healthcare & Medical Jobs in San Francisco, CA
San Francisco's health care jobs run through UCSF Health's campuses at Parnassus Heights and Mission Bay, Zuckerberg San Francisco General, and Kaiser Permanente on Geary Boulevard, with pay posted on nearly every opening. The guides below cover every healthcare and medical role in San Francisco, who is hiring, and what it pays.
Why Healthcare & Medical Work Is Different in San Francisco
San Francisco fits a teaching hospital system, a county trauma center, several private hospitals and a VA medical center into a city about seven miles across. UCSF Health runs an academic medical center spread 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 and Laguna Honda Hospital on Laguna Honda Boulevard, plus more than 15 primary care health centers. Kaiser Permanente's San Francisco Medical Center sits at 2425 Geary, Dignity Health runs Saint Francis Memorial downtown and St. Mary's Medical Center, Chinese Hospital anchors Chinatown, and the San Francisco VA serves veterans from Fort Miley in the Outer Richmond.
What makes the work local is how it is paid and organized. California's pay-transparency rules mean most postings show a range, so a job seeker can compare Kaiser, the city and Dignity Health line by line. Much of the workforce is unionized: Kaiser's RN postings name the California Nurses Association, its LVN postings name SEIU-UHW, and the city's nurse postings link the SEIU 1021 agreement. California's SB 525 health care minimum wage sits at $22 to $25 an hour at most covered employers, well above the city's general $19.61 minimum. Community clinics such as Mission Neighborhood Health Center in the Mission post bilingual roles, and Spanish, Cantonese and Mandarin are everyday languages in the neighborhoods these clinics serve.
Top Healthcare & Medical Employers in San Francisco
These employers have posted healthcare openings in San Francisco on their own career sites this fall:
- UCSF Health - the academic medical center hires RNs, LVNs and clinical staff at Parnassus Heights, Mission Bay and Mount Zion.
- San Francisco Department of Public Health - recruits nurses, nursing assistants and dental aides for San Francisco General, Laguna Honda and city clinics.
- Kaiser Permanente - the 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.
- Mission Neighborhood Health Center - the Shotwell Street community clinic hires bilingual medical assistants, pharmacy technicians and dental assistants.
Healthcare & Medical Career Paths in San Francisco
- Nursing - Registered Nurse, Licensed Vocational Nurse, Certified Nursing Assistant and Patient Care Technician. The main ladder in the city's hospitals and skilled nursing campuses, from CNA to LVN to RN.
- Clinical and technical - Medical Assistant, Phlebotomist, Medical Laboratory Technician, Pharmacy Technician, Radiologic Technologist, Surgical Technologist, Respiratory Therapist and Physical Therapy Assistant. Certificate and associate degree roles in clinics, labs, imaging and therapy.
- Front office, dental, emergency and behavioral health - Medical Receptionist, Medical Biller and Coder, Dental Assistant, EMT and Paramedic, and Behavioral Health Technician. Quick-entry roles that keep clinics, dental offices, ambulances and treatment programs running.
- Overview - the Healthcare guide covers the whole field, the biggest employers and the minimum wage rules in one place.
How to Start a Healthcare & Medical Career in San Francisco
- Registered nurse license - issued by the California Board of Registered Nursing after an approved program and the NCLEX-RN. SF State, USF's Hilltop Campus and City College of San Francisco offer RN programs.
- Licensed vocational nurse license - issued by the California Board of Vocational Nursing and Psychiatric Technicians. City College runs its 18-month LVN program at the John Adams Center on Hayes Street.
- Nurse assistant certification - issued by the California Department of Public Health after at least 160 hours of training, an exam and Live Scan. City College offers a one-semester CNA and home health aide course.
- Phlebotomy certification - issued by CDPH Laboratory Field Services after classroom and clinical hours and a national exam. City College offers a phlebotomy certificate.
- EMT certification - issued by the San Francisco EMS Agency after an approved course and the NREMT exams.
- Medical assistant certification - not a state license in California, but certification from a board-approved body is needed to give injections. City College and the city's free HealthCare Academy both train medical assistants.
The RN, LVN, CNA, phlebotomy and EMT credentials are legally required for those jobs; medical assistant certification is required only for injections and is otherwise an employer preference.
Healthcare & Medical Salaries in San Francisco
- Entry - about $26 to $36 an hour for medical assistants, phlebotomists and certified nursing assistants.
- Mid - roughly $45 to $60 an hour for licensed vocational nurses.
- Senior - about $62 to $113 an hour for registered nurses, and more for per diem nurses.
These are estimates based on ranges San Francisco employers published in their own postings in fall 2026. Kaiser and the city's top steps sit at the upper end for nurses, while community hospitals and clinics start lower. Union contracts at Kaiser and the city set step pay and benefits, the VA posts federal salaries by grade, and night, weekend and per diem work adds to base pay across the city.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who are the biggest 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, the San Francisco Campus for Jewish Living and community clinics such as Mission Neighborhood Health Center hire across the city too.
What is the healthcare minimum wage in San Francisco?
California's SB 525 health care minimum wage has been $25 an hour at large health systems and dialysis clinics since July 1, 2026, 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 get quickly in San Francisco?
Certified nursing assistant, medical assistant, phlebotomist and EMT roles all start with short certificate programs. City College of San Francisco trains for each of them, and the city's HealthCare Academy offers free CNA, medical assistant and EMT training.
Are healthcare jobs in San Francisco unionized?
Many are. Kaiser Permanente's postings name the California Nurses Association for RNs and SEIU-UHW for LVNs, and the city's nurse postings link the SEIU 1021 agreement. On the city's scale, your starting step depends on your experience.
Do I need to speak another language to work in San Francisco healthcare?
No, but it helps. Clinics such as Mission Neighborhood Health Center post bilingual roles, and Spanish, Cantonese and Mandarin speakers are an asset in clinics serving the Mission, Chinatown and the Excelsior.
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