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The differences between animal care technicians and pet groomers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-3 months to become both an animal care technician and a pet groomer. Additionally, a pet groomer has an average salary of $32,139, which is higher than the $29,617 average annual salary of an animal care technician.
The top three skills for an animal care technician include patients, animal husbandry and pigs. The most important skills for a pet groomer are PET, dryers, and pet care.
| Animal Care Technician | Pet Groomer | |
| Yearly salary | $29,617 | $32,139 |
| Hourly rate | $14.24 | $15.45 |
| Growth rate | 28% | 28% |
| Number of jobs | 96,973 | 63,641 |
| Job satisfaction | 4 | 5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 45% | High School Diploma, 36% |
| Average age | 32 | 32 |
| Years of experience | 3 | 3 |
An animal care technician is an animal medical professional who is responsible for providing care to animals in the clinical or research setting. Animal care technicians take blood or stool samples from animals and run laboratory tests to determine the cause of an ailment. They often take charge of bathing and grooming animals as well as administer anesthesia before procedures. Animal care technicians are also required to speak to the pet's owners to help them understand the diagnosis and administer medication.
A pet groomer typically works with pets and other animals in pet grooming boutiques and pet stores. As a pet groomer, you will perform a few tasks that may include cleaning and taking care of pets such as dogs, maintaining the cleanliness of the work area for the next client, and working with the cash registers. In addition, you will groom dogs and cats using different tools and techniques, ensuring that pets stay safe and are well taken care of.
Animal care technicians and pet groomers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Animal Care Technician | Pet Groomer | |
| Average salary | $29,617 | $32,139 |
| Salary range | Between $21,000 And $40,000 | Between $21,000 And $48,000 |
| Highest paying City | South San Francisco, CA | - |
| Highest paying state | Oregon | - |
| Best paying company | Emory University | - |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | - |
There are a few differences between an animal care technician and a pet groomer in terms of educational background:
| Animal Care Technician | Pet Groomer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 45% | High School Diploma, 36% |
| Most common major | Biology | Business |
| Most common college | New York University | University of Massachusetts Amherst |
Here are the differences between animal care technicians' and pet groomers' demographics:
| Animal Care Technician | Pet Groomer | |
| Average age | 32 | 32 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 31.1% Female, 68.9% | Male, 14.0% Female, 86.0% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.3% Unknown, 6.3% Hispanic or Latino, 18.5% Asian, 2.7% White, 67.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% | Black or African American, 4.3% Unknown, 6.4% Hispanic or Latino, 17.9% Asian, 2.6% White, 68.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 11% |