Barbers Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for barbers in the U.S. is $38,210 ($18.37 per hour), according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, May 2025 estimates.
- Median annual wage
- $38,210
- Mean annual wage
- $47,070
- Median hourly wage
- $18.37
- Employment
- 15,000
15,000 employed
Wage percentiles
| Percentile | Annual wage | Hourly wage |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $28,600 | $13.75 |
| 25th percentile | $31,570 | $15.18 |
| Median (50th) | $38,210 | $18.37 |
| 75th percentile | $58,960 | $28.35 |
| 90th percentile | $76,460 | $36.76 |
Highest-paying states for barbers
| State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Oregon | $77,430 | — |
| Illinois | $65,430 | — |
| Colorado | $61,500 | 480 |
| Washington | $61,150 | 1,220 |
| Iowa | $58,900 | 130 |
| New Jersey | $54,850 | — |
| Minnesota | $53,990 | 260 |
| Florida | $49,410 | 1,240 |
| North Dakota | $48,540 | 80 |
| Missouri | $47,880 | 580 |
Lowest-paying states
- Tennessee: $24,690 median annual wage
- Utah: $25,370 median annual wage
- Arkansas: $25,640 median annual wage
- Alabama: $29,120 median annual wage
- Georgia: $30,750 median annual wage
About this occupation
Provide barbering services, such as cutting, trimming, shampooing, and styling hair; trimming beards; or giving shaves.
Typical tasks
- Record services provided on cashiers' tickets or receive payment from customers.
- Clean and sterilize scissors, combs, clippers, and other instruments.
- Question patrons regarding desired services and haircut styles.
- Suggest treatments to alleviate hair problems.
- Perform clerical and administrative duties such as keeping records, paying bills, and hiring and supervising personnel.
- Shampoo hair.
Education of the current workforce — typical entry: Postsecondary certificate
| Education level | Share of workers |
|---|---|
| Less than high school diploma | 10.9% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 44.6% |
| Some college, no degree | 27.6% |
| Associate's degree | 9.9% |
| Bachelor's degree | 5.5% |
| Master's degree | 1.2% |
| Doctoral or professional degree | 0.4% |
Occupation profile data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor.
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About this data
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — data period May 2025, retrieved August 13, 2026.
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — data period May 2025, retrieved August 13, 2026.
- CareerOneStop Occupation Profiles — data period 2026-08, retrieved August 14, 2026.
Figures are shown exactly as published by the source or derived by the documented formulas on our methodology page. Where a source suppresses an estimate, we show “—” rather than a substitute value.