diff --git a/python/dask_cudf/dask_cudf/groupby.py b/python/dask_cudf/dask_cudf/groupby.py
index 6d819d9d462..a64aabe1a6b 100644
--- a/python/dask_cudf/dask_cudf/groupby.py
+++ b/python/dask_cudf/dask_cudf/groupby.py
@@ -84,17 +84,12 @@ def __getitem__(self, key):
         return g
 
     @_dask_cudf_nvtx_annotate
-    def _columns_not_in_by(self):
-        """Generator of the columns contained in the groupby agg result"""
+    def _make_groupby_method_aggs(self, agg_name):
+        """Create aggs dictionary for aggregation methods"""
 
         if isinstance(self.by, list):
-            for c in self.obj.columns:
-                if c not in self.by:
-                    yield c
-        else:
-            for c in self.obj.columns:
-                if c != self.by:
-                    yield c
+            return {c: agg_name for c in self.obj.columns if c not in self.by}
+        return {c: agg_name for c in self.obj.columns if c != self.by}
 
     @_dask_cudf_nvtx_annotate
     @_check_groupby_supported
@@ -102,7 +97,7 @@ def count(self, split_every=None, split_out=1):
         return groupby_agg(
             self.obj,
             self.by,
-            {c: "count" for c in self._columns_not_in_by()},
+            self._make_groupby_method_aggs("count"),
             split_every=split_every,
             split_out=split_out,
             sep=self.sep,
@@ -117,7 +112,7 @@ def mean(self, split_every=None, split_out=1):
         return groupby_agg(
             self.obj,
             self.by,
-            {c: "mean" for c in self._columns_not_in_by()},
+            self._make_groupby_method_aggs("mean"),
             split_every=split_every,
             split_out=split_out,
             sep=self.sep,
@@ -132,7 +127,7 @@ def std(self, split_every=None, split_out=1):
         return groupby_agg(
             self.obj,
             self.by,
-            {c: "std" for c in self._columns_not_in_by()},
+            self._make_groupby_method_aggs("std"),
             split_every=split_every,
             split_out=split_out,
             sep=self.sep,
@@ -147,7 +142,7 @@ def var(self, split_every=None, split_out=1):
         return groupby_agg(
             self.obj,
             self.by,
-            {c: "var" for c in self._columns_not_in_by()},
+            self._make_groupby_method_aggs("var"),
             split_every=split_every,
             split_out=split_out,
             sep=self.sep,
@@ -162,7 +157,7 @@ def sum(self, split_every=None, split_out=1):
         return groupby_agg(
             self.obj,
             self.by,
-            {c: "sum" for c in self._columns_not_in_by()},
+            self._make_groupby_method_aggs("sum"),
             split_every=split_every,
             split_out=split_out,
             sep=self.sep,
@@ -177,7 +172,7 @@ def min(self, split_every=None, split_out=1):
         return groupby_agg(
             self.obj,
             self.by,
-            {c: "min" for c in self._columns_not_in_by()},
+            self._make_groupby_method_aggs("min"),
             split_every=split_every,
             split_out=split_out,
             sep=self.sep,
@@ -192,7 +187,7 @@ def max(self, split_every=None, split_out=1):
         return groupby_agg(
             self.obj,
             self.by,
-            {c: "max" for c in self._columns_not_in_by()},
+            self._make_groupby_method_aggs("max"),
             split_every=split_every,
             split_out=split_out,
             sep=self.sep,
@@ -207,7 +202,7 @@ def collect(self, split_every=None, split_out=1):
         return groupby_agg(
             self.obj,
             self.by,
-            {c: "collect" for c in self._columns_not_in_by()},
+            self._make_groupby_method_aggs("collect"),
             split_every=split_every,
             split_out=split_out,
             sep=self.sep,
@@ -222,7 +217,7 @@ def first(self, split_every=None, split_out=1):
         return groupby_agg(
             self.obj,
             self.by,
-            {c: "first" for c in self._columns_not_in_by()},
+            self._make_groupby_method_aggs("first"),
             split_every=split_every,
             split_out=split_out,
             sep=self.sep,
@@ -237,7 +232,7 @@ def last(self, split_every=None, split_out=1):
         return groupby_agg(
             self.obj,
             self.by,
-            {c: "last" for c in self._columns_not_in_by()},
+            self._make_groupby_method_aggs("last"),
             split_every=split_every,
             split_out=split_out,
             sep=self.sep,