Pet Grooming Industry Statistics 2026: Spending, Pay, and Growth
Americans spent $14.3 billion on grooming, boarding, and other pet services in 2025, and there are more dogs and cats to care for than a decade ago. Pay for groomers and other animal caretakers is climbing too. Here’s what the latest government and industry data says about the pet grooming business in 2026.
If you run a grooming salon, drive a mobile grooming van, or are thinking about opening your own shop, these numbers help you price your services, plan hiring, and see where demand is heading. They cover spending, pet ownership, pay by state, business size, and Canada. Every figure links to its original source, so you can check it or quote it.
Key Pet Grooming Industry Statistics at a Glance
- US pet owners spent $14.3 billion on grooming, boarding, training, and other non-vet services in 2025, and APPA expects $14.9 billion in 2026.
Source: American Pet Products Association, Industry Trends and Stats, 2026 - Total US pet industry spending reached $158 billion in 2025, up 3.7%, with $165 billion projected for 2026.
Source: American Pet Products Association, 2026 State of the Industry release, 2026 - Spending on pet services grew 25% in three years, from $11.4 billion in 2022 to $14.3 billion in 2025.
Source: American Pet Products Association, 2023 and 2026 - US pet care businesses with employees earned $10.0 billion in 2022, nearly three times the $3.4 billion they earned in 2012.
Source: US Census Bureau, Service Annual Survey (via FRED), 2024 - 95 million US households own a pet, and 71 million own a dog, according to APPA’s 2025 National Pet Owners Survey.
Source: American Pet Products Association, National Pet Owners Survey, 2026 - The number of owned dogs in the US rose from 76.8 million in 2016 to 87.3 million in 2025, while owned cats jumped from 58.4 million to 76.3 million.
Source: American Veterinary Medical Association, Pet Ownership and Demographics Sourcebook, 2026 - The median animal caretaker, the BLS job category that includes groomers, earned $35,360 a year ($17.00 an hour) in May 2025.
Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2026 - Median animal caretaker pay rose 42.7% in six years, from $24,780 in May 2019 to $35,360 in May 2025.
Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS, 2020 and 2026 - Animal caretaker jobs are projected to grow 12% from 2025 to 2035, from 365,300 to 409,400, much faster than the average for all occupations.
Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2026 - About 69,400 animal care and service jobs open up each year, on average, over the next decade.
Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2026 - 25% of animal caretakers are self-employed, and 40% work in personal services businesses such as grooming salons and boarding kennels.
Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2026 - Washington pays animal caretakers a median $40,570 a year, the highest of the states we compared and $5,210 above the national median.
Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (via O*NET OnLine), 2026 - There were 25,551 US pet care businesses with employees in 2023, and 57.7% of them had fewer than five workers.
Source: US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2025 - The number of self-employed pet care workers more than tripled, from about 5,000 in 2004 to 17,800 in 2021.
Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Beyond the Numbers, 2024 - Pet groomers in Canada earn a median $18.00 an hour, with British Columbia highest at $19.50.
Source: Government of Canada, Job Bank, 2025
How Big Is the Pet Grooming Industry?
The Census Bureau doesn’t track grooming revenue on its own. Its closest series covers pet care services except veterinary care (NAICS 812910), which groups grooming salons with boarding kennels, pet sitters, dog walkers, and trainers. Watch the long climb, the 2020 dip, and how fast the category bounced back.
Source: US Census Bureau, Service Annual Survey, via FRED (Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis), updated January 2024.
Revenue for pet care businesses with employees nearly tripled from $3.4 billion in 2012 to $10.0 billion in 2022. Revenue fell 10.6% in 2020, the first pandemic year, and 2021 came back 34.9% higher than 2020. These figures leave out one-person shops without employees, so the real market for grooming and pet care is bigger than the line shows.
How Much Americans Spend on Pets and Pet Services
The American Pet Products Association (APPA) tracks all US pet spending each year. Grooming sits inside its “other services” slice, together with boarding, training, pet sitting, dog walking, and pet insurance. Look at how that slice compares with food and vet care.
Source: American Pet Products Association, Industry Trends and Stats (2026 State of the Industry Report), March 2026.
Pet owners spent $158 billion in 2025: $68.3 billion on food and treats, $41.0 billion on vet care, $34.4 billion on supplies and over-the-counter (OTC) medicine, and $14.3 billion on other services. Services are the smallest slice at about 9%, but they’re the part of the pet budget that runs on appointments. APPA also found that 22% of owners spent less on their pets in 2025, so every missed or empty slot counts.
Pet Services Spending Keeps Growing
Here’s the same “other services” category over time. The 2026 bar is APPA’s forecast, not a reported figure.
Source: American Pet Products Association, releases of March 2023, March 2024, and March 2026; 2024 figure as reported by Pet Food Processing, 2025. 2026 figure is an APPA forecast.
Services spending climbed from $11.4 billion in 2022 to $14.3 billion in 2025, a 25% jump. In 2025 alone, services grew 10.0% (from $13.0 billion in 2024), while the industry as a whole grew 3.7%. APPA expects another $600 million in 2026. For a groomer, that means services spending is still growing even as more owners watch their dollars.
How Many Pets Are There to Groom?
More pets means more coats to bathe, clip, and brush. The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) surveys US households about the pets they own. Compare the 2016 and 2025 bars for dogs and cats.
Source: American Veterinary Medical Association, 2025 Pet Ownership and Demographics Sourcebook (National Pet Week release), May 2026; 2016 figures from the 2017-2018 AVMA Sourcebook (JAVMA News), 2019.
The AVMA counts 87.3 million owned dogs in 2025, up 13.7% from 2016. Cats grew even faster, up 30.7% to 76.3 million, and 58.6% of US households owned a pet in 2025. APPA’s survey uses a different method and puts pet-owning households higher, at 95 million, with dogs in 53% of homes (71 million). Either way, the client base for groomers is growing, and cat grooming is worth a look if you only book dogs today.
See how Bookedin works for pet groomers
How Much Do Pet Groomers Make?
The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) doesn’t have a separate job code for groomers. They’re counted as animal caretakers (occupation 39-2021), along with kennel and shelter staff. Follow the median pay line across the last four surveys.
Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (May 2019, May 2021, May 2023) and Occupational Outlook Handbook (May 2025 data), 2026.
Median pay rose from $24,780 in 2019 to $35,360 in 2025, up 42.7%. That’s $17.00 an hour. The top 10% earned more than $50,060 a year, the bottom 10% less than $27,250. If you employ groomers, your wage bill has moved a lot in six years; if your prices haven’t, your margin has shrunk.
Pet Groomer Pay by State
Pay varies a lot by state. We pulled May 2025 medians for six large states and set them against the national figure.
Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025, via O*NET OnLine local wages, 2026.
Washington topped our group at $40,570, followed by Massachusetts ($39,650) and California ($38,700). Texas came in lowest at $32,730, $2,630 below the national median. Higher wages usually mean higher grooming prices too, so check what shops in your own area charge before you copy a national price list.
Where Pet Groomers and Animal Caretakers Work
Some groomers work in salons and kennels, some in vet clinics or pet stores, and many work for themselves. Here’s how BLS splits animal caretaker jobs by employer type.
Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2026.
40% work in personal services, the group that holds grooming salons and boarding kennels, and 25% are self-employed. Vet clinics and other professional services account for 10%, retail such as pet stores for 9%. One in four being self-employed points to many solo operators, including mobile groomers, and they compete on convenience: easy booking, reminders, and reliable time slots.
Number of Pet Grooming and Pet Care Businesses
The Census Bureau’s County Business Patterns counts pet care businesses that have at least one employee. Look at how many are small.
Source: US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023 data, released 2025.
There were 25,551 pet care establishments with employees in 2023, employing 175,116 people. Most are tiny: 14,744, or 57.7%, had fewer than five workers, and only 197 had 50 or more. On top of that, BLS counts a fast-growing crowd of solo operators. Self-employed pet care workers went from about 5,000 in 2004 to 17,800 in 2021, and their revenue grew from $941 million to $2.5 billion.
Pet Grooming Job Outlook
BLS projects employment for animal care and service workers over the 2025–2035 decade. Compare caretakers, the group that includes groomers, with trainers.
| Occupation | 2025 jobs | 2035 jobs (projected) | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Animal caretakers (incl. groomers) | 365,300 | 409,400 | +12% |
| Animal trainers | 47,800 | 49,700 | +4% |
| All animal care and service workers | 413,000 | 459,100 | +11% |
Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2026. 2035 figures are BLS projections.
Animal caretaker jobs are projected to grow 12%, much faster than the average for all occupations, with about 69,400 openings a year across animal care and service work. Many openings will come from workers who leave the field, so hiring and keeping good groomers will stay a real challenge for salon owners.
Pet Grooming Statistics in Canada
Canada’s Job Bank publishes wages for pet groomers (NOC 65220). The Canadian Animal Health Institute (CAHI) estimates there were 7.2 million dogs and 8.2 million cats in Canada in 2024. Here’s what groomers earn by province.
Source: Government of Canada, Job Bank, Pet Groomer wages, updated November 19, 2025 (2023–2024 data). Pet population: Canadian Animal Health Institute, Canadian Pet Population Survey, 2025.
The national median is $18.00 an hour, and Job Bank puts the low and high wages at $15.00 and $25.50. British Columbia ($19.50) and Ontario ($19.00) pay the most; Saskatchewan pays the least at $15.35. With more than 15 million dogs and cats, Canada offers a large client base for independent groomers.
What These Numbers Mean for Your Business
- Demand is there. Services spending grew 25% from 2022 to 2025, and there are more dogs and cats than in 2016. Your job is to capture that demand, not create it.
- Protect every slot. With 22% of owners cutting back, a no-show hurts more. Use appointment reminder templates and consider whether you should require a deposit for long grooms.
- Review your prices. Groomer pay is up 42.7% since 2019. If your price list hasn’t moved in that time, run the numbers again.
- Make booking easy. One in four animal caretakers is self-employed, so clients have options. Online pet groomer booking software lets owners book at 10 PM without calling you. And when someone doesn’t show, here’s what to say to no-show clients.
Book a free demo & see how it works
References and Sources
- American Pet Products Association. Industry Trends and Stats (2026 State of the Industry Report). March 2026.
- American Pet Products Association. U.S. Pet Industry Reaches $158 Billion in 2025, Poised for Continued Growth in 2026. March 26, 2026.
- American Pet Products Association. U.S. Pet Industry Reaches $147 Billion in Sales in 2023. March 22, 2024.
- American Pet Products Association. Latest Pet Ownership and Spending Data from APPA. March 23, 2023.
- Pet Food Processing. US pet food, treat industry amasses $65 billion in sales (reporting APPA 2024 figures). 2025.
- American Veterinary Medical Association. National Pet Week 2026: Pet Ownership Surges as AVMA Celebrates Human-Animal Bond (2025 Pet Ownership and Demographics Sourcebook). May 4, 2026.
- American Veterinary Medical Association. Pet Ownership Stable, Veterinary Care Variable (2017-2018 Pet Ownership and Demographics Sourcebook, 2016 data). January 15, 2019.
- US Census Bureau, via Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis. Total Revenue for Pet Care Excluding Veterinary Services, Employer Firms (REVEF81291TAXABL). Updated January 31, 2024.
- US Census Bureau. County Business Patterns: 2023. 2025.
- US Bureau of Labor Statistics. Occupational Outlook Handbook: Animal Care and Service Workers. 2026.
- US Bureau of Labor Statistics. Occupational Employment and Wages: 39-2021 Animal Caretakers. May 2019, May 2021, and May 2023 editions.
- O*NET OnLine (BLS data). Local Wages: Animal Caretakers. May 2025 data, accessed September 27, 2026.
- US Bureau of Labor Statistics. A “Tail” of Productivity in Pet Care Services, Beyond the Numbers. June 27, 2024.
- Government of Canada, Job Bank. Pet Groomer in Canada: Wages. November 19, 2025.
- Canadian Animal Health Institute. Canadian Pet Population Survey (2024). 2025.
Methodology Note
There is no government data series for pet grooming alone, so this page uses the closest official categories: BLS occupation 39-2021 Animal Caretakers (which includes groomers along with kennel and shelter workers) and NAICS 812910 Pet Care (except Veterinary) Services (which includes grooming, boarding, sitting, walking, and training). APPA’s “other services” category also bundles grooming with boarding, training, pet sitting, walking, and insurance. Census revenue covers employer firms subject to federal income tax and excludes businesses without employees; County Business Patterns counts establishments with paid employees as of March 2023; its size classes of 250 or more employees are suppressed, so the one establishment not shown in a smaller class is counted in the 50+ bar. May 2025 state wages come from BLS OEWS as published on O*NET OnLine; the national median of $35,360 converts to $17.00 an hour at 2,080 hours. APPA’s 2024 services figure ($13.0 billion) is taken from trade-press coverage of its 2025 report; the 2026 figure is an APPA forecast. APPA and the AVMA use different surveys and report different household counts (95 million vs 77.5 million pet-owning households); we quote each by name and don’t mix them. Canadian wages are in Canadian dollars. Percentages were calculated from the published figures and rounded to one decimal place. We chose not to cite private market-research estimates of the “global pet grooming market,” because their definitions vary widely.
About the Author
With over a decade of experience across startups, online publications, and agencies, Marcy is all about delivering content that connects brands with the audiences they're trying to reach.
