How Much Do Dog Groomers Make? (And How to Earn More)

Most dog groomers in the U.S. earn roughly $27,000–$50,000 a year, or about $13–$24 an hour, based on federal wage data for animal caretakers. Employed salon groomers cluster near the middle. Self-employed and mobile groomers set their own prices and can earn well above it. Your dog groomer income depends less on the title than on how you price, specialize, and add revenue.

How much do dog groomers make on average?

The median annual wage for animal caretakers, the federal category that includes most pet groomers, was $35,360 in May 2025. The lowest-paid 10% earned under $27,250 and the top 10% more than $50,060 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics).

That figure runs low for an experienced groomer, because the same category counts entry-level kennel and daycare staff. It also leaves out tips, and it covers employees only, so self-employed groomers don't appear in it at all.

How much do dog groomers make an hour?

The median hourly wage for animal caretakers, the category that includes groomers, was $17.00 in May 2025. The lowest-paid 10% earned under $13.10 an hour and the top 10% more than $24.07 (BLS).

Those are base wages. Many salons pay groomers a commission, a share of each groom's price, alone or on top of an hourly rate. A fast groomer with a full book can out-earn the hourly figure on a busy day, and tips come on top of both. Self-employed groomers count in dollars per dog: six to eight dogs a day at $60–$90 each is $360–$720 in revenue before expenses.

Where do dog groomers make the most money?

Among large states, Washington, California and Arizona paid animal caretakers the highest medians in May 2025: $40,570, $38,700 and $38,180 a year (BLS). New York was close behind at $37,840. Cost of living takes back much of that premium.

Setting matters as much as state. Booth renters keep more of each groom than salon employees. Salon owners earn on other groomers' work as well as their own. Mobile groomers charge more for coming to the client.

How much do dog groomers make by state?

Median pay for animal caretakers in the ten states that employ the most of them, May 2025:

Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. The category includes groomers, kennel and daycare staff, and counts employees only.

Can a dog groomer make $100,000 a year?

Yes, though almost never as an hourly salon employee. Six-figure grooming income shows up among business owners with several groomers, high-volume mobile groomers in affluent areas, and show or breed specialists. The arithmetic: a solo groomer doing six dogs a day at $95, five days a week, brings in about $148,000 a year. That's revenue before expenses. Take-home pay is what's left after them. Groomers who get there charge more per client and add income that doesn't take another appointment slot.

How much do self-employed dog groomers make?

Self-employed groomers earn what's left of their grooming revenue after costs, so there's no single salary figure for them. Federal wage data covers employees only, so the BLS medians above don't include them.

Work it out per dog. At six dogs a day and $95 a groom, five days a week, revenue is $2,850 a week, or about $148,000 over a year. Before you call that income, take out:

• Booth rent or a salon lease
• Shampoo, conditioner and other supplies
• Liability insurance
• Clippers, blades and their upkeep
• Card processing fees
• Self-employment tax, which is 15.3% for Social Security and Medicare (IRS)

What's left is your income. Your own price and dogs-per-day decide it more than any average.

How much do mobile dog groomers make?

Mobile groomers charge more per groom because they come to the client, and they fit fewer dogs into a day because of the driving. The math is the same per-dog sum: dogs per day × price × working days.

For example, five dogs a day at $110, four days a week, is about $114,000 a year in revenue. A mobile business carries costs a salon groomer never sees: the van itself, fuel, the water and power systems inside it, commercial vehicle insurance, and maintenance. Those come out before anything counts as income.

How can dog groomers earn more without working more hours?

Four changes raise income while your hours stay the same. Most high earners use several:

• Raise your prices. A $5–$10 bump per groom across a full book is thousands a year with zero added time.
• Add premium services. Teeth brushing, de-shedding, nail grinding, and breed-specific styling carry high margins and take minutes.
• Earn from the products you already recommend. You tell clients which shampoo, brush, or supplement to buy every day. You can earn a commission on it.
• Add income outside appointments. Commissions and referrals pay you on days you aren't grooming.

How do groomers make money from product recommendations?

Every groomer is a product expert. Clients constantly ask what shampoo to use or what calms an itchy dog. You can stock a small retail shelf (upfront cash + storage), or open a free online storefront, feature the products you recommend, share the link, and earn when clients buy — no inventory, no shipping. With Americans spending more than $158 billion on their pets in 2025 (American Pet Products Association). Your clients are part of that spending. Here's the full picture of how pet pros earn from the products they recommend. And if you also walk or sit, see what dog walkers and pet sitters earn.

Still deciding whether to train for it? Here is how to become a dog groomer — the four routes in, how long each takes, and what you finish with. For the training side of pet care, see what dog trainers make.

Sources

Pay figures on this page come from these public sources:

• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025: Animal Caretakers. National and state wages and employment. bls.gov
• Internal Revenue Service, Self-Employment Tax (Social Security and Medicare Taxes). The 15.3% rate. irs.gov
• American Pet Products Association, U.S. pet industry spending, 2025. americanpetproducts.org

Per-dog prices in the examples are illustrative, for working out your own numbers.