Barbers: Career Profile
Provide barbering services, such as cutting, trimming, shampooing, and styling hair; trimming beards; or giving shaves.
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What Tasks Do Barbers Take On?
The core tasks performed by barbers include:
- Clean and sterilize scissors, combs, clippers, and other instruments.
- Drape and pin protective cloths around customers' shoulders.
- Cut and trim hair according to clients' instructions or current hairstyles, using clippers, combs, hand-held blow driers, and scissors.
- Question patrons regarding desired services and haircut styles.
- Clean work stations and sweep floors.
- Apply lather and shave beards or neck and temple hair contours, using razors.
- Record services provided on cashiers' tickets or receive payment from customers.
- Shape and trim beards and moustaches, using scissors.
What Barbers Need to Know
Successful barbers combine a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Key Skills
The competencies most important for this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Top Knowledge Areas
Types of Barbers Jobs
Common job titles for this role include:
- Barber
- Barber Shop Operator
- Barber Stylist
- Hair Cutter
- Hairstylist
- Licensed Barber
- Stylist
- Tonsorial Artist
Job Outlook
There are about 152,040 barbers working in the United States today. This occupation is expected to grow by +10.7% over the projection horizon.
How Much Do Barbers Make?
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $47,321 |
| Hourly median | $22.75 |
| 10th percentile | $30,081 |
| 25th percentile | $38,701 |
| 75th percentile | $55,941 |
| 90th percentile | $64,561 |
Pay can vary substantially based on experience, location, and industry.
Barbers Salary by State
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $102,360 |
| Iowa | $78,480 |
| Washington | $70,750 |
| North Carolina | $64,290 |
| Colorado | $56,690 |
| Louisiana | $49,850 |
| New Jersey | $49,360 |
| Massachusetts | $48,990 |
| Kentucky | $48,930 |
| Georgia | $47,630 |
| Ohio | $46,930 |
| Florida | $46,900 |
| Maryland | $46,530 |
| Virginia | $44,760 |
| Missouri | $44,390 |
| Indiana | $43,590 |
| Pennsylvania | $42,570 |
| South Carolina | $37,300 |
| Minnesota | $37,250 |
| California | $36,590 |
| Maine | $36,460 |
| Texas | $36,400 |
| Illinois | $36,300 |
| Connecticut | $35,810 |
| Wisconsin | $34,360 |
| West Virginia | $34,360 |
| North Dakota | $34,100 |
| Arizona | $32,840 |
| New York | $32,050 |
| Oklahoma | $31,450 |
| Tennessee | $31,230 |
| Michigan | $29,390 |
| Alabama | $27,850 |
| Utah | $25,290 |
| Arkansas | $24,700 |
| Mississippi | $24,110 |
Pay by U.S. Region
Earnings for barbers differ across the country. These regions lead on median pay:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plains States | $50,841 | 4.5% | 1.21 |
| Rocky Mountains | $46,792 | 6.3% | 1.73 |
| Middle Atlantic | $46,342 | 14.1% | 1.86 |
| Southeast | $43,820 | 26.0% | 1.27 |
| Far Western US | $42,769 | 13.6% | 0.79 |
| New England | $36,460 | 0.5% | 0.88 |
| Great Lakes | $36,278 | 7.5% | 0.68 |
| Southwest | $36,252 | 27.6% | 2.36 |
Highest-Paying Metro Areas for Barbers
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | WA | $79,720 | 220 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | CO | $73,460 | 320 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | OR | $72,980 | 180 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | DC | $70,630 | 210 |
| Colorado Springs, CO | CO | $68,540 | 90 |
| Jacksonville, FL | FL | $55,860 | 160 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | IN | $54,850 | 160 |
| Tallahassee, FL | FL | $52,370 | 50 |
Which Industries Hire Barbers
The largest employers of barbers are concentrated in the following sectors:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Other Services (except Public Administration) | 17,660 | $38,620 |
| Educational Services | 80 | $35,580 |
| Health Care and Social Assistance | 50 | $39,720 |
Barbers work in the following industries:
Software Barbers Use
- Web page creation and editing software: Facebook (hot technology)
- Operating system software: Linux (hot technology)
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Presentation software: Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Operating system software: Microsoft Windows (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
The Day-to-Day Environment
The work environment for barbers is shaped by the following characteristics:
- Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls
- Contact With Others
- Freedom to Make Decisions
- Physical Proximity
- Spend Time Standing
How to Become Barbers
Typical barbers positions require some college, no degree as the typical entry-level education. The role falls in Medium Preparation Needed (Job Zone 3), reflecting the level of preparation typically expected.
Similar Occupations
Similar Occupations
- Spa Managers (Primary-Long)
- Floral Designers (Supplemental)
- First-Line Supervisors of Housekeeping and Janitorial Workers (Supplemental)
- Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners (Supplemental)
- First-Line Supervisors of Personal Service Workers (Primary-Long)
- Locker Room, Coatroom, and Dressing Room Attendants (Supplemental)
- Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists (Primary-Short)
- Makeup Artists, Theatrical and Performance (Primary-Short)
Where to Study
Aspiring barbers commonly pursue programs in:
Personal and Culinary Services
4 programs across 1 majors
References
Data on this page comes from the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 39-5011.00 (Barbers).
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