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Ultrasound Cost in San Francisco, CA (2026): Average Prices & What You'll Pay

What does a ultrasound cost in San Francisco, CA?

Where you have an ultrasound done in San Francisco, CA swings the bill from $156 to $278 for identical care. The median cash price across 26 reporting hospitals is $162. The numbers are pulled directly from federally mandated hospital price transparency files.

There's a gap between the sticker and the real price here: a median cash quote of $162 sits above the $53 insurers negotiate — about 3.1× higher, so asking for the cash or insurer-negotiated rate is often the single biggest lever on your bill. The same ultrasound that costs $65 at Contra Costa County in Matrinez reaches $1,179 at CHINESE HOSPITAL — a 18.1× gap across the 26 San Francisco, CA hospitals reporting prices. The median San Francisco, CA price is $162. Most facilities fall between $152 and $278. Even within San Francisco, CA, San Francisco ($162) and Concord ($356) are 2.2× apart on the median price.

The same ultrasound can be one bill or two — and the radiologist can be out-of-network even when the facility isn't.

The free toolkit shows you:

  • ✓ Why a facility splits into a technical bill and a separate radiologist bill (and an office bills one global fee)
  • ✓ How the radiologist who reads your images can be out-of-network even at an in-network facility
  • ✓ Why a hospital outpatient department costs far more than an independent imaging center
  • ✓ How a complete vs. limited study changes the price — and the questions to ask first
  • ✓ A real patient billing breakdown, line by line

Free for patients — takes 30 seconds to get.

We'll email it to you immediately. No account required, no spam.

Forecast your out-of-pocket cost

How prices are distributed across San Francisco, CA hospitals:
  • Lower-cost hospitals (bottom 25%): under $152
  • Median hospital: $162
  • Higher-cost hospitals (top 30%): $278+

That's a 2× spread for the same procedure — driven entirely by which facility you choose, not by clinical complexity.

Example — two commercially insured patients in San Francisco:
  • Patient A (higher-rate plan or out-of-network): ~$278
  • Patient B (lower-rate in-network plan): ~$156
Same procedure. Same week. $122 difference.

Where ultrasound costs vary in San Francisco, CA

Pins show hospitals with price-transparency data (colored by vs. state average) and nearby ambulatory surgery centers, imaging centers, and other facilities (colored by type). Click any pin for facility name and estimated cost range.

Hospital (below avg) Hospital (above avg) Click a pin for details.

See every San Francisco, CA hospital's price

The 5 cheapest are shown. Enter your email to reveal the rest of the map and unlock all 21 remaining facilities — instantly.

We'll email you the full San Francisco, CA price list as a PDF. Sourced from CMS files. No spam.

Estimate YOUR exact out-of-pocket cost →

Cheapest Ultrasound Providers in San Francisco, CA

Based on declared cash/self-pay prices from CMS hospital price transparency files.

# Facility City Price vs Median
1 Washington Hospital CA $101 -$61
2 Stanford Health Care Tri-Valley Pleasanton, CA $105 -$57
3 UCSF Benioff Childrens Oakland Oakland, CA $147 -$15
4 Ucsf Medical Center Box 0296, CA $152 -$10
5 UCSF Langely Porter Psychiatic Hospital Flr 7, CA $152 -$10
6 California Pacific Medical Center- Van Ness Campus San Francisco, CA $157 -$5
7 Novato Community Hospital Novato, CA $162 +$0
8 Alta Bates Summit Medical Center Oakland, CA $162 +$0

Prices are declared self-pay rates. Contact each facility for a formal quote before scheduling.

The facility you choose matters more than almost anything else — the same procedure, same quality, same state can cost 5× more at one hospital versus the one down the road.

→ Compare all procedure costs   → Ultrasound costs nationwide

Check YOUR hospital's pricing → Estimate YOUR exact cost →

Worth knowing: A small number of hospitals report very high prices above $662, which pulls the overall range wider than what most patients encounter. The typical range above is a better guide for planning.
Every hospital in this dataset offers a cash price — with a median of $162. If your deductible hasn't been met, always ask for the self-pay rate before scheduling.

What you'll actually pay — example scenarios

Your situation Estimated out-of-pocket
Deductible not yet met (pay in full) ~$162
Deductible met — 20% coinsurance ~$32
Out-of-network provider $356+

Based on the state median facility price of $162. Your actual cost depends on your plan deductible, coinsurance rate, and network tier. Get YOUR personalized estimate →

What this means for you

If you haven't met your deductible, you are effectively a cash-pay patient.

That means:

  • You should verify your hospital is in-network before an elective visit when possible
  • The cheapest facility can save you $97+ vs. the median.

This is the single biggest lever most patients have to reduce their cost.

Lower-cost options in San Francisco, CA start around $152 or below. Most hospitals cluster between $152 and $356. A smaller group reports prices above that — often academic medical centers or high-cost markets.

If you're comparing specific hospitals, the lowest self-pay rates reported in this dataset include: Contra Costa County in Matrinez (cash price from $65); LAGUNA HONDA HOSPITAL & REHABILITATION CENTER in San Francisco (cash price from $91); Kindred Hospital San Francisco Bay Area in San Leandro (cash price from $93). These are declared cash prices — contact each facility for a formal quote before scheduling.

Quick decision guide:
  • Best value hospitals (lowest prices): Contra Costa County: $65; LAGUNA HONDA HOSPITAL & REHABILITATION CENTER: $91; Kindred Hospital San Francisco Bay Area: $93
  • Most expensive (outpatient): Saint Francis Memorial Hospital: ~$1,179; St. Mary's Medical Center - San Francisco: ~$852

→ Choosing the right facility can save $97+ vs. the state median.

San Francisco, CA Ultrasound prices by facility

All prices below come from hospital chargemasters — the official price lists each hospital must publish under federal law. Gross charge is the undiscounted list price; cash price is the self-pay rate; negotiated range covers the spread across insurance contracts.

How we calculate "Your Price" — We prioritize the most actionable price in this order:
  1. Cash price — the self-pay rate you can actually negotiate and pay
  2. Negotiated rate — if reported by the hospital across insurance contracts
  3. Gross charge — fallback only; this is the inflated list price few people pay

This reflects the real prices patients encounter — not inflated chargemaster rates.

# Facility City Your Price vs Median Gross Charge
#1 Contra Costa County Matrinez, CA $65 -$97 $65–$1,229
#2 LAGUNA HONDA HOSPITAL & REHABILITATION CENTER San Francisco, CA $91 -$71 $91–$373
#3 Kindred Hospital San Francisco Bay Area San Leandro, CA $93 -$69 $93
#4 Washington Hospital CA $101 -$61 $156–$2,676
#5 Stanford Health Care Tri-Valley Pleasanton, CA $105 -$57 $105–$152
#6 UCSF Benioff Childrens Oakland Oakland, CA $147 -$15 $147
#7 Ucsf Medical Center Box 0296, CA $152 -$10 $152
#8 UCSF Langely Porter Psychiatic Hospital Flr 7, CA $152 -$10 $152
#9 California Pacific Medical Center- Van Ness Campus San Francisco, CA $157 -$5 $157
#10 Novato Community Hospital Novato, CA $162 +$0 $162–$874
#11 Alta Bates Summit Medical Center Oakland, CA $162 +$0 $162–$874
#12 Mills-Peninsula Medical Center Burlingame, CA $162 +$0 $162–$874
#13 California Pacific Medical Ctr-Davies Campus Hospital San Francisco, CA $162 +$0 $162–$874
#14 Alta Bates Summit Medical Center - Alta Bates Camp Berkeley, CA $162 +$0 $162–$874
#15 Alta Bates Summit Medical Center-Summit Campus-Hawthorne Oakland, CA $162 +$0 $162–$874
#16 Alta Bates Summit Medical Center - Herrick Camp Berkeley, CA $162 +$0 $162–$874
#17 Mills Health Center San Mateo, CA $162 +$0 $162–$874
#18 Sutter Delta Medical Center Antioch, CA $162 +$0 $162–$874
#19 Alameda Health System Oakland, CA $259 +$97 $519–$1,610
#20 John Muir Health Concord, CA $356 +$194 $793–$1,943
#21 John Muir Health Walnut Creek, CA $356 +$194 $793–$1,943
#22 Sequoia Hospital Redwood City, CA $624 +$462 $1,716–$2,835
#23 CHINESE HOSPITAL CA $641 +$479 $641–$2,838
#24 MarinHealth Medical Center Greenbrae, CA $672 +$510 $1,120–$2,572
#25 St. Mary's Medical Center - San Francisco San Francisco, CA $852 +$690 $852–$2,016
#26 Saint Francis Memorial Hospital San Francisco, CA $1,179 +$1,017 $1,179–$2,707

Unlock all 21 remaining San Francisco, CA hospitals

Enter your email to reveal the full table instantly — and we'll email you the complete price list as a PDF to keep.

We'll email you the full San Francisco, CA price list as a PDF. Sourced from CMS files. No spam.

Source: CMS hospital price transparency machine-readable files. vs Median = savings or premium relative to the state median price. Gross Charge = undiscounted list price for reference.

Received a bill? Check it for errors → Estimate YOUR cost before you go →

Compare other procedures in San Francisco, CA:

Where you can save the most on ultrasound in San Francisco, CA

These facilities have the lowest declared prices relative to the state median — they represent the best opportunities to reduce your out-of-pocket cost for this procedure.

Facility City Your Price vs Median
Contra Costa County Matrinez, CA $65 -$97
LAGUNA HONDA HOSPITAL & REHABILITATION CENTER San Francisco, CA $91 -$71
Kindred Hospital San Francisco Bay Area San Leandro, CA $93 -$69
Washington Hospital CA $101 -$61
Stanford Health Care Tri-Valley Pleasanton, CA $105 -$57

How to choose a lower-cost facility

  • Choose independent outpatient centers when possible — freestanding ASCs (ambulatory surgical centers) consistently charge less than hospital outpatient departments for identical procedures.
  • Ask for the cash price if your deductible isn't met — self-pay rates are often lower than what insurance pays before your deductible is satisfied, especially at facilities that have a high cash-price discount.
  • Avoid hospital outpatient departments for routine cases — hospital-owned locations add a facility fee that freestanding centers don't charge, often adding $500–$1,500 to the same procedure.
Important: Many procedures are done at ambulatory surgical centers (ASCs) that are often 30–60% cheaper than hospital outpatient departments with the same clinical quality. Most ASCs are not in this hospital dataset — meaning your cheapest option may not even appear here. Ask your doctor if the procedure can be done at a freestanding ASC.

Most expensive ultrasound providers in San Francisco, CA

These facilities report the highest prices for this procedure. Academic medical centers and specialty hospitals often top this list — their gross charges rarely reflect what anyone actually pays, but understanding the spread helps you negotiate.

Facility City Price vs Median
Saint Francis Memorial Hospital San Francisco, CA $1,179 +$1,017
St. Mary's Medical Center - San Francisco San Francisco, CA $852 +$690
MarinHealth Medical Center Greenbrae, CA $672 +$510
CHINESE HOSPITAL CA $641 +$479
Sequoia Hospital Redwood City, CA $624 +$462

Why prices vary this much

A small number of hospitals (3) report very high prices above $662, which drives much of the overall price range. Excluding these, most facilities cluster in a significantly tighter band.

Setting drives much of the gap in San Francisco, CA: the median outpatient price is $162 versus $308 inpatient — about 1.9× more, so where a procedure is performed often matters more than which hospital you choose. Of the San Francisco, CA facilities reporting prices, 8 fall in a low-cost tier (up to $152) while 8 sit in a high-cost tier ($356 and up) — a lower-priced option almost always exists within the same state.

The spread comes from how each hospital sets its chargemaster (the undiscounted list price), what cash discounts it applies, and what rates it negotiates with each insurer. Facility classification matters too — a hospital-owned outpatient center adds a facility fee that a freestanding clinic does not. Understanding these mechanics is the first step to paying less.

Learn more:
→ Allowed amount vs negotiated rate — what your EOB is really saying
→ How to read your medical bill
→ Why hospital prices are so hard to find — and what to do about it

How insurance changes what you actually pay

Hospital list prices are only part of the picture. What you pay out of pocket depends on your deductible, your plan's out-of-pocket maximum, whether the facility is in-network, and whether your plan classifies the visit as outpatient or inpatient. A lower gross charge doesn't guarantee a lower bill if the facility is out-of-network or adds facility fees your plan doesn't cover.

Understand your cost before you go:
→ Deductible vs out-of-pocket max
→ EOB vs medical bill — complete guide
→ How to stop medical bill problems before they start (in-network vs out-of-network)

Compare ultrasound costs in nearby states

Frequently asked questions: ultrasound costs in San Francisco, CA

How much does an ultrasound cost in San Francisco, CA?

Across 26 San Francisco, CA hospitals that publish prices, an ultrasound ranges from $65 to $1,179, with a median of $162. Most facilities fall between $152 and $278. What you pay depends on the facility, your insurance, and whether you have met your deductible.

Where is the cheapest place to get an ultrasound in San Francisco, CA?

Based on declared prices, the lowest-cost facility in our San Francisco, CA data is Contra Costa County in Matrinez at about $65. By metro, San Francisco has the lowest median ($162). Freestanding ambulatory surgery and imaging centers are often cheaper still and may not appear in hospital price data — ask your doctor whether one is an option.

Why is an ultrasound so much cheaper at some San Francisco, CA hospitals?

Prices vary up to 18.1× because each hospital sets its own list price, cash discount, and insurer-negotiated rates. In San Francisco, CA, the median cash (self-pay) price is $162 versus a median negotiated rate of $53 — about 3.1× higher. Asking for the cash price or your insurer's negotiated rate is often the single biggest lever on what you pay.

How much will I actually pay out of pocket for an ultrasound in San Francisco, CA?

Your out-of-pocket cost depends on your deductible, coinsurance, out-of-pocket maximum, and whether the facility is in-network — not just the sticker price. If you have not met your deductible, you will typically pay the negotiated rate in full until you do. Use the CostKits cost forecaster to estimate your specific out-of-pocket amount before you go.

Explore all ultrasound cost data

→ See ultrasound costs across all states

Where You Get an Ultrasound Matters

Hospital outpatient departments typically charge 2–4× more than ASCs or independent centers for the same procedure — same outcome, very different bill.

Hospital Outpatient Department

Hospital Outpatient Department typically carries a higher price for an ultrasound. Facility fee billed separately from professional fee. Provider-based billing adds facility overhead. You can shop here — call ahead and ask for a self-pay or cash quote.

Independent Imaging Center

Independent Imaging Center typically carries the lowest typical price for an ultrasound. Freestanding radiology centers. Technical component billed by center; professional (radiologist read) billed separately. You can shop here — call ahead and ask for a self-pay or cash quote.

Physician Office

Physician Office typically carries the lowest typical price for an ultrasound. Professional fee only. No separate facility fee unless provider-based designation.

Emergency Room Ultrasound

An Ultrasound performed in the emergency department can run 2–5× the cost of the identical scan at an outpatient or independent facility, because a hospital facility fee stacks on top. Use the ER only when the situation is medically urgent — it is not a setting where you can shop on price.

Ultrasound Cost by Type

Which type your doctor orders changes the billing code — and what you pay. Here's how the common types differ.

Abdominal Ultrasound

A recognized variation that can change the billing code and what you owe. CPT 76700 complete / 76705 limited.

Pelvic Ultrasound

A recognized variation that can change the billing code and what you owe.

Pregnancy (OB) Ultrasound

A recognized variation that can change the billing code and what you owe. Often performed in-office and billed globally.

Retroperitoneal Ultrasound

A recognized variation that can change the billing code and what you owe. CPT 76770 complete / 76775 limited.

This Procedure Is Shoppable — Choosing the Right Facility Can Save Thousands

Ultrasound is elective and schedulable. You have time to compare facilities — and hospital outpatient prices often run 2–4× higher than Hospital OP, Imaging Center, Office for identical clinical outcomes.

How to shop: Ask your doctor for the CPT code, then call 2–3 facilities and request an out-of-pocket cost estimate. Confirm your insurance is accepted. If uninsured, ask for the cash-pay rate — it's usually 20–50% below the list price.

Who performs this: Ultrasound is typically performed by a Radiology. The specialist's professional fee is billed separately from the facility charge — you will likely receive separate bills from each.

CostKits compiles hospital price transparency data to help families make informed decisions. If you've received a bill for this procedure:
→ Analyze your medical bill for errors
→ How to negotiate your medical bills
→ Track and manage your healthcare costs (free account)

The same ultrasound can be one bill or two — and the radiologist can be out-of-network even when the facility isn't.

The free toolkit shows you:

  • ✓ Why a facility splits into a technical bill and a separate radiologist bill (and an office bills one global fee)
  • ✓ How the radiologist who reads your images can be out-of-network even at an in-network facility
  • ✓ Why a hospital outpatient department costs far more than an independent imaging center
  • ✓ How a complete vs. limited study changes the price — and the questions to ask first
  • ✓ A real patient billing breakdown, line by line

Free for patients — takes 30 seconds to get.

We'll email it to you immediately. No account required, no spam.

Other Procedure Costs in San Francisco, CA

Interested in understanding healthcare costs and managing your medical expenses?

About the Author

John Caruso, FSA, MAAA

Healthcare actuary with 20+ years of experience in insurance pricing, medical billing systems, and healthcare cost analytics.

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Published June 12, 2026

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