How Much Does Animal Grooming School Cost?
Animal grooming is one of those careers that don’t require a lot of time in school but allows individuals to obtain a job that pays satisfactory wages. There are even those who graduate from high school who are fortunate enough to be hired by a veterinary clinic or pet grooming shop right away and then learn the skills of the trade on the job. Aspiring animal groomers who attend animal grooming school are at an advantage because their training gives them an edge over those who don’t. For starters, they already know what to do and as a result, employers won’t have to spend precious hours training them. For those groomers who would rather take the self-employment route, an animal grooming school provides the training necessary for animal groomers to start their own grooming business.
Animal grooming certificate and diploma programs are offered in state-accredited grooming schools and online schools across the nation. Courses offered by formal pet grooming schools take anywhere from a few weeks to about six months to complete. They generally cost about $3,000 to $6,000. Online schools, meanwhile, may charge $400 to $600. Apprenticeship programs can cost about $4,000.
In some grooming programs, the cost of tuition already includes the instructional materials like books, CDs and DVDs as well as grooming tools. For example, at the Animal Behavior College, tuition can range anywhere from $3,970 to $5,970. It covers the “in-home study portion as well as the hands-on training with a professional groomer at a grooming salon or a mobile grooming facility.”
The cost also includes the study materials, grooming tools, DVDs, pet CPR and First Aid Certification which is valid for two year and others. At Gail Fisher’s All Dogs Academy, meanwhile, the cost of dog grooming school runs anywhere from $5,750 to $6,050. It includes “required grooming equipment, supplies, manuals and books, instruction and a Certificate of Graduation.”
One example of an online pet grooming program is one offered by Penn Foster. Tuition costs anywhere from $459 to $599 depending on whether the payment is given in cash or in monthly payments. This covers books and learning aids, Study Planner App, instructional support and others. At the Basics and Beyond Grooming School, tuition is from $325 to $480. It covers DVDs, books and instructional support.
Online grooming schools typically don’t include the grooming tools in the program. According to Basics and Beyond, the cost of grooming tools range from $650 to $750 depending on the tools that the student will buy. Some of the tools that students of an animal grooming program will need include professional clippers, blades of different sizes, blow dryer, shears, metal combs, slicker brush, shedding blade, de-matting tool and muzzles.
An apprentice program is considered one of the best ways to learn how to groom animals because it offers one-on-one instruction in an actual grooming facility right from the beginning. If the establishment is hiring, it may even hire the apprentice who successfully completes the program. One example of an apprenticeship program is offered by Dog Gone Gorgeous. It is a 480-hour program that needs to be finished in 15 weeks. Training costs $4,000 and a pet groomer’s kit costs $700.
Career Spotlight: Animal Groomer
An animal groomer maintains or improves the physical appearance of people’s pets. Most of the time, you will be grooming dogs. There are also pet owners who bring in their cats to get a little salon[...]
