What are the main factors that influence a Groomer's salary?

The primary factors are: 1) Experience Level, 2) Geographic Location, 3) Education/Skills, 4) Company Size & Industry

What industry pays the highest salary for Groomer?

The Healthcare industry offers the highest average compensation for Groomer roles, with salaries approximately 20% above the market median.

How does experience change A Groomer's salary?

A Groomer's salary grows with experience: an Groomer (1-3 years)earns $35,748, an Activity Supervisor - Nursing Home (3-5 years)earns $59,820, an Activity Manager - Nursing Home (5+ years)earns $72,379,

What are the highest paying states for a Groomer?

Groomer salary varies significantly by state. The top 3 highest paying states for Groomer roles are District of Columbia $38,744, California $38,597, Massachusetts $38,082. These tech hubs typically pay 10-15% above the national average.

How much do different types of Groomer roles make?

Salaries for Groomer level roles vary by specialization: Veterinary Groomer: $117,180; Animal Groomer: $42,179; Mobile Pet Groomer: $41,322; PetSmart Groomer: $39,908; Pet Groomer: $39,402.

How do different companies affect a Groomer's salary?

Company size, industry, and compensation structure create significant salary variations for Groomer roles. Large, established industry leaders like New York Police Department ($97,099) and State of New York - Metropolitan Transportation Authority ($95,962) offer base salaries 35-40% above the national average. In contrast, smaller firms or startups may offer closer to $75,106.

Groomer Salary in the United States

How much does a Groomer make in the United States?

As of July 01, 2026, the average salary for a Groomer in the United States is $34,993 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $17.

However, a Groomer's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

Top Earners (90th percentile): $42,293
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $31,364 to $38,814
Entry-Level (10th percentile): $28,061

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Groomer Salaries by Percentile

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$38,814	$3,235	$746	$19
Average	$34,993	$2,916	$673	$17
25th Percentile	$31,364	$2,614	$603	$15

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Key Factors That Influence Groomer Salaries

A Groomer's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location, education and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Do Groomer Salaries Vary from State to State?

Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work. States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors often pay more to attract Groomers. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:

District of Columbia: $38,744.
California: $38,597.
Massachusetts: $38,082.

District of Columbia $38,744

California $38,597

Massachusetts $38,082

Washington $37,942

New Jersey $37,928

Alaska $37,879

Connecticut $37,396

New York $37,201

Hawaii $36,574

Rhode Island $36,280

Maryland $36,081

Minnesota $35,808

Colorado $35,703

Illinois $35,668

Oregon $35,535

Delaware $35,437

New Hampshire $35,375

Virginia $35,237

Pennsylvania $34,835

Nevada $34,632

North Dakota $34,566

Michigan $34,461

Wisconsin $34,422

Vermont $34,345

Texas $34,132

Maine $34,118

Arizona $34,097

Ohio $34,072

Georgia $33,750

Indiana $33,589

Wyoming $33,558

Utah $33,509

Iowa $33,488

Kansas $33,320

Louisiana $33,271

North Carolina $33,253

Missouri $33,246

Florida $33,110

Montana $33,036

Nebraska $32,966

Kentucky $32,928

South Carolina $32,788

Tennessee $32,700

Idaho $32,665

New Mexico $32,410

Oklahoma $32,354

Alabama $32,148

South Dakota $31,801

Arkansas $31,612

West Virginia $31,511

Mississippi $31,206

Top Paying Cities for Groomers

Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:

San Jose: $44,136
San Francisco: $43,653
Oakland: $42,733

San Jose, CA $44,136

San Francisco, CA $43,653

Oakland, CA $42,733

New York, NY $40,290

Paramus, NJ $39,800

Queens Village, NY $39,798

Passaic, NJ $39,765

Bergenfield, NJ $39,762

Stamford, CT $39,685

Huntington, NY $39,671

Newark, NJ $39,412

Bridgeport, CT $39,338

Vallejo, CA $39,269

New Brunswick, NJ $39,255

Petaluma, CA $39,234

Middlesex, NJ $39,167

Somerset, NJ $39,143

Santa Cruz, CA $39,097

Boston, MA $38,884

Monterey, CA $38,761

Seattle, WA $38,681

Santa Rosa, CA $38,674

Los Angeles, CA $38,663

Juneau, AK $38,572

Washington, DC $38,534

Orange, CA $38,409

Santa Ana, CA $38,317

Long Beach, CA $38,282

Anaheim, CA $38,275

Anchorage, AK $38,257

Santa Maria, CA $38,152

Everett, WA $38,145

Danbury, CT $38,022

Bremerton, WA $37,974

Tacoma, WA $37,848

New Suffolk, NY $37,847

Sacramento, CA $37,837

Santa Barbara, CA $37,799

Trenton, NJ $37,760

San Diego, CA $37,760

Brockton, MA $37,722

Fairbanks, AK $37,636

Lompoc, CA $37,547

Lowell, MA $37,519

Ventura, CA $37,512

Nashua, NH $37,505

Stockton, CA $37,501

Modesto, CA $37,246

Poughkeepsie, NY $37,169

Olympia, WA $37,103

Kennewick, WA $37,103

New Haven, CT $37,089

Lawrence, MA $36,963

Hartford, CT $36,928

Riverside, CA $36,921

New Bedford, MA $36,886

Richland, WA $36,886

Bakersfield, CA $36,837

San Bernardino, CA $36,823

New Britain, CT $36,819

Atlantic City, NJ $36,819

New London, CT $36,805

Norwich, CT $36,795

Portsmouth, NH $36,788

Boulder, CO $36,713

Portland, OR $36,665

Worcester, MA $36,662

Minneapolis, MN $36,553

Philadelphia, PA $36,504

Honolulu, HI $36,389

Saint Paul, MN $36,372

Vineland, NJ $36,364

Providence, RI $36,263

Chicago, IL $36,161

Bellingham, WA $36,119

Springfield, MA $36,091

Baltimore, MD $36,081

Chico, CA $35,993

Pittsfield, MA $35,899

Manchester, NH $35,832

Spokane, WA $35,678

Denver, CO $35,675

Albany, NY $35,510

Troy, NY $35,496

Nassau, NY $35,459

Schenectady, NY $35,423

Wilmington, DE $35,395

Burlington, VT $35,346

Salem, OR $35,332

Portland, ME $35,223

Yakima, WA $35,188

Rochester, MN $35,080

Reno, NV $35,062

Fresno, CA $35,062

Milwaukee, WI $35,031

Detroit, MI $34,996

Ann Arbor, MI $34,990

Allentown, PA $34,986

Colorado Springs, CO $34,926

Syracuse, NY $34,909

Carson City, NV $34,909

Houston, TX $34,860

Eugene, OR $34,842

Gary, IN $34,800

Springfield, OR $34,772

Bismarck, ND $34,765

Galveston, TX $34,741

Medford, OR $34,688

Fort Collins, CO $34,674

Concord, NH $34,657

Austin, TX $34,646

Mesa, AZ $34,573

Reading, PA $34,569

Phoenix, AZ $34,566

Dallas, TX $34,555

Saint Cloud, MN $34,522

Madison, WI $34,475

Utica, NY $34,380

Rochester, NY $34,324

Des Moines, IA $34,321

Raleigh, NC $34,317

Atlanta, GA $34,265

Battle Creek, MI $34,254

Salt Lake City, UT $34,244

Lancaster, PA $34,191

Harrisburg, PA $34,142

Kansas City, MO $34,107

Champaign, IL $34,100

Kansas City, KS $34,100

Fort Worth, TX $34,097

Columbus, OH $34,091

Boca Raton, FL $34,083

Pittsburgh, PA $34,069

Richmond, VA $34,055

Indianapolis, IN $34,048

Cleveland, OH $34,044

Las Vegas, NV $34,002

Cincinnati, OH $34,002

Petersburg, VA $33,950

Huntsville, AL $33,897

Lansing, MI $33,874

Lebanon, PA $33,869

Pueblo, CO $33,866

Appleton, WI $33,855

Buffalo, NY $33,841

Dayton, OH $33,831

Racine, WI $33,824

Charlotte, NC $33,820

Saint Louis, MO $33,810

York, PA $33,789

Elkhart, IN $33,789

Gastonia, NC $33,782

Billings, MT $33,774

Beaumont, TX $33,764

Lorain, OH $33,757

Benton Harbor, MI $33,750

Toledo, OH $33,743

Binghamton, NY $33,726

Rock Hill, SC $33,722

Rockford, IL $33,705

Springfield, IL $33,691

Elyria, OH $33,687

Fargo, ND $33,687

Flagstaff, AZ $33,663

Fort Lauderdale, FL $33,642

Duluth, MN $33,621

Miami, FL $33,621

Cheyenne, WY $33,596

Grand Forks, ND $33,596

Bangor, ME $33,519

Cedar Rapids, IA $33,481

Durham, NC $33,466

Louisville, KY $33,463

Grand Rapids, MI $33,456

Hialeah, FL $33,453

Casper, WY $33,404

Scranton, PA $33,362

New Orleans, LA $33,351

Virginia Beach, VA $33,348

Akron, OH $33,330

Peoria, IL $33,285

Sarasota, FL $33,278

Nashville, TN $33,253

Omaha, NE $33,253

Green Bay, WI $33,253

Baton Rouge, LA $33,236

Charleston, SC $33,229

Jamestown, NY $33,211

Davenport, IA $33,211

Tucson, AZ $33,194

Saint Petersburg, FL $33,173

Tampa, FL $33,166

Evansville, IN $33,145

Port Arthur, TX $33,145

Bradenton, FL $33,131

Santa Fe, NM $33,068

Orlando, FL $33,005

Clearwater, FL $32,994

Canton, OH $32,921

La Crosse, WI $32,921

Albuquerque, NM $32,900

Newport News, VA $32,896

High Point, NC $32,886

Ogden, UT $32,872

Corpus Christi, TX $32,844

Norfolk, VA $32,823

Laramie, WY $32,823

Rock Island, IL $32,802

Saginaw, MI $32,795

Jacksonville, FL $32,791

Salisbury, NC $32,784

Boise, ID $32,777

Moline, IL $32,760

Fort Myers, FL $32,749

Memphis, TN $32,742

Tulsa, OK $32,725

Waterloo, IA $32,704

Spartanburg, SC $32,669

Lincoln, NE $32,652

Fort Wayne, IN $32,645

Provo, UT $32,641

Cedar Falls, IA $32,599

San Antonio, TX $32,585

Greensboro, NC $32,571

South Bend, IN $32,568

Savannah, GA $32,529

Muskegon, MI $32,515

Birmingham, AL $32,512

Winston Salem, NC $32,494

Lake Charles, LA $32,410

Anderson, IN $32,403

Lexington, KY $32,393

Augusta, GA $32,382

Greenville, SC $32,382

Lima, OH $32,354

Wichita, KS $32,351

Tuscaloosa, AL $32,351

Columbia, SC $32,319

Springfield, OH $32,312

Asheville, NC $32,256

Bloomington, IN $32,232

Knoxville, TN $32,106

Shreveport, LA $32,102

Wilmington, NC $32,057

Roanoke, VA $32,057

Topeka, KS $31,994

Frankfort, KY $31,990

Oklahoma City, OK $31,966

Chillicothe, OH $31,952

Longview, TX $31,948

Melbourne, FL $31,945

Sioux Falls, SD $31,889

Mobile, AL $31,885

Terre Haute, IN $31,871

Altoona, PA $31,850

Amarillo, TX $31,826

Killeen, TX $31,815

Fayetteville, AR $31,787

Chattanooga, TN $31,777

Sioux City, IA $31,745

Idaho Falls, ID $31,738

Lynchburg, VA $31,710

Gainesville, FL $31,665

Portsmouth, OH $31,647

Little Rock, AR $31,640

Lafayette, LA $31,626

Youngstown, OH $31,626

Daytona Beach, FL $31,605

Clarksville, TN $31,602

Pensacola, FL $31,598

Temple, TX $31,596

Hopkinsville, KY $31,493

Erie, PA $31,486

Florence, SC $31,472

Charleston, WV $31,416

Great Falls, MT $31,399

Macon, GA $31,350

Tallahassee, FL $31,346

Fayetteville, NC $31,339

Waco, TX $31,332

Helena, MT $31,308

Pine Bluff, AR $31,294

Vincennes, IN $31,252

Lubbock, TX $31,238

Alamogordo, NM $31,217

Twin Falls, ID $31,185

Rapid City, SD $31,175

Jackson, MS $31,112

Huntington, WV $31,109

Greenville, MS $31,108

Parkersburg, WV $31,073

Montgomery, AL $31,066

Wichita Falls, TX $31,031

Springfield, MO $31,031

Biloxi, MS $31,014

Monroe, LA $30,979

Johnstown, PA $30,954

Sumter, SC $30,940

Columbus, GA $30,937

Pascagoula, MS $30,870

Abilene, TX $30,870

Kingsport, TN $30,779

Albany, GA $30,779

Gulfport, MS $30,769

Alexandria, LA $30,653

Fort Smith, AR $30,566

El Paso, TX $30,471

Las Cruces, NM $30,314

Harlingen, TX $30,225

Pocatello, ID $30,220

Florence, AL $30,174

Brownsville, TX $30,167

Mcallen, TX $30,094

Dothan, AL $30,045

Columbus, MS $29,837

Altus, OK $29,674

Lawton, OK $29,607

Pierre, SD $29,481

What Skills Can Increase a Groomer's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

Planning (Mentioned in 16.79% Job Postings): An act or process of making or carrying out plans. Establishment of goals, policies, and procedures for a social or economic unit city planning business planning.
Geriatrics (Mentioned in 3.22% Job Postings): Geriatrics, or geriatric medicine, is a medical specialty focused on providing care for the unique health needs of older adults. The term geriatrics originates from the Greek geron meaning "old man", and iatros meaning "healer".
Activity Planning (Mentioned in 1.23% Job Postings): Produce a detailed schedule showing which staff carry out each activity; produce a detailed plan against which actual achievement may be measured; produce timed cash flow forecast; replan the project during its life to correct drift from the target.

See More Skills

Skills	Demand Percentage
Planning	16.79%
Geriatrics	3.22%
Activity Planning	1.23%

What skills can make your compensation higher?

Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay. Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on a Groomer's salary.

Verbal Communication: Can increase your salary by up to 12%.
Communication Skills: Can increase your salary by up to 9%.
Commitment: Can increase your salary by up to 8%.

Skill	Salary	Salary % Increase
Verbal Communication	$39,192	12%
Communication Skills	$38,142	9%
Commitment	$37,792	8%
Microsoft Office	$37,792	8%
Leadership	$37,442	7%
Therapeutic Recreation	$37,442	7%

Get Latest Data

Groomer Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Groomer roles, the industry you choose can impact your earning potential by as much as 40% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the highest-paying industry, Healthcare, offers compensation 20% above the average. Conversely, Groomer positions in Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit typically offer lower base pay, as this sector often view Groomer as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industry for a Groomer

Industry Sector	Average Annual Salary	Average Hourly Rate	Pay vs.Avg
Healthcare	$41,991	$20.0	20%

How Education impacts a Groomer's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Groomers enter the field with a Associate's Degree degree, higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.

According to our 100% employer-reported salary data, the median salary for a Groomer with a Associate's Degree is between $34,819 and $37,156).

Groomer Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Groomer

No Diploma 1.2%

High School 41.0%

Associates 13.0%

Bachelors 41.6%

Masters 2.5%

Doctorate 0.6%

view as table

Degree Level	% of user with this level of education
No Diploma	1.2%
High School	41.0%
Associates	13.0%
Bachelors	41.6%
Masters	2.5%
Doctorate	0.6%

view as graph

Groomer Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Groomer's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.

Last Updated on July 01, 2026

$31,364

Average $34,993/year

$38,814

$2,614

Average $2,916/month

$3,235

$603

Average $673/week

$746

$15

Average $17/hour

$19

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$38,814	$3,235	$746	$19
Average	$34,993	$2,916	$673	$17
25th Percentile	$31,364	$2,614	$603	$15

Salaries of jobs related to Groomer

Salary Trends for Groomer

Salaries for a Groomer can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary increased from $48,829 in 2023 to around $49,110 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Groomer salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Groomer Over Time

2022

$???

2023

$48,829

2024

$49,300

2025

$49,110

2026

$???

2027

$???

Year	Average Annual Salary
2022	View More
2023	$48,829
2024	$49,300
2025	$49,110
2026	View More
2027	View More

Most common benefits for Groomer

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401(k)

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Healthcare

Pension

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Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.

We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)

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