What This Guide Covers
If you are weighing up dog grooming as a career or a business, the first question is simple. How much can you actually make? This guide gives you an honest, dated, sourced picture for Australia in 2026, split by the three paths people really take.
- What an employed groomer earns, with award context and apprentice vs experienced
- What a self-employed or mobile groomer grosses, and what is left after costs
- What a salon owner takes home once overheads come out
- The maths of capacity and pricing, and why small lifts in average ticket change everything
- The Australian specifics: superannuation, GST, award wages, and insurance
- A short, practical "how to earn more" section
Every figure below is a range with assumptions, grounded in current Australian sources and clearly labelled as an estimate. Your number will depend on your location, your speed, your prices, and how full your calendar is.
01. The Short Answer
There is no single "dog groomer salary" in Australia, because three very different income models sit under the same job title.
| Path | Typical earnings (per year, AUD) | What the figure means |
|---|---|---|
| Employed groomer | ~$50,000 to $75,000 | Gross wage before tax, plus 12% super on top |
| Self-employed / mobile groomer | ~$60,000 to $110,000 gross, often $45,000 to $80,000 net | Gross revenue, then net after van, fuel, insurance, super, and downtime |
| Salon owner (1 to 4 chairs) | Modest wage early, up to ~$75,000 to $175,000 established | Owner take-home after all overheads and staff costs |
Assumptions: full-time or near full-time work; metro and regional blended; established operators sit at the upper end, new entrants and apprentices at the lower end. Estimates only, see Sources.
Key Takeaway: Employed work gives you a steady, predictable wage with super paid for you. Self-employment and ownership offer a higher ceiling, but you carry the costs, the risk, and the empty appointment slots yourself.
02. Employed Groomer Earnings
If you work for a salon on a wage, your pay is reasonably predictable. The published Australian figures for 2026 cluster in a clear band.
- PayScale (updated 4 March 2026) puts the average dog groomer at AUD $24.99 an hour, ranging from about $19.20 at the 10th percentile to $29.64 at the 90th, with annual total pay around $40,000 to $61,000. (PayScale)
- Indeed (updated 8 May 2026, 173 salaries reported) lists a higher average of AUD $33.37 an hour. (Indeed)
- SEEK (June 2026) shows most regions around AUD $72,500 a year for advertised full-time roles, with some areas listed higher. (SEEK)
The spread between roughly $25 and $33 an hour comes down to experience, location, and whether commission or a busy book lifts the base.
Apprentice vs experienced
A first-year groomer or a Certificate III trainee starts near the bottom of the band. An experienced stylist who is fast, books out, and handles difficult coats sits at the top, and the best earn more again through commission or productivity bonuses tied to dogs completed.
Award context
Many grooming roles fall under the Animal Care and Veterinary Services Award 2020 (MA000118). From 1 July 2025, minimum rates rose by 3.5%, putting a Level 1 support role at AUD $24.28 an hour and a Level 5 senior role at AUD $32.23 an hour. Casual team members receive the same hourly rate plus a 25% loading. (Fair Work Ombudsman, Tanda)
The award is a floor, not a ceiling. Plenty of skilled groomers are paid above it, but you should never be paid below it. Always check the current pay guide on the Fair Work website, because rates change each July.
On top of your wage, your employer pays superannuation. From 1 July 2025 the super guarantee is 12% of ordinary time earnings, the final scheduled increase. (Australian Taxation Office) On a $60,000 wage, that is roughly $7,200 a year going into your fund.
03. Self-Employed and Mobile Groomer Earnings
Going out on your own changes the picture. You set your own rates, you keep what you bill, and a mobile van lets you charge a convenience premium of roughly AUD $20 to $50 per groom above the equivalent salon service. (Dogster)
That is the good news. The catch is that gross revenue is not take-home pay.
Gross vs net
A solo mobile groomer doing five to six dogs a day at a healthy average ticket can gross more than an employed groomer. But you now carry every cost the salon used to absorb:
- Van purchase or finance, plus fit-out (bath, dryer, generator, water tank)
- Fuel and vehicle maintenance, which climb with every kilometre between jobs
- Public liability and business insurance, commonly AUD $1,500 to $4,000 a year in Australia (BusinessDojo)
- Your own superannuation, which nobody pays for you now
- Downtime and travel, the unpaid hours spent driving, restocking, and rebooking
That travel time is the hidden tax of mobile work. A salon groomer can start the next dog the moment one walks out. A mobile groomer might lose 20 to 40 minutes driving between appointments, which is time you cannot bill.
Key Takeaway: Mobile grooming can lift your gross income meaningfully, but model your net before you commit. After van costs, fuel, insurance, super, and unbillable travel, many solo operators land in a similar take-home band to a well-paid employed groomer, with the upside that you control your prices and your diary.
The GST line
Once your turnover hits AUD $75,000 a year, you must register for GST. (business.gov.au) From that point you add 10% GST to your prices and remit it to the ATO. It is not your money, so plan for it early rather than getting a shock at your first BAS.
04. Salon Owner Take-Home
Owning a salon has the highest ceiling and the most moving parts. Your take-home is what is left after every bill is paid.
The basic equation looks like this:
Revenue (chairs x dogs per day x average price x days open) minus overheads = your take-home.
Here is a simple illustration of the revenue side for a single groomer. Change one number and the annual figure moves a lot.
| Dogs per day | Average groom price | Days per week | Weekly revenue | Annual revenue (48 weeks) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | $90 | 5 | $1,800 | $86,400 |
| 6 | $90 | 5 | $2,700 | $129,600 |
| 6 | $110 | 5 | $3,300 | $158,400 |
| 6 | $110 | 6 | $3,960 | $190,080 |
Illustration only. Average groom prices in Australia in 2026 commonly sit around $60 to $95 for small dogs, $80 to $160 for medium, and $100 to $200 for large, depending on size, coat, and location (Dogster, Airtasker). Per-groomer figures, before any overheads.
Now subtract the costs. Industry breakdowns put a salon's main expenses at labour (25% to 40% of revenue), rent and utilities (15% to 25%), grooming supplies (8% to 12%), and insurance and licensing (2% to 5%). (BusinessDojo)
| Monthly cost line | Typical share of revenue | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Staff wages and super | 25% to 40% | Largest cost once you employ groomers |
| Rent and utilities | 15% to 25% | Higher in metro shopfronts |
| Grooming supplies | 8% to 12% | Shampoo, blades, consumables |
| Insurance and licensing | 2% to 5% | Public liability, council, registrations |
| Software, marketing, admin | Varies | Booking, payments, advertising |
Shares are indicative ranges, not fixed costs. Estimates only, see Sources.
After all of that, typical net profit margins for a grooming salon run around 10% to 20%, with lean mobile or premium models sometimes reaching 30% or more. (BusinessDojo) An established salon running three to four groomers can generate roughly AUD $250,000 to $500,000 in revenue and $75,000 to $175,000 in owner profit, despite carrying more overhead. (Supliful)
Why owners often earn less than they expect early on
In the first year or two, the owner is usually the busiest groomer, the bookkeeper, and the marketer all at once. Fit-out finance, a half-full calendar, and the cost of hiring before the revenue arrives can all squeeze take-home below what you would earn on a wage.
That is normal. The owner upside shows up later, once the chairs are full, the average ticket is healthy, and a second or third groomer is producing more than they cost.
05. The Maths That Actually Moves Your Income
Whichever path you choose, your income is driven by four numbers. Small changes in any of them compound quickly.
1. Dogs per day (capacity). An empty slot earns nothing and you cannot get it back. Filling one extra dog a day at $90 adds roughly $21,600 a year per groomer at five days a week.
2. Average ticket (price plus add-ons). Lifting your average groom by even $10, or attaching one well-priced add-on, flows almost entirely to the bottom line because the dog is already on the table. We break this down in our guide to the economics of add-on services.
3. No-show rate. A no-show is a double loss: the empty slot plus the customer you turned away to hold it. Reducing no-shows is one of the cheapest income lifts available, covered in how to reduce no-shows.
4. Repeat rate (packages and rebooking). Regulars who prepay or rebook on the spot smooth your cash flow and cut the cost of chasing new bookings, as we explain in prepaid packages that sell.
Key Takeaway: You do not need to work more hours to earn more. Fill one extra slot a day, lift the average ticket by a few dollars, and stop losing dogs to no-shows. Those three moves together can add tens of thousands to your annual income without a longer working week.
For a full pricing framework, see our guide on how to price dog grooming services in Australia.
06. How to Earn More as a Groomer or Salon
Here is the practical shortlist, in roughly the order of effort to reward.
- Add condition-based fees. Charge fairly for matted coats, de-shedding, and difficult behaviour. The work is already happening, so price it.
- Build a tiered service menu. Offer a premium finish above your standard groom so customers can choose to spend more.
- Sell prepaid packages. Lock in regulars, smooth cash flow, and reduce gaps in the diary.
- Cut no-shows. Use deposits or a card on file so an empty chair still earns.
- Fill the calendar. Let customers book themselves online, day or night, so you stop losing bookings to voicemail.
- Know your numbers per groomer. Track revenue per groomer per day so you can see who is busy, who has gaps, and where the income is hiding.
07. The Australian Specifics, in One Place
A quick reference for the rules that shape your real, after-everything income.
- Superannuation: 12% of ordinary time earnings from 1 July 2025. Paid for you when you are employed; paid by you if you are self-employed. (ATO)
- GST: register once turnover reaches AUD $75,000 a year, then add and remit 10%. (business.gov.au)
- Award wages: if you employ groomers, the Animal Care and Veterinary Services Award (MA000118) sets the minimum, currently AUD $24.28 to $32.23 an hour plus a 25% casual loading. (Fair Work Ombudsman)
- Insurance: public liability and business cover commonly run AUD $1,500 to $4,000 a year. (BusinessDojo)
This is general information, not tax or financial advice. Check the current ATO and Fair Work figures, and speak to an accountant about your own situation.
How Petboost Helps
You cannot control the wider market, but you can control the four numbers in section 05. That is exactly where Petboost is built to help.
Fill the chair and lift the average ticket
Let pet owners book themselves with self-service booking so an enquiry at 9pm becomes a confirmed appointment instead of a missed call. Smart scheduling keeps your day tight, and add-ons and prepaid packages make it simple to grow each booking and lock in recurring revenue.
Protect your income from no-shows
Take a deposit or keep a card on file with payments, so an empty slot still earns. Fewer no-shows means more of your capacity actually turns into income.
See where the money is
Reporting and intelligence shows revenue per groomer and per day, so you can spot gaps in the diary and your busiest stylists. If you employ a team, team tools help you track utilisation and keep everyone productive.
Built for mobile groomers too
If you work from a van, run from anywhere and the mobile app experience let you manage bookings, take payment, and update records between jobs, without a desk.
The Bottom Line
There is no single answer to "how much do dog groomers make in Australia." Employed groomers earn a steady AUD $50,000 to $75,000 band with super paid for them. Self-employed and mobile groomers can gross more, but keep less once the van, fuel, insurance, and unbillable travel come out. Salon owners have the highest ceiling, up to roughly AUD $175,000-plus when established, but often earn less than they expect in the early years.
The good news is that your income is not fixed. Fill the chair, lift the average ticket, and cut your no-shows, and the number moves in your favour without a longer week.
Want to see how the software side works? Book a free demo → and we will walk you through it. You can also start free, or call Emily anytime on 1800 291 005.
For a deeper look at setting your prices, read how to price dog grooming services in Australia. To compare costs before you commit, try the pricing calculator or see the full pricing.
Sources
- PayScale, Dog Groomer Hourly Pay in Australia, updated 4 March 2026: payscale.com
- Indeed, Pet Groomer salary in Australia, updated 8 May 2026: au.indeed.com
- SEEK, Dog Groomer salary, June 2026: au.seek.com
- Fair Work Ombudsman, Animal Care and Veterinary Services Award 2020 (MA000118) summary: fairwork.gov.au
- Tanda, MA000118 award template summary (1 July 2025 rates): help.tanda.co
- Australian Taxation Office, Super guarantee (12% from 1 July 2025): ato.gov.au
- business.gov.au, Register for GST ($75,000 threshold): business.gov.au
- BusinessDojo, Pet grooming salon profit margin and costs: dojobusiness.com
- BusinessDojo, Pet grooming salon complete guide (insurance costs): dojobusiness.com
- Supliful, How much does a dog grooming business make: supliful.com
- Dogster, How much does dog grooming cost in Australia, 2026: dogster.com
- Airtasker, How much does dog grooming cost in Australia: airtasker.com
Figures are ranges and estimates drawn from the sources above, current as at June 2026. They are general information only and will vary by location, experience, prices, and individual circumstances. This is not financial or tax advice.