Real pay numbers from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and from pay ranges that PetSmart, Petco and Barkbus post on their own job listings. Every number below links to its source and date.
The BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey does not list dog groomers on their own. Groomers fall under animal caretakers (code 39-2021), a group that also includes kennel, shelter and zoo workers. That makes it the closest official number for groomer pay, not an exact one.
In May 2025, half of animal caretakers earned more than $35,360 a year and half earned less. A quarter earned under $29,820 and a quarter earned over $40,050.
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025, animal caretakers (39-2021), state medians. The District of Columbia, at $44,210, is not a state and is listed separately on the by-state page.
PetSmart shows an hourly range on each Pet Bather listing. PetSmart says exact pay depends on experience, training, skills and store location, and that it never pays less than the local minimum wage.
| Store location | Hourly range | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Mt Laurel, New Jersey | $16.32 to $26.34 | PetSmart listing |
| Rossford, Ohio | $13.07 to $19.58 | PetSmart listing |
| Loganville, Georgia | $13.07 to $19.57 | PetSmart listing |
PetSmart Pet Bather listings, checked October 26, 2026.
Petco hires new bathers as Junior Groomers, a paid training role that covers bathing, drying, brushing, nail trimming, ear cleaning and gland cleaning. Petco says actual pay depends on position, location, experience and minimum wage laws.
| Role | Location | Hourly range | Posted |
|---|---|---|---|
| Junior Groomer (bathing and drying trainee) | Coon Rapids, MN | $10.00 to $19.50 | October 5, 2026 |
| Junior Groomer (bathing and drying trainee) | La Quinta, CA | $10.00 to $21.50 | October 12, 2026 |
| Groomer | Montebello, CA | $15.00 to $25.00 | September 1, 2026 |
Petco listings on Petco's careers site, checked October 26, 2026.
The government does not track mobile groomers separately. Mobile grooming companies that post pay give a useful reference. Barkbus lists its mobile pay as base pay plus tips, with a weekly bonus potential of up to $225.
| Role | Locations | Hourly range |
|---|---|---|
| Mobile Dog Groomer | Westwood, Torrance, Woodland Hills, San Diego and Santa Ana, CA | $28 to $38 |
| Mobile Dog Groomer | Denver, CO | $28 to $35 |
| Mobile Dog Groomer | Dallas and Coppell, TX; Atlanta, GA; Fairfax, VA; Tempe, AZ | $25 to $32 |
| Mobile Pet Bather | Dallas, TX | $25 to $32 |
Barkbus job listings, posted September 28 and October 23, 2026, checked October 26, 2026. One company's pay is an example, not an average.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics does not publish a separate figure for dog groomers. Groomers are counted with animal caretakers (occupation code 39-2021). In May 2025 the median pay for that group was $35,360 a year, or $17.00 an hour, across 266,910 jobs.
PetSmart posts a pay range on each Pet Bather listing. On October 26, 2026 the listings we checked showed $13.07 to $19.58 an hour in Rossford, Ohio, $13.07 to $19.57 in Loganville, Georgia, and $16.32 to $26.34 in Mt Laurel, New Jersey.
Petco hires bathers as Junior Groomers, a paid training role that covers bathing, drying, brushing and nail trims. Recent listings showed $10.00 to $19.50 an hour in Coon Rapids, MN and $10.00 to $21.50 in La Quinta, CA. A Groomer listing in Montebello, CA showed $15.00 to $25.00 an hour.
There is no government figure for mobile groomers. As one example, Barkbus, a mobile grooming company, listed Mobile Dog Groomer pay of $25 to $32 an hour in Texas, Georgia, Virginia and Arizona, $28 to $35 in Denver and $28 to $38 in Southern California, described as base pay plus tips (listings checked October 26, 2026).
Among states, the highest May 2025 median pay for animal caretakers was in Washington ($40,570), Hawaii ($40,130), Massachusetts ($39,650), California ($38,700), Arizona ($38,180). The District of Columbia was higher still at $44,210.
The lowest May 2025 state medians for animal caretakers were in Mississippi ($26,970), Louisiana ($27,910), Alabama ($28,330), West Virginia ($28,550), Oklahoma ($28,940).
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