Blog
Is Dog Grooming a Good Career? The Outlook for Groomers
Demand for grooming has grown with pet ownership. Here is an honest look at the career, the pay and the trade offs.
Grooming attracts people who love animals and want hands on, skilled work without years of college. It can be a good career, with real limits. Here is an honest look at both.
What drives demand
Several long running trends support demand for groomers. More households keep dogs, and many owners treat them as family, with spending to match. Popular breeds and mixes with coats that grow continuously, such as poodles and doodles, need professional grooming every few weeks for life. And grooming is hard to automate: every dog is different and needs a trained person's hands.
What the government data covers
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics groups groomers with other animal care and service workers, a category that also includes kennel staff, pet sitters and trainers. Its Occupational Outlook Handbook projects this group to grow faster than the average for all occupations, and its wage survey publishes pay by state and metro area. The catch is that the averages blend many jobs and often miss commission, tips and self employed income, which make up much of a groomer's pay. Our guide to average dog groomer pay explains how to read those figures.
The real trade offs
- Physical work. Standing, lifting and gripping all day takes a toll. See the physical cost of grooming for ways to protect yourself.
- Variable income. Commission pay rises and falls with your book and the season.
- Benefits. Health insurance, paid time off and retirement plans vary widely, and are often missing for self employed groomers.
- Difficult days. Frightened or aggressive dogs and unhappy owners are part of the job.
How groomers grow their income
- Speed with quality. On commission, efficient grooms raise your pay per hour.
- A loyal book. Regular clients make weeks predictable. See building a client book.
- A better rate. As your skills grow, ask for it. Our negotiation guide covers how.
- A different setting. Booth rental, mobile grooming or your own salon can pay more, with more risk and cost.
- Specialties. Hand stripping, show trims, cat grooming or working with anxious dogs can command higher prices.
Know your numbers
Whatever path you take, the most useful thing you can do for your career is track what you actually earn, week by week. The free commission calculator, hourly vs. commission calculator and hourly only calculator are built for exactly that.