Animal handler vs pet groomer

The differences between animal handlers 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 handler and a pet groomer. Additionally, a pet groomer has an average salary of $32,139, 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 pet groomer are PET, dryers, and pet care.

Animal handler vs pet groomer overview

	Animal Handler	Pet Groomer
Yearly salary	$27,820	$32,139
Hourly rate	$13.38	$15.45
Growth rate	28%	28%
Number of jobs	28,040	63,641
Job satisfaction	-	5
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 45%	High School Diploma, 36%
Average age	32	32
Years of experience	3	3

Animal handler vs pet groomer salary

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

	Animal Handler	Pet Groomer
Average salary	$27,820	$32,139
Salary range	Between $19,000 And $40,000	Between $21,000 And $48,000
Highest paying City	-	-
Highest paying state	-	-
Best paying company	-	-
Best paying industry	-	-

Differences between animal handler and pet groomer education

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

	Animal Handler	Pet Groomer
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 45%	High School Diploma, 36%
Most common major	Biology	Business
Most common college	Northwestern University	University of Massachusetts Amherst

Animal handler vs pet groomer demographics

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

	Animal Handler	Pet Groomer
Average age	32	32
Gender ratio	Male, 38.8% Female, 61.2%	Male, 14.0% Female, 86.0%
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, 4.3% 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%

Differences between animal handler and pet 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.

Pet groomer example responsibilities.

Achieve detailed grooming including skin, ear, nail care, coat clips and dental care.
Manage all breeding, whelping, raising of puppies, grooming and showing of dogs for owners in the AKC.
Perform animal grooming duties such as washing, brushing, clipping and trimming coats, cutting nail and cleaning ears.
Dedicate to building rapport with pet owners by proving excellent customer service and individualize care.
Experience with dogs, cats, birds, chickens, pigs, and sheep.
Take care of the delivery of small pets such as: fish, guinea pigs, reptiles, etc.

Animal handler vs pet groomer skills

Common animal handler skills

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

Common pet groomer skills

PET, 76%
Dryers, 20%
Pet Care, 1%
Salon Services, 1%
Cleanliness, 0%
Customer Service, 0%