La Costa Animal Hospital logo
La Costa Animal Hospital
Carlsbad, California

Veterinarian- Carlsbad CA

Veterinarian 8.0 Work-LifeNo nightsPart-Time

Listed compensation

$70k-$90k

The week · per this posting

Ask the employer about the work setting and time off.

Posted 31m ago · Verified live

Job Description

Who We Are

La Costa Animal Hospital | Carlsbad, CA

Practice with purpose. Live where others vacation.

La Costa Animal Hospital is looking for a compassionate Associate Veterinarian to join our close-knit team in beautiful Carlsbad, CA. If you value meaningful client relationships, thoughtful medicine, and a supportive team, we’d love to meet you!

Why La Costa Animal Hospital?

We’re a small, established hospital with a loyal clientele who appreciate veterinarians who listen, educate, and take the time to truly care for their pets. Our doctors see approximately 4–5 patients per day, with 30–60 minute appointments, giving you the time to practice medicine thoughtfully rather than feeling rushed.

Our hospital includes:

  • 3 exam rooms and a dedicated surgical suite
  • Digital and digital dental X-ray
  • IDEXX in-house and reference laboratory services
  • Companion therapeutic laser and electrocautery
  • EzyVet
  • Day-patient kennels and isolation space
  • Strong referral partnerships for advanced and specialty care

Our clients are engaged in their pets’ care and are often willing to pursue advanced treatment when recommendations are thoughtfully explained. We’re proud to support them with excellent referral partners when needed.

A Team That Supports You

You’ll work alongside two RVTs, Fear Free-certified DVMs, and long-term team members who have built strong relationships with one another. Our approximate 1:3 doctor-to-technician/assistant ratio provides meaningful support throughout the day.

We believe great veterinary medicine and work-life balance can coexist. There are no after-hours or on-call requirements.

  • Mentorship & Growth
  • New graduates are welcome! We provide:
  • One-on-one surgical training during your first few months
  • Dedicated time for case consultation
  • Support developing clinical and surgical confidence

An Experienced Team Invested in Your Growth

Experienced veterinarians will also find an opportunity to build lasting client relationships while practicing with a supportive team.

Schedule

We are currently seeking a PART-TIME veterinarian with availability on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. We’re expanding Saturday hours, initially targeting 8:00 AM–1:00 PM, with the potential to grow based on patient demand and staffing.

  • Benefits That Support You
  • We take employee wellbeing seriously and offer a comprehensive benefits package, including:

Part-Time Benefits Include

  • Competitive salary: $70,000 $90,000 annually, DOE
  • Generous sign-on bonus
  • Professional Liability Insurance
  • 401(k) Plan with Company Match
  • 529 Savings Plan
  • Discounted Products and Services
  • Continuing Education Stipend
  • Paid Time Off
  • Employee Assistance Programs (EAP)

Life in Carlsbad

Located in North County San Diego, Carlsbad offers the kind of lifestyle people dream about. The beach is nearby, downtown Carlsbad is picturesque, and the surrounding Carlsbad and Encinitas communities have a vibrant surfing culture and laid-back coastal feel.

You’re also within easy reach of San Diego, approximately 60 minutes from Tijuana and 1.5–2 hours from Los Angeles.

We also proudly partner with Helen Woodward Animal Center, offering complimentary first examinations for adopted pets.

Ready to Find Your Place Here?

If you’re looking for a practice where you can slow down, build genuine relationships, practice thoughtful medicine, and still have a life outside the hospital, La Costa Animal Hospital may be the place for you.

Come grow with us in beautiful Carlsbad, CA. We’d love to welcome you to the team! Please send your resume to Jose at Jizarpate@vetcor.com

Key Responsibilities

Provide thoughtful veterinary care and build lasting relationships with clients and their pets. Work with the hospital team to support patient treatment, including surgery and referrals for advanced or specialty care when needed.

Requirements

The posting welcomes both new graduates and experienced veterinarians, with mentorship and surgical training available. Applicants should be available part-time on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday; no specific degree or license requirement is stated.

Key Skills

Patient CareClient CommunicationClient EducationSurgical SkillsClinical Decision-MakingFear-Free Veterinary CareDiagnostic ImagingDental RadiographyLaboratory DiagnosticsTherapeutic Laser Treatment

Veterinary Medicine Career Context

The cost-of-living index for California is 110.7 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)), so the posted ~$80k midpoint carries the purchasing power of roughly $72k in an average-cost state. 63.6% of California clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).

Of the 50 active Veterinary Medicine listings this role was benchmarked against, 70% have no call, 64% require no weekends.

What does the Veterinary Medicine market look like in California?
MeasureThis jobMarket
Work-life score8.0 / 10 · top 25% in veterinary medicineranked against 3,392 Veterinary Medicine listingslisting-based score, 0–10
Listed pay$70k–$90kVeterinary Medicine median $165k (middle half $150k–$185k)104 comparable listings, Nov 2026
Cost-of-living adjusted pay~$72k in purchasing powerCalifornia index 110.7 (US = 100)BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)
Veterinary Medicine listings in California245 active3,443 nationallylive on WeekdayDoc, Nov 2026
Work settingon-sitepeers: 70% no call · 64% no weekends50 benchmarked listings
Sign-on & loan repaymentsign-on bonusCalifornia healthcare professional listings (all specialties): 47% state a sign-on bonus (median $38k) · 14% offer loan repayment369 active listings, Nov 2026
New Veterinary Medicine listings1,282 in the last 30 days483 the 30 days before (+165%)U.S., first seen on WeekdayDoc, Nov 2026
Veterinary Medicine pay trend+1.8% vs prior quarter—through Oct 2026
Sources: WeekdayDoc live listing index (3,392 Veterinary Medicine listings), BEA Regional Price Parities (2024); as of Nov 2026. Same values as the Weekday Verdict and Market Insights on this page.

Work-Life Balance Analysis

WeekdayDoc's proprietary algorithm rates Veterinarian- Carlsbad CA at La Costa Animal Hospital a 8.0 out of 10 for work-life balance — classified as excellent. This places the position in the top 25% in Veterinary Medicine — ranked against 3,392 active Veterinary Medicine listings on WeekdayDoc. Contributing factors include no night shifts.

Top Veterinarian Jobs

41 matches · ranked by pay

Salary Distribution

41 jobs · 14 employers
11
<$140k
4
$140k-160k
13
$160k-180k
4
$180k-200k
9
$200k+

Annual compensation range

Benefits & Perks

40 jobs · 14 employers
Sign-on bonus
93% this job
CME allowance
90% this job
401k / retirement match
90% this job
Relocation assistance
63%

Share of similar jobs offering each benefit

#1

Associate Veterinarian

Companion Pet Partners · Santa Cruz, California

$160k-$210k
#2

Veterinarian - Madera, CA

Vet Cor · Madera, California

$150k-$200k
#3

Feline Veterinarian - Chico, CA

$150k-$200k
#4

Veterinarian - Merced, CA

$170k-$200k
+ 39 more · ranked by pay

Work-life snapshot

median 5.7this job 8.0
Better work-life than 80% of Veterinary Medicine listings

Listing-based score, 0–10, across 3,392 comparable listings. Shaded area = the share scoring below this one.

  • No nights
  • Includes call
  • Includes weekends
La Costa Animal Hospital logo

About La Costa Animal Hospital

Veterinary
Carlsbad, California

Benefits & Perks

Competitive salary $70,000-$90,000 annually DOE
Generous sign-on bonus
Professional Liability Insurance
401(k) Plan with Company Match
529 Savings Plan
Discounted Products and Services
Continuing Education Stipend
Paid Time Off

Living in Carlsbad

Typical 3-bedroom home value
$1.35M≈ 19.3× annual pay
Typical market rent
$3,531/mo≈ 61% of gross pay
Residents’ average commute
27 min
Metro price indexU.S. average = 100
111.9
State income tax
Up to 13.3%
Sources & methodology

Sources: Zillow home values (Sep 2026), Zillow market rents (Sep 2026), U.S. Census ACS 2024 five-year.

BEA 2024 · San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA metro prices. Housing figures are city-level.

Ratios use this listing’s gross annual pay. Not a cost-of-living guarantee.