How Much Do Dog Groomers Make? Average Dog Groomer Salary in 2025
Are you interested in becoming a dog groomer? It’s a fulfilling career where you get to work one-on-one with pets every single day. If you're an animal lover, dog grooming may just be the perfect career choice for you. Depending on how you structure your career, there’s potential to make a sizeable salary as a dog groomer. This guide will help you understand the criteria that impact how much dog groomers make so you can make the most educated decision for yourself.
How A Dog Groomer’s Pay Is Determined
Many things can affect a dog groomer's salary. This includes having specific specializations, getting a dog grooming certification, and acquiring high profile clientele. However, there are five core factors that determine how much you can make as a dog groomer, and your pay can vary throughout your career. The main factors to pay attention to are work environment, pay structure, your location, education, and experience.
1. Your Work Environment
Most dog groomers end up working in someone else’s salon or opening their own. If you own your own business, you have the potential to make more money. Of course, that comes with more responsibility and greater risk.
2. Your Pay Structure
Most groomers are paid on commission. They take home a percentage of the price of each groom they perform. Most also receive tips from their clients, which they sometimes have to share with their bather/brusher.
3. Your Location
In large cities with higher costs of living, you can usually expect to earn more than you would in a less populated area. Of course, it also depends on what breeds are common in your area and the kind of grooming those breeds require.
4. Your Experience
The more experience you have, the more earning potential you have. This is true whether you work for someone else or you’re self-employed. Stylists make more than bather/brushers, and specialized groomers have the potential to make even more.
5. Your Education
The better your dog grooming education, the more you’re likely to make starting out. Salons prefer to hire new groomers who have hands-on experience working with a variety of breeds and performing a variety of grooms. Better yet, getting a professional certification from a dog grooming school can greatly influence your earning potential.
The Average Dog Groomer’s Salary in The US
It's important to note that results may vary depending on the state in which you reside. According to ZipRecruiter, the average salary for US-based dog groomers in 2025 is around $47,659 per year, or $23 per hour. Additionally, a large number of a dog groomer's income can come from tips, which don't get factored into the salary calculation.
These numbers can increase significantly for specialized groomers for specific breeds and show dogs, salon owners, and independent groomers depending on how many clients they serve. Potential earnings can also increase if the groomer has acquired a professional certification from a dog grooming program, proving that they have the skills and knowledge required of them.
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Calculating Your Salary As a Pet Groomer
Your pay structure is largely influenced by whether you are employed by someone else or if you have chosen to be self-employed and run your own grooming business.
If you’re working for someone else…
… you’ll typically be paid on commission. For example, You might make a 50% commission on all your grooms. If you groom an average of 6 dogs per day for $50 per groom, your pay might look like this:
6 dogs per day X $50 per groom X 50% commission = $150 per day
Assuming you work 5 days per week with 2 weeks of vacation per year…
$150 per day X 5 days per week X 50 working weeks per year = $37,500 per year
Of course, the cost of each groom varies, but this equation is helpful in finding a rough estimate of your salary as a dog groomer.
If you’re self-employed…
… you will receive 100% of the price of each groom. As a business owner, your revenue might look like this:
6 dogs per day X $50 per groom = $300 per day
Assuming you work 5 days per week with 2 weeks of vacation per year…
$300 per day X 5 days per week X 50 working weeks per year = $75,000 per year
As a business owner, you’ll also be responsible for paying all the expenses associated with running a business (like tools, shampoo and conditioner, insurance, and a brick-and-mortar salon or mobile grooming van).
Most mobile groomers charge an extra $25 for traveling to each client, meaning your van could potentially pay for itself. Even if you run a brick-and-mortar salon, your earning potential as a business owner is greater than it would be if you worked for someone else.
Key Takeaways
Dog grooming can be a great career choice, but there are many things to be considered when it comes to income. Multiple factors, like getting professional certifications, can increase your odds of greater pay. The Academy of Pet Careers' hands-on program is designed to provide you with the education needed to launch your dog grooming career. Students leave our dog grooming school with not only the proper skills and knowledge, but also a certification to prove their accomplishments. If you're an animal lover, perhaps becoming a dog groomer, and even getting certified, is in your future.
Joseph Schifano
Joseph Schifano is the President of The Academy of Pet Careers and the Founder of DogNerdly.
With over 20 years of professional pet experience, Joseph began his journey as the owner/operator of a successful seven-figure pet care business. He later acquired The Academy of Pet Careers, aiming to elevate the quality of care provided by industry professionals. This position enabled him to connect with leading experts in the field and deepen his knowledge in all aspects of pet care.