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Barber: pay, job outlook and how to become one

Updated October 26, 2026. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET data. Published by Humblebee.

$38,210median pay per year, or $18.37 an hour, May 2025[1]
  1. $28,600lowest 10% earn less
  2. $31,57025th percentile
  3. $38,210median
  4. $58,96075th percentile
  5. $76,460top 10% earn more
Middle half of workers in the inner band[3]Median for all US jobs, $50,980[4]

The median barber earned $38,210 a year in May 2025[1]. About 80% of barbers were self-employed in 2025[2].

Job growth, 2025–35
+3.3%[5]
Openings per year
6,900[6]
Typical entry education
Postsecondary nondegree award[7]

How much do barbers make?

The median pay for barbers was $38,210 a year, or $18.37 an hour, in May 2025[1]. Half of barbers earned more and half earned less[1]. The average was higher, at $47,070 a year or $22.63 an hour[8]. For all occupations, the median annual wage was $50,980[4].

The range is wide[3]:

Percentile Annual pay Hourly pay
10th[3][9] $28,600 $13.75
25th[3][9] $31,570 $15.18
75th[3][9] $58,960 $28.35
90th[3][9] $76,460 $36.76

The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $28,600[3]. BLS publishes percentile wages, not a starting salary[10].

These figures cover about 15,000 barbers with wage or salary jobs[11]. They leave out the self-employed and do not include benefits[12]. That matters here, because 79.9% of barbers were self-employed in 2025[2].

Pay by state and city

Median pay for barbers varied a lot by state. Oregon was first at $77,430, followed by Illinois at $65,430 and Colorado at $61,500[13]. Tennessee was last of the 36 states with published data, at $24,690[13].

Texas had the most barber jobs at 2,580[14]. California (1,390), Florida (1,240), Washington (1,220) and Missouri (580) followed[14].

Among metro areas with at least 100 jobs, Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA had the highest median at $64,310[15]. Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO was next at $61,080[15]. The metro with the most jobs was Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX, with 790 jobs and a median of $33,000[16].

Show median pay in 36 states
StateMedian per yearJobs
Oregon[13]$77,430n/a
Illinois$65,430n/a
Colorado$61,500480
Washington$61,1501,220
Iowa$58,900130
New Jersey$54,850n/a
Minnesota$53,990260
Florida$49,4101,240
North Dakota$48,54080
Missouri$47,880580
Virginia$46,730160
Louisiana$44,43040
Connecticut$41,400330
New Mexico$39,10050
Nebraska$39,090n/a
New York$38,580n/a
Mississippi$38,480n/a
California$38,3801,390
Pennsylvania$36,920530
Wisconsin$36,540450
Idaho$36,040130
Michigan$35,490n/a
Maryland$35,400n/a
Maine$35,30050
Rhode Island$34,900n/a
Oklahoma$34,860170
Arizona$34,380n/a
Indiana$33,600370
South Carolina$32,900220
North Carolina$31,050330
Texas$30,7602,580
Georgia$30,750550
Alabama$29,120n/a
Arkansas$25,640170
Utah$25,370320
Tennessee$24,690n/a

How to become a barber

The usual route, from BLS data on a wider group of occupations[17]:

All states require a license[21]. A fee usually applies, and some states require continuing education when you renew[22]. Licensed barbers may be able to get a license in another state without more training or testing under reciprocity agreements[23]. Check with your state licensing agency.

BLS lists no typical work experience in a related job and no typical on-the-job training[7].

What barbers do

O*NET describes barbers as workers who cut, trim, shampoo and style hair, trim beards and give shaves[24]. Common tasks include[25]:

Where barbers work

Barbers, hairstylists and cosmetologists work mostly in barbershops or salons. Some work in spas, hotels or resorts[26]. Some rent booth space from a salon owner, and others open their own shop after gaining experience[26]. About 80% of this wider group were self-employed[27].

Workers are on their feet for most of a shift. They may wear gloves or aprons because some chemicals can irritate skin[28]. Full-time work is common, and part-time work is too. Schedules often include evenings and weekends[29]. Self-employed owners often set their own schedules[29].

Job outlook

Employment of barbers is projected to grow 3.3% from 2025 to 2035, from about 75,800 to 78,300 jobs[5]. That is close to the 3.5% projected for all occupations[30]. These counts include self-employed workers[5].

About 6,900 openings a year are projected[6]. Openings include jobs that come up when people retire or switch occupations, not only new jobs[6]. Each year, 2.8% of barbers leave the labor force and 5.8% move to a different occupation[31].

Is it a good fit?

The median pay is below the all-occupations median[1][4], but the top 10% earned $76,460 or more[3]. Pay also depends on where you work[13]. Most barbers work for themselves[2], so income may depend on building a client base, which the facts do not measure. Entry takes a state-approved program and a license exam[18][20]. Growth is about the same as the all-occupations rate[5][30].

Related occupations from O*NET, with BLS median pay and projected growth[32].

Frequently asked questions

How much does a barber make an hour?
The median was $18.37 an hour in May 2025, and the average was $22.63[1][8].
How much does a barber make a year?
The median was $38,210 a year[1]. The 90th percentile was $76,460[3].
Do barbers need a license?
Yes. All states require barbers, hairstylists and cosmetologists to be licensed[21].
What is the highest paying state for barbers?
Oregon, with a median of $77,430 a year[13].
Is barbering in demand?
Employment is projected to grow 3.3% from 2025 to 2035, with about 6,900 openings a year[5][6].

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Barbers in the US was $38,210 per year and $18.37 per hour. Half of workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  2. BLS Employment Projections: 79.9% of Barbers were self-employed in 2025. BLS Employment Projections
  3. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Barbers: 10th percentile $28,600, 25th percentile $31,570, 75th percentile $58,960, 90th percentile $76,460. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  4. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in the US was $50,980. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  5. BLS Employment Projections: employment of Barbers is projected to grow 3.3% from 2025 to 2035, from about 75,800 to 78,300 jobs (a change of +2,500). These counts include self-employed workers. BLS Employment Projections
  6. BLS Employment Projections: about 6,900 openings for Barbers are projected each year, on average, from 2025 to 2035. Openings include jobs that open when workers retire or move to other occupations, not only new jobs. BLS Employment Projections
  7. BLS Employment Projections, typical path into Barbers: education needed for entry: Postsecondary nondegree award; work experience in a related occupation: None; typical on-the-job training: None. BLS Employment Projections
  8. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Barbers was $47,070 per year and $22.63 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  9. BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for Barbers: 10th percentile $13.75, 25th percentile $15.18, 75th percentile $28.35, 90th percentile $36.76. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  10. BLS OEWS FAQ: a percentile wage is a boundary. The median (50th percentile) separates the highest-paid 50% from the lowest-paid 50% of workers in the occupation. OEWS publishes percentile wages, not a starting salary. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  11. BLS OEWS, May 2025: about 15,000 people were employed as Barbers in the US (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  12. BLS OEWS FAQ: OEWS covers part-time and full-time workers paid a wage or salary. It does not cover the self-employed, owners and partners in unincorporated firms, household workers or unpaid family workers. OEWS wages do not include nonproduction bonuses or employer costs of benefits such as health insurance or retirement contributions. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  13. Median annual wage for Barbers in every state with published data, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  14. BLS OEWS, May 2025, states with the most Barbers jobs: Texas 2,580; California 1,390; Florida 1,240; Washington 1,220; Missouri 580. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  15. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the highest median annual wage for Barbers (areas with at least 100 jobs): Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA $64,310; Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO $61,080; St. Louis, MO-IL $57,960; Jacksonville, FL $57,860; Springfield, MO $56,580; San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $43,650; Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT $43,020; Kansas City, MO-KS $42,210. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  16. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the most Barbers jobs: Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 790 (median $33,000); Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX 630 (median $30,690); Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 470 (median $37,680); Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX 400 (median $32,770); Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA 360 (median $30,750); San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX 350 (median $29,090). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  17. The BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile "Barbers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists" covers Barbers together with other related occupations, so its text describes the wider group. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  18. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Education. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  19. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  20. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  21. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  22. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  23. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  24. O*NET description of Barbers. O*NET OnLine
  25. O*NET task list for Barbers. O*NET OnLine
  26. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  27. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, largest employers of barbers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists in 2025: Self-employed workers 80%. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  28. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  29. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment: Work Schedules. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  30. BLS Employment Projections: employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% from 2025 to 2035. BLS Employment Projections
  31. BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35 annual average for Barbers: 2.8% of workers leave the labor force each year and 5.8% move to a different occupation. BLS Employment Projections
  32. Related occupations (O*NET) with BLS pay, growth and entry education. O*NET OnLine

Notes are for reading the data only. They are not facts and cannot be cited: use the wage_scope and percentile_meaning facts instead. OEWS employment (jobs in May 2025) and Employment Projections employment (2025, includes self-employed) are different measures and can differ. O*NET education shares come from a small survey of workers in the occupation, not from all workers. The Occupational Outlook Handbook text covers a wider group of occupations than this page.

This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerFacts has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.