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Dog Groomer salary in Australia
The median full-time salary for a dog groomer is $66,400 per annum, before tax, up $13,900 since 2018.
What you earn depends heavily on how you are paid. Employees in salons are usually covered by the Animal Care and Veterinary Services Award or an enterprise agreement, and an experienced groomer in a busy salon can earn above the award rate, sometimes with a share of each dog's fee. Running your own mobile van or salon changes the picture again, because your income then rests on how many dogs you book, what you charge and what the van, insurance and equipment cost you.
Roles that pay more than dog groomer
The largest typical pay rise is $20,300 a year, moving into Veterinary Nurse.
- Veterinary Nurse+$20,300/yr
How to negotiate a higher dog groomer salary
- Know the market rate before you ask. The median full-time dog groomer salary is $66,400; use that, not a guess, as your anchor, and adjust for your experience and employer.
- Lead with what's scarce, not just tenure. Skills like Animal care and handling tend to command a premium over general dog groomer experience, name them specifically when you ask.
- Bring a real alternative to the table. Veterinary Nurse pays a typical $20,300 a year more and draws on similar skills, even mentioning you're weighing it up is a legitimate data point in a pay conversation.
- Time it deliberately. Reviews, the end of a project you delivered, or taking on responsibility beyond your job description are stronger moments to ask than an arbitrary date on the calendar.
- Ask for a number, not a raise. "Based on the market rate and [specific contribution], I'd like to move to X" gets a clearer answer than "I think I deserve more."
Dog Groomer salary questions
How much do dog groomers earn in Australia?
The median full-time salary for a dog groomer is $66,400 a year before tax. Seniority, specialisation, sector and the award or agreement you're employed under all move it.
Is dog groomer pay rising or falling?
The median dog groomer salary is up $13,900 since 2018. Figures from 2025 onward on this page are a projection, not a measured result.
What pays more than dog groomer?
Veterinary Nurse pays a typical $20,300 a year more and draws on similar skills to dog groomer.