Pet groomers provide owners with a bathing and combing service to enhance the appearance of the animal.
The American Pet Products Association estimates that $3.45 billion will be spent in the United States on pet services including boarding and grooming in 2010. Groomers specialize on the appearance of the pet with tasks such as shampooing, trimming, nail cutting, ear cleaning and styling the animal's fur. The average salary for a pet groomer is between $19,985 and $36,088 as of November 2010, according to PayScale.
Experience
Pet groomers can begin a career in an animal shelter and advance to a pet salon or private groomer to earn a higher salary. Experienced groomers may advance to a supervisory role to increase salary. According to PayScale, pet groomers with one to four years of experience make up 45 percent of the total number of groomers. Groomers with more than 20 years of experience are only 11 percent of the groomer work population.
Location
The location of the pet groomer can affect the amount of money he earns. Groomers in New York state can earn hourly wages between $8.88 and $18.70 while those located in Pennsylvania earn rates between $7.15 and $8.76 as of 2010, according to PayScale
Industries
Industries that hire pet groomers include kennels, animal shelters, pet supply stores and veterinary clinics. Pet groomers who work in a pet supply store make on average between $21,117 and $36,402 yearly. A groomer working in a veterinary clinic makes between $20,907 and $36,168 yearly.
Types of Employment
Groomers can choose to work as an employee in a salon, clinic or pet store, or they may choose to open a salon or operate a mobile grooming service. Animal groomers operating a business may earn a higher salary, but business skills are necessary.
Benefits
Pet groomers who are self-employed may not earn as much as other pet groomers in the long run because of benefits. Pet groomers who work for a company or facility receive benefits such as health insurance, paid time off and a flexible work schedule. Self-employed pet groomers do not receive these benefits. The cost of these benefits should be considered along with salary when making the decision to open a grooming salon.
Tags: 2010 according, 2010 according PayScale, between yearly, earn higher, earn higher salary