Animal handler vs dog groomer

The differences between animal handlers and dog 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 handler and a dog groomer. Additionally, a dog groomer has an average salary of $31,920, which is higher than the $27,820 average annual salary of an animal handler.

The top three skills for an animal handler include animal handling, goats and animal species. The most important skills for a dog groomer are PET, customer service, and scheduling appointments.

Animal handler vs dog groomer overview

	Animal Handler	Dog Groomer
Yearly salary	$27,820	$31,920
Hourly rate	$13.38	$15.35
Growth rate	28%	28%
Number of jobs	28,040	57,203
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 45%	High School Diploma, 44%
Average age	32	32
Years of experience	3	3

Animal handler vs dog groomer salary

Animal handlers and dog groomers have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Animal Handler	Dog Groomer
Average salary	$27,820	$31,920
Salary range	Between $19,000 And $40,000	Between $22,000 And $45,000
Highest paying City	-	-
Highest paying state	-	-
Best paying company	-	-
Best paying industry	-	-

Differences between animal handler and dog groomer education

There are a few differences between an animal handler and a dog groomer in terms of educational background:

	Animal Handler	Dog Groomer
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 45%	High School Diploma, 44%
Most common major	Biology	Business
Most common college	Northwestern University	University of Massachusetts Amherst

Animal handler vs dog groomer demographics

Here are the differences between animal handlers' and dog groomers' demographics:

	Animal Handler	Dog Groomer
Average age	32	32
Gender ratio	Male, 38.8% Female, 61.2%	Male, 15.5% Female, 84.5%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 4.2% Unknown, 6.6% Hispanic or Latino, 17.7% Asian, 2.6% White, 68.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%	Black or African American, 4.9% Unknown, 6.4% Hispanic or Latino, 17.3% Asian, 2.8% White, 68.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%
LGBT Percentage	11%	11%

Differences between animal handler and dog groomer duties and responsibilities

Animal handler example responsibilities.

Handle, dogs pigs, donkey, and horses.
Assist veterinarians, veterinary technicians and veterinary assistants in providing the best care possible for patients.
Provide environmental enrichment for various mammal and raptor species.

Dog groomer example responsibilities.

Manage all breeding, whelping, raising of puppies, grooming and showing of dogs for owners in the AKC.
Ensure customer satisfaction by sharing information regarding pet care products.
Provide all services in the salon from hair styling, bathing, over all maintenance and care for the pet.
Comb, clip, trim and shape dogs' coats to groom dogs, using knowledge of grooming techniques and styles.
Assist in answering customer questions regarding grooming, scheduling grooming appointments and maintaining salon cleanliness and safety.
Aid veterinarian and professional groomer.

Animal handler vs dog groomer skills

Common animal handler skills

Animal Handling, 55%
Goats, 13%
Animal Species, 8%
Exotic Animals, 4%
Zoo Animals, 3%
Animal Welfare, 3%

Common dog groomer skills

PET, 57%
Customer Service, 11%
Scheduling Appointments, 10%
Coats, 4%
Animal Handling, 4%
Front Desk, 3%