Pet Grooming Business Valuation and How Much a Dog Grooming Business Is Worth
Enter the shop's revenue and owner earnings and read a range benchmarked to what pet grooming businesses actually closed at, whether you are setting an asking price or checking a grooming business for sale before you make an offer.
Estimated business value
Method breakdown
What moves this number
Estimate, not a certified appraisal. Your figures are not stored.
The median US pet grooming business sold for $150,000 across 2021 to 2025, based on closed BizBuySell sales, on median revenue of $314,016 and median owner earnings of $81,687. Half of sales landed between 1.38x and 2.51x seller discretionary earnings, or 0.36x to 0.72x revenue, after a median 170 days on the market.
On an SBA loan a buyer can draw up to about $54,363 a year at the median price, roughly 1.5 times the $35,360 BLS median wage for animal caretakers, on about $17,295 of cash at closing. A dog daycare and boarding business is a richer, different category, with a median sale of $400,000.
Pet grooming, median asking price against sale price
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025
$150k
0.93
$120k
0.97
$170k
0.96
$152.5k
0.87
$175k
0.90
BizBuySell, pet grooming businesses sold 2021 to 2025. Light bar median asking price, dark bar median sale price, average sale to ask below each year.
Closed transactions
01What pet grooming businesses actually sold for
These are pet grooming businesses reported sold on BizBuySell across the five years 2021 to 2025. The source describes services such as bathing, haircuts, nail trimming and ear cleaning for dogs and cats, from storefront and mobile operators, mostly independent with some franchise units included, and it does not publish the number of sales. Dog daycare and boarding is counted separately (section 08). If you have been pricing from a listing site's instant estimate, our comparison of BizBuySell valuation alternatives explains what those tools leave out.
Median sale price
$150,000
What the middle pet grooming business actually closed at, 2021 to 2025
Median asking price
$165,000
What the same sold businesses were listed at, 10.0 percent above the sale
Median revenue
$314,016
Annual grooming and retail revenue of the middle business sold
Median owner earnings (SDE)
$81,687
Seller discretionary earnings, a 26.0 percent owner margin
| Pet grooming, 2021 to 2025 | Lower quartile | Median | Average | Upper quartile |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Earnings multiple, sold | 1.38x | 1.89x | 2.22x | 2.51x |
| Earnings multiple, current listings | 1.79x | 2.67x | 4.10x | 3.67x |
| Revenue multiple, sold | 0.36x | 0.49x | 0.62x | 0.72x |
| Revenue multiple, current listings | 0.51x | 0.76x | 0.92x | 1.02x |
| Owner earnings, sold | $58,053 | $81,687 | $109,480 | $129,635 |
| Owner earnings, current listings | $50,000 | $80,000 | $99,049 | $130,235 |
| Revenue, sold | $188,821 | $314,016 | $426,435 | $524,344 |
| Revenue, current listings | $157,869 | $280,276 | $369,759 | $421,112 |
Source: BizBuySell pet grooming business valuation benchmarks, pet grooming businesses reported sold on the platform 2021 to 2025, read October 2026. Shaded rows are current and recent listings at their asking prices. The listing earnings multiple average (4.10x) sits above its own upper quartile because a few listings ask far more than the rest. The source's prose says median revenue fluctuates around $380,000 and margins hover just below 30 percent; its five-year tables say $314,016 and 26.0 percent, and we use the tables. Benchmarks, not quotes.
Three things stand out. First, the readings agree. The median multiple is 1.89x and the median sale over the median earnings is 1.84x. Multiplying the medians gives $154,388, only 2.9 percent above the median sale, and the revenue route, $314,016 at 0.49x, gives $153,868, 2.6 percent above. Three readings within three percent of each other is unusual in a small business market, and it makes grooming easier to price than most trades.
Second, the asking price runs ahead of the closing price. The median ask of $165,000 was 10.0 percent above the $150,000 median sale, and sold businesses closed at an average 0.92 of ask. Current listings report median owner earnings of $80,000, only 2.1 percent below the sold set, yet ask a median 2.67x against 1.89x paid, 41.3 percent more. On $80,000 that multiple implies $213,600. A listing at 2.67x should come down.
Third, these are small businesses. The median sold shop did $314,016 of revenue and kept $81,687, and even the upper quartile did $524,344 with $129,635 of earnings. At the lower quartile earnings are $58,053, which at 1.38x is $80,113. A buyer at that size is paying for a book of regulars and a fitted space, not a large operation.
If you are working out how to calculate SDE for the shop in front of you, start with the owner's own hours at the tub and the table. An owner who grooms a full schedule without a paycheck is doing work a buyer will have to do or pay for, and cash services that never reach the books cannot be financed. Then find your row in section 05.
| Year | Median sale | Median ask | Sale to ask | Days on market | Average SDE multiple | Average revenue multiple | Median revenue | Median SDE | Margin |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | $150,000 | $162,500 | 0.93 | 161 | 1.79x | 0.57x | $247,113 | $79,500 | 32.2% |
| 2022 | $120,000 | $129,500 | 0.97 | 180 | 2.07x | 0.56x | $212,500 | $72,274 | 34.0% |
| 2023 | $170,000 | $180,000 | 0.96 | 145 | 2.73x | 0.80x | $372,765 | $90,110 | 24.2% |
| 2024 | $152,500 | $175,000 | 0.87 | 175 | 2.22x | 0.63x | $319,353 | $91,000 | 28.5% |
| 2025 | $175,000 | $199,000 | 0.90 | 193 | 2.15x | 0.54x | $380,000 | $93,105 | 26.0% |
Source: BizBuySell, same page. From 2021 to 2025 the median sale rose 16.7 percent, median revenue 53.8 percent and median owner earnings 17.1 percent, so the margin fell from 32.2 to 26.0 percent. The average earnings multiple peaked at 2.73x in 2023, when BizBuySell says several larger businesses entered the market, and settled at 2.15x in 2025. In 2025 the median ask of $199,000 was 13.7 percent above the median sale of $175,000, and the median time to sell was the longest of the five years at 193 days.
Our calculation
02The median pet grooming business finances with room for a real salary
Most small business buyers use an SBA 7(a) loan, so what a lender will finance sets a practical ceiling on price. The table runs a business only loan at 10.5 percent over 10 years, 1.25x debt service coverage and a 10 percent injection against the median $81,687 of owner earnings. Most grooming shops lease their space and a mobile business has none, so there is no building loan here. Everything in it is computed here, not quoted.
SBA-supportable price at two owner draws, against the median sale
Scale $0 to $450,000
$150,000
What the median pet grooming business sold for.
$228,848
What $81,687 supports at a $40,000 draw (black line).
$254,320
What it supports at a $35,360 draw.
| Owner draw the buyer takes | Left for debt service | Supportable price, 10 years |
|---|---|---|
| $0 (buyer takes no salary) | $81,687 | $448,435 |
| $35,360 (the BLS median for animal caretakers) | $46,327 | $254,320 |
| $40,000 | $41,687 | $228,848 |
| $54,363 (the most a buyer can draw at $150,000) | $27,324 | $150,000 |
| $60,000 | $21,687 | $119,055 |
| $80,000 | $1,687 | $9,261 |
Computed here. Annual loan constant 0.16192 for 10 years at 10.5 percent. Supportable price is (SDE minus draw) divided by 1.25, divided by the loan constant, divided by 0.90. Illustrative arithmetic, not a loan offer or a credit decision.
At $150,000 the loan is $135,000 and the debt service about $21,859 a year. The median earnings cover it 3.74 times and leave $59,828 before the owner pays themselves. With the lender's coverage cushion, a buyer can draw at most about $54,363. For comparison, the median nail salon at the same price leaves room for $74,088 (see nail salon valuation), because nail salons earn more, while a hair salon at its median price leaves about $49,185.
Set it against the payroll alternative. The BLS median wage for animal caretakers is $35,360, and BLS does not publish a separate figure for groomers. A groomer who buys the median shop and keeps working can draw about 1.5 times that while the loan builds equity. The rate can tighten it a little: SBA caps variable rates on loans of $50,000 to $250,000 at prime plus 6 points, and at 12.75 percent the most a buyer can draw falls to about $51,749.
Cash to close on the median pet grooming business
$17,295
A $150,000 purchase at 10 percent down is a $15,000 injection and a $135,000 loan. Loans of $150,000 or less carry an 85 percent guaranty, so the guaranteed portion is $114,750 and the FY2026 upfront fee of 2 percent is $2,295. Add the lease deposit, supplies at closing and a few weeks of payroll on top.
The lower quartile pet grooming business
$80,113
That is the lower quartile multiple on lower quartile earnings of $58,053. Those earnings support $99,105 at a $40,000 draw but do not cover a $60,000 draw at any price. A shop this size finances for an owner who grooms and takes a modest salary, which is the typical first purchase for a working groomer.
The lender may value it in house
Under SOP 50 10 8.1 the lender may value the business itself when the price is $350,000 or less and buyer and seller are not closely related. Nearly every pet grooming sale sits under that line, so your estimate and the lender's own analysis may be the only valuations in the deal.
Only reported income finances
A lender underwrites the tax returns, not the seller's story. If part of the revenue is cash that never reached the books, it is not in the SDE the bank will use, and you should not pay a multiple on it. Match card deposits to the booking reports for at least two years.
Prepaid packages are owed
Gift cards, prepaid grooming packages and deposits for booked appointments are services the buyer must deliver with no cash coming in. Count them from the booking report and agree on a credit at closing.
Sources: SBA SOP 50 10 8.1 (changes of ownership: valuation). SBA 7(a) maximum interest rates. FY2026 upfront guaranty fees (SBA Information Notice 5000-872051). BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, animal care and service workers, May 2025. A summary for pricing, not legal or lending advice.
What makes grooming different
03You buy a book of regulars, the people who groom them and a lease
A grooming business looks like an equipment business and prices like a people business. Tubs, tables and dryers resell for little. What carries the price is groomers who stay, pet owners who rebook on a regular cycle, books that match the bank deposits and a location, or a van, that keeps working after the handover. Each needs its own evidence before you agree a price.
The groomers and their regulars
Pet owners rebook the person who already knows the dog. A groomer who leaves can take part of the book with her, and a shop where one or two groomers produce most of the revenue is worth those people staying. Ask for the appointment book export: active clients, visits per client, rebooking rate and new clients per month for two years, broken out by groomer.
Storefront or mobile
BizBuySell notes the category covers both storefront shops and mobile grooming. A storefront brings a lease, tubs, tables, dryers and plumbing to review. A mobile business brings a lease-free cost base and one vehicle that is the whole operation, so check its title, condition, maintenance records and what happens to revenue the week it is in the repair shop.
The lease, the equipment and the books
Grooming equipment resells for little, which is why the lease and the fit-out are often worth more than the tools. Read the remaining term, renewal options, rent as a share of revenue and the assignment clause. Then match twelve months of card deposits to the appointment software reports, because only reported income finances.
Owner earnings as a share of revenue, sold pet grooming businesses
2021
32.2%
2022
34.0%
2023
24.2%
2024
28.5%
2025
26.0%
BizBuySell median revenue and median owner earnings by year of sale. The margin fell by six points between 2021 and 2025 while median revenue rose more than half.
Franchise units are in the data
BizBuySell says franchise brands operate in this category and are included in its figures. If the shop you are pricing is a franchise unit, read the franchise agreement for transfer approval, fees and any required remodel before you agree a price, because those terms sit on top of the multiple.
Repeat visits put revenue on the calendar
Pets come back on a cycle, so a shop with standing appointments has revenue booked before closing day. The same revenue from walk-ins is less certain. Ask for the share of clients who rebook before they leave, and how many appointments are already on the books for the next month.
Sources: BizBuySell pet grooming benchmarks, 2021 to 2025. A summary for pricing, not legal or tax advice. Licensing, vehicle and employment rules are set by each state and locality.
Our calculation
04What the shop is worth if you will not groom in it
Seller discretionary earnings include the owner's pay, and in many small grooming businesses the owner works the tub. A buyer who will not do that has to pay someone who will. The rows below use the Bureau of Labor Statistics median wage for animal caretakers, May 2025, plus employer FICA. It is a floor for an experienced groomer, not a quote.
The same $150,000 price
1.84x
to an owner who keeps grooming
3.44x
groomer hired to replace the owner
| Who does the owner work | Earnings left | Price as a multiple | SBA-supportable, 10 years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Owner keeps grooming | $81,687 | 1.84x | $150,000 at a $54,363 draw |
| Owner stops, hires a groomer at the BLS median ($38,065) | $43,622 | 3.44x | $239,471 at no draw, or $150,000 at a $16,298 draw |
Computed here. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, animal care and service workers: animal caretakers median $35,360 a year, May 2025, plus 7.65 percent employer FICA, $38,065. BLS shows no separate wage for groomers.
To an owner who keeps grooming, $150,000 is 1.84x earnings, inside the middle half of sales. Replace the owner at the tub with a hired groomer and the same price is 3.44x, above the upper quartile of 2.51x, with $239,471 supportable at no owner draw and about $16,298 a year left for the owner at the median price. So a buyer who will not groom can still finance the median shop, but is then buying a managed business and should pay a managed business price only if the groomers stay. A groomer with experience and a following will cost more than the BLS median, which is one more reason to read the pay records before the first offer.
Find your row
05What a pet grooming business at your earnings is worth
Each row takes an earnings level and prices it at the lower quartile, median and upper quartile multiple, next to what an SBA buyer could finance on a 10 year business loan at a $40,000 and a $60,000 owner draw.
| Owner earnings (SDE) | At 1.38x | At 1.89x | At 2.51x | SBA, $40,000 draw | SBA, $60,000 draw |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $58,053 (lower quartile sold) | $80,113 | $109,720 | $145,713 | $99,105 | Does not finance |
| $80,000 (median current listing) | $110,400 | $151,200 | $200,800 | $219,587 | $109,794 |
| $81,687 (median sold) | $112,728 | $154,388 | $205,034 | $228,848 | $119,055 |
| $93,105 (2025 median sold) | $128,485 | $175,968 | $233,694 | $291,529 | $181,736 |
| $129,635 (upper quartile sold) | $178,896 | $245,010 | $325,384 | $492,067 | $382,274 |
Computed here. SBA columns on the same terms as section 02, before working capital. "Does not finance" means the earnings do not cover the draw. Illustrative arithmetic, not a loan offer.
From the median up, a buyer drawing $40,000 can finance more than the upper quartile price. A $60,000 draw is where it gets tight: the median earnings then support $119,055, below the $150,000 median price, so a buyer who wants that salary at the median price needs about $87,324 of earnings, or a seller note. For most buyers the loan is not what limits the price. What limits it is the risk in the groomers and the books. A buyer who can verify the appointment history and keep the team is buying earnings at a discount. If your numbers sit between rows, the estimator at the top of the page will place them.
Value drivers
06What moves a pet grooming business between the quartiles
The distance between the lower and upper quartile multiple is 1.38x to 2.51x, which on $81,687 of earnings is the difference between $112,728 and $205,034. The scale shows where the published readings fall, and how far hiring a groomer pushes the same price.
Pet grooming earnings multiples on one scale
0x to 4x
1.38x
Lower quartile
1.84x
Median sale over median SDE
1.89x
Median multiple
2.51x
Upper quartile
3.44x
Median price with a groomer hired
BizBuySell pet grooming benchmarks, 2021 to 2025. Dark band, 1.38x to 2.51x, the middle half of sales. The 1.84x and 3.44x readings are computed here.
Revenue and size
The lower quartile business sold had $188,821 of revenue and $58,053 of owner earnings, which at 1.38x is $80,113. The upper quartile had $524,344 and $129,635, which at 2.51x is $325,384. Revenue rises 2.8 times between the two; the price rises 4.1 times.
Owner involvement
BizBuySell says low owner involvement pushes a multiple to the upper quartile, and full-time owner involvement pushes it to the lower. An owner who grooms a full schedule is selling a job. An owner who manages a team and books few dogs is selling a business.
Groomer tenure and retention
Ask how long each groomer has been there, what share of revenue each produces and whether any plans to leave or open nearby. A groomer walking out in the first year can take a large share of the regulars with her.
Consistency and growth
BizBuySell lists consistent financial performance and demonstrable growth potential among the traits that earn an upper quartile multiple. Three years of rising, reported revenue is worth more than one strong year, and the margin matters as much as the revenue.
Competition and location
Many direct competitors push a multiple toward the lower quartile. A shop with a loyal book in a market with several others is less risky than a shop depending on walk-in traffic from one center, and the lease decides how long that location is yours.
Seller financing
BizBuySell counts a seller willing to finance among the traits of upper quartile deals. A seller note keeps the seller invested in the handover, and it can bridge a gap between what the earnings support and what the seller wants.
Quartile revenue and earnings paired with quartile multiples, illustrative
$80,113
Lower quartile shop
1.38x on $58,053, revenue $188,821
$150,000
Median shop
sold, 1.84x on $81,687, revenue $314,016
$325,384
Upper quartile shop
2.51x on $129,635, revenue $524,344
Computed here. Quartile values from BizBuySell, paired for illustration; no single shop is necessarily at the same quartile on both. Revenue rises 2.8 times from the lower to the upper quartile; value rises 4.1 times.
Against other service businesses
07Pet grooming against cleaning, landscaping, laundromats and pest control
BizBuySell says pet grooming tends to receive a slight valuation premium relative to its small sales and earning potential, and its own text calls the margins materially greater than average. The comparison below reads more mixed. Grooming sells at 1.84 times median earnings, the second lowest in the group after catering, and its 26.0 percent margin is higher than only two of the ten other categories shown. The premium, if there is one, is that a business with just $81,687 of earnings still sells at an average 2.22x, level with cleaning at 2.19x on $136,326. See cleaning business valuation, landscaping business valuation and SDE multiples by industry for the wider market.
| Category | Median revenue | Median SDE | Average revenue multiple | Average SDE multiple | Median sale over median SDE | Owner margin | Median sale | Sale to ask |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pet grooming | $314,016 | $81,687 | 0.62x | 2.22x | 1.84x | 26.0% | $150,000 | 0.92 |
| Dog daycare and boarding | $503,778 | $157,088 | 1.06x | 3.18x | 2.55x | 31.2% | $400,000 | 0.97 |
| Landscaping | $708,412 | $187,761 | 0.70x | 2.46x | 2.26x | 26.5% | $425,000 | 0.93 |
| Waste and recycling | $710,000 | $176,635 | 0.95x | 3.31x | 2.97x | 24.9% | $525,000 | 0.91 |
| Cleaning | $433,327 | $136,326 | 0.70x | 2.19x | 1.91x | 31.5% | $260,000 | 0.92 |
| Catering | $931,891 | $212,204 | 0.44x | 2.00x | 1.57x | 22.8% | $332,500 | 0.87 |
| Pest control | $263,597 | $124,184 | 0.99x | 2.40x | 2.01x | 47.1% | $249,000 | 0.91 |
| Dry cleaners | $360,000 | $132,513 | 0.76x | 2.09x | 1.89x | 36.8% | $250,000 | 0.93 |
| Laundromats | $219,878 | $76,560 | 1.33x | 3.65x | 3.27x | 34.8% | $250,000 | 0.92 |
| Commercial laundry | $198,000 | $112,000 | 1.25x | 2.83x | 2.23x | 56.6% | $250,000 | 0.92 |
| All service businesses | $455,000 | $146,927 | 0.86x | 2.62x | 2.21x | 32.3% | $325,000 | 0.92 |
Source: BizBuySell service business comparisons, 2021 to 2025. Median sale over median SDE and owner margin (median SDE over median revenue) computed here. Shaded rows are pet grooming and dog daycare and boarding.
For a buyer the opportunity is the gap between earnings and price. Pet grooming earns $81,687 and sells for $150,000. A laundromat earns less, $76,560, and sold for a median $250,000, or 3.27 times, because the machines, not the owner's hands, do the work. A dry cleaner earns $132,513 and sold at the same $250,000. The difference is paid for in dependence on skilled people, which a buyer who can groom, or who can retain a lead groomer, can price better than the market does.
The richer neighbor
08Dog daycare and boarding sells for 2.7 times what grooming does
Many groomers eventually look at adding daycare or boarding, and many buyers ask whether to buy a grooming shop or a facility. BizBuySell reports the two separately, and they are different businesses: a facility needs space, staff on the floor for the whole day and, for boarding, overnight care, and it earns a median $157,088 against $81,687. Dog daycare and boarding sold for a median $400,000, 2.67 times the grooming median, on 1.92 times the earnings.
| Median, sold 2021 to 2025 | Pet grooming | Dog daycare and boarding | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median sale price | $150,000 | $400,000 | 2.67 times |
| Median revenue | $314,016 | $503,778 | 1.60 times |
| Median owner earnings (SDE) | $81,687 | $157,088 | 1.92 times |
| Owner margin | 26.0% | 31.2% | 5.2 points more |
| Median sale over median SDE | 1.84x | 2.55x | 1.39 times |
| Average SDE multiple | 2.22x | 3.18x | 1.43 times |
| Median days on market | 170 | 187 | 17 days more |
| Average sale to ask | 0.92 | 0.97 | 0.05 closer to ask |
| SBA debt service coverage at the median price | 3.74x | 2.69x | Both finance |
Median sale price and owner earnings
Grooming, sale
Daycare, sale
Grooming, earnings
Daycare, earnings
BizBuySell sold medians. Daycare earnings and revenue from the service comparison table.
Source: BizBuySell pet grooming and dog daycare and boarding benchmarks, 2021 to 2025. Ratios and differences computed here. The dog daycare page shows two sets of numbers. Its headline box lists revenue of $569,296, earnings of $211,933, a 4.40x earnings multiple and sale to ask of 1.07, but the 4.40x and 1.07 are 2025 only. We use the service comparison table ($503,778, $157,088) and the five-year averages (3.18x earnings, 1.06x revenue, 0.97 sale to ask), which agree with the $400,000 median sale. Without the table, $400,000 over $211,933 would give 1.89x and look cheaper than it is.
| Dog daycare and boarding | Lower quartile | Median | Average | Upper quartile |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Earnings multiple, sold | 2.02x | 2.52x | 3.18x | 3.74x |
| Earnings multiple, current listings | 2.39x | 3.09x | 4.73x | 3.93x |
| Revenue multiple, sold | 0.51x | 0.78x | 1.06x | 1.30x |
| Revenue multiple, current listings | 0.52x | 0.80x | 1.62x | 1.32x |
| Year | Median sale | Median ask | Sale to ask | Days on market | Average SDE multiple | Average revenue multiple |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | $375,000 | $400,000 | 0.92 | 148 | 3.12x | 1.17x |
| 2022 | $300,000 | $275,000 | 0.96 | 160 | 2.58x | 0.80x |
| 2023 | $500,000 | $530,000 | 1.02 | 217 | 3.40x | 1.19x |
| 2024 | $360,000 | $398,000 | 0.91 | 184 | 3.15x | 1.18x |
| 2025 | $850,000 | $675,000 | 1.07 | 238 | 4.40x | 1.15x |
Source: BizBuySell dog daycare and boarding benchmarks, same period. The 2025 row stands out: a median sale of $850,000 against a median ask of $675,000, one of two years, with 2023, where the average sale to ask was above 1.0. BizBuySell does not publish the number of sales behind each year, so treat a single year with care and lean on the five-year figures.
It finances, with less room
At $400,000 with 10 percent down the injection is $40,000 and the loan $360,000, with debt service of about $58,291 a year. The $157,088 of median earnings covers it 2.69 times, and the most a buyer can draw is about $84,224 (computed here, same terms as section 02). That is still well above the grooming draw of $54,363, on a purchase 2.67 times the size.
It takes longer to sell
The median daycare and boarding business took 187 days to sell against 170 for grooming, and 238 days in 2025. Sold businesses closed at an average 0.97 of ask against 0.92 for grooming, so sellers in this category give up less on price and wait longer for it.
Which to buy
Grooming is the cheaper entry: $17,295 of cash at the median, 1.84x earnings and a trade a working groomer already knows. Daycare and boarding earns almost twice as much and costs 2.55 times earnings, with a bigger team and a longer day to manage. The cheaper multiple is not automatically the better buy once your own hours are counted. Compare both against child daycare valuation, a different business at a median $395,000 that prices on the same method.
Methods
09The five ways a pet grooming business gets valued
You will meet most of them in one sale. The lender counts earnings after the owner's salary, a multi-unit operator talks EBITDA, an equipment dealer quotes resale value, and a groomer buying a first shop usually starts from SDE. Knowing which one the other side is using is most of the negotiation.
Seller discretionary earnings multiple
The primary method for an owner-run grooming business and the one an SBA lender underwrites. Normalized SDE times a multiple, where half of all sales landed between 1.38x and 2.51x. Normalize first: the owner grooming without a paycheck, family on payroll, cash services and personal expenses run through the business.
Revenue multiple
Pet grooming businesses sold at a median 0.49x revenue and an average 0.62x, a band from 0.36x to 0.72x. On the median revenue that is $153,868, close to the median price, so it is a fair cross-check. Revenue in a shop that rents out tables is rent, not grooming, so check which kind you are multiplying.
Adjusted EBITDA multiple
Multi-unit operators and franchisees price on earnings after a market wage for the person who runs the shop. For a single shop that wage is the whole story: paying a hired groomer the BLS median still leaves $43,622 of the median $81,687.
Comparable sales
Brokers and lenders go to local comps first. The national sold quartiles on this page are the context, and a shop with sales near the upper quartile of $524,344 and a team that stays belongs near the upper end of the range.
Asset approach
The floor for a shop that is losing money: tubs, tables, dryers, clippers and fixtures at used resale value, supplies at cost and any lease value. A buyer paying close to that is buying a fitted space, not earnings.
Our guide to business valuation for an SBA loan lists what the lender will ask for, and business valuation cost shows what each kind of report costs. On a $150,000 pet grooming business, a $1,500 to $8,000 calculation engagement is 1.00 to 5.33 percent of the price, and a $5,000 to $15,000 conclusion of value is 3.33 to 10.00 percent, which is why most grooming deals start from an estimate.
Questions
Pet grooming business valuation questions, answered against the sold record
How much is a dog grooming business worth?
The median US pet grooming business sold between 2021 and 2025 went for $150,000, on median revenue of $314,016 and median owner earnings of $81,687. Half of all sales landed between 1.38x and 2.51x owner earnings, which on $81,687 is $112,728 to $205,034. Groomer retention and owner involvement decide where a shop lands.
How much does a pet grooming business sell for?
Closed BizBuySell sales from 2021 to 2025 put the median pet grooming business at $150,000, against a median asking price of $165,000. By year the median sale was $150,000, $120,000, $170,000, $152,500 and $175,000 for 2021 through 2025. Sold businesses closed at an average 0.92 of their asking price.
What multiple is a pet grooming business worth?
Pet grooming businesses sold at a median 1.89 times seller discretionary earnings and an average of 2.22x, with a lower quartile of 1.38x and an upper quartile of 2.51x. On revenue the median was 0.49x and the average 0.62x. Dividing the median sale by the median earnings gives 1.84x.
How do you value a pet grooming business?
Normalize the owner earnings, then apply a multiple between about 1.38x and 2.51x, higher for larger shops with a team that does not depend on the owner. Cross-check it against revenue at 0.36x to 0.72x, review the appointment book and the lease, and test what an SBA lender would finance at the salary you need.
How much does a pet grooming business owner make?
The median pet grooming business sold between 2021 and 2025 produced $81,687 of owner earnings on $314,016 of revenue, a 26.0 percent margin. In 2025 the median was $93,105 on $380,000. Those earnings usually include the owner grooming, so part of them is pay for a job that BLS prices at a $35,360 median for animal caretakers.
Is a pet grooming business profitable?
The ones that sell are. The median shop sold from 2021 to 2025 kept $81,687 of owner earnings on $314,016 of revenue. The margin has moved, though: 32.2 percent for 2021 sales, 34.0 percent in 2022, then 24.2, 28.5 and 26.0 percent as revenue grew faster than earnings.
Can you get an SBA loan to buy a pet grooming business?
Yes. At the $150,000 median the loan is about $135,000, and the median $81,687 of earnings covers the debt service 3.74 times. A buyer can draw up to about $54,363 a year at that price. Because the price is under $350,000, the lender may value the shop in house instead of ordering an appraisal.
Is buying a dog grooming business a good investment?
On the sold record it is one of the cheaper ways to buy earnings in the service group, at 1.84 times median earnings. A groomer who buys the median shop can draw about $54,363, roughly 1.5 times the $35,360 BLS median for animal caretakers. The risks are groomer turnover, the lease and income that is not on the books.
How long does it take to sell a pet grooming business?
BizBuySell reports a median of 170 days on the market for pet grooming businesses that sold, a little under six months from listing to an accepted deal. The 2025 median was 193 days, the slowest of the five years. Lender review and any lease consent usually add several weeks before closing.
Do pet grooming businesses sell for the asking price?
Not quite. Sold pet grooming businesses closed at an average 0.92 of their asking price, and the median sale of $150,000 was 90.9 percent of the $165,000 median ask. Current listings ask a median 2.67 times earnings against 1.89 times paid, so most asking prices have room to come down.
How much is a dog daycare and boarding business worth?
The median dog daycare and boarding business sold between 2021 and 2025 went for $400,000, against $150,000 for grooming. Half of sales landed between 2.02x and 3.74x owner earnings, with a median of 2.52x and an average of 3.18x. On the median earnings of $157,088 the median price is 2.55 times.
How much does a pet grooming business valuation cost?
A calculation engagement from a credentialed appraiser typically costs $1,500 to $8,000, and a full conclusion of value $5,000 to $15,000. On a $150,000 shop that is 1 to 10 percent of the price, which is why most grooming deals start from an estimate against closed sales and a lender in house review.
Benchmarks behind the estimate
Buying or selling an owner-run service business
Know the range before you sign a letter of intent
Enter revenue and owner earnings, for your own grooming business or for one you are considering, and read a value range against real pet grooming sales. An estimate in a few minutes, before you pay a broker or an appraiser.