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Career

Barbers

Typical education: Certificate or apprenticeshipHigh pressure

What they do

Provide barbering services, such as cutting, trimming, shampooing, and styling hair; trimming beards; or giving shaves.

Kinds of work

  • Realistic: Hands-on work with tools, machines, plants or animals, often outdoors.
  • Conventional: Organizing information, following clear procedures and working with data and details.
  • Social: Helping, teaching, caring for and supporting other people.

High pressure: How much pressure workers in this job report: deadlines, conflict, dealing with upset people, the cost of mistakes, responsibility for others' safety, competition and long hours. It varies a lot from one employer to the next. Source: U.S. Department of Labor worker surveys.

Pay, tasks and more

Salary

United States $38,210 Median per year · $18.37/hr Most earn $28,600–$76,460

BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2025.

What you might do

  • Suggest treatments to alleviate hair problems.
  • Measure, fit, and groom hairpieces.
  • Order supplies.
  • Measure, fit, and groom hairpieces.
  • Cut and trim hair according to clients' instructions or current hairstyles, using clippers, combs, hand-held blow driers, and scissors.
  • Clean work stations and sweep floors.

Job outlook

United States
3% more jobs by 2035, about as fast as average · about 6,900 openings a year

Openings include new jobs and jobs left by workers who retire or change careers. Projections: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. "Bright Outlook": U.S. Department of Labor.

Where they work

  • Self-employed (their own business)79.9%
  • Personal care services19.6%

Share of all workers in this career. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, National Employment Matrix.

Experience before this job: None

Some people start through an apprenticeship: paid training on the job, often with classes. Search apprenticeships on Apprenticeship.gov (opens in a new tab) ↗

Career path

How people usually get into this career, from school to their first job and beyond.

Typical education: Certificate or apprenticeshipExperience before this job: NoneEntry-level

Barbering is a hands-on job you can start soon after finishing a state-approved barber training program or apprenticeship, and typical related work experience before entry is none. Many barbers finish training in about 1 to 2 years and then begin cutting hair.

  1. High school diploma or GED

    4 years

    Finish high school and build people skills, since barbers talk with clients all day and keep them coming back.

  2. Barber training program or apprenticeship

    9 months to 2 years

    Complete a licensed barber school or apprenticeship where you learn cutting, shaving, sanitation, and state rules, which is usually required before you can get a license.

  3. Pass the state barber licensing exam

    1-3 months

    Take your state's written and practical exams to get a license, which lets you work legally as a barber.

  4. Barber

    Entry-level

    Work in a barbershop or salon, building a regular client base and a steady set of skills in cuts, fades, and beard work.

Where it can lead

  1. Lead Barber

    3-5 years of experience first

    You take on training newer barbers, handling scheduling and client issues, and often set the shop's style standards.

  2. Barbershop Owner or Manager

    5-10 years of experience first

    You run the business side, including hiring, pricing, inventory, and budgets, which usually requires strong experience and business skills.

What you can do now

Ideas for high school and college students.

In high school

  • Take art, design, or a chemistry-friendly science classArt builds an eye for shape and balance, which helps with fades and cuts.
  • Get a starter job in customer serviceA part-time job at a store or restaurant teaches you to make people feel welcome, a core barber skill.
  • Practice grooming on friends and familySimple beard trims and haircuts on willing volunteers build comfort with clippers and scissors.
  • Tour a licensed barber school or talk to a local barberSeeing the training and daily work firsthand helps you decide if this career fits you.
  • Learn your state's age and licensing requirementsKnowing the minimum age for training and any school rules lets you plan ahead.

In college

  • Work a part-time job in a salon or barbershopShop-floor experience, like sweeping hair or greeting clients, shows you how the business runs.
  • Take a business or marketing classBasic bookkeeping and social media skills help you build a client base and run your own chair someday.
  • Enroll in a licensed barber program part-timeSome schools offer evening or weekend classes, so you can train while keeping your studies going.
  • Volunteer at a community event with haircutsOffering free cuts at shelters or school events builds experience and a portfolio.
  • Learn basic customer service and communicationClear communication helps you understand what clients want and keeps them returning.

Tips for getting started

  • Visit a few barbershops and ask owners what their training and first-year days look like. Real-world talk helps you decide.
  • Practice on family or friends with clippers and scissors, and keep photos of your work to show schools and shop owners.
  • Check your state's barber licensing rules early, since required training hours and exam details vary by state.

Related jobs a step up

Education, experience and related careers: U.S. Department of Labor. The step-by-step path, where it can lead and what you can do now were written by AI as typical examples; many people take other ways.

College majors that lead here

Majors: U.S. Department of Education and BLS (CIP–SOC crosswalk). Earnings and debt: College Scorecard, typical across U.S. colleges.

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