How much does a Barber make?
A Barber earns a median annual salary of $38,210 in the United States, which works out to roughly $18.37 per hour for full-time work. Most Barbers earn between $28,600 at the entry level and $76,460 at the senior end, with the middle 50% taking home between $31,570 and $58,960 a year.
That is $23,180 less than the median across all occupations in BLS data ($61,390).
Barber salary range by percentile
Half of all Barbers earn between $31,570 and $58,960 a year.
| Pay level | Annual salary | Hourly rate | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $28,600 | $13.75 | |
| 25th percentile (early career) | $31,570 | $15.18 | |
| 50th percentile (median) | $38,210 | $18.37 | |
| 75th percentile (experienced) | $58,960 | $28.35 | |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $76,460 | $36.76 |
Highest-paying states for Barber
Where you work matters more than almost anything else. Oregon leads the country for Barber pay at $77,430 a year, followed by Illinois ($65,430) and Colorado ($61,500). At the other end, Tennessee posts the lowest median at $24,690 — a gap of $52,740 for the same job, driven by local demand, industry mix, and cost of living.
| # | State | Median salary | Hourly | vs national |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oregon | $77,430 | $37.23 | +103% |
| 2 | Illinois | $65,430 | $31.46 | +71% |
| 3 | Colorado | $61,500 | $29.57 | +61% |
| 4 | Washington | $61,150 | $29.40 | +60% |
| 5 | Iowa | $58,900 | $28.32 | +54% |
Barber salary in every state
Official BLS state-level figures across 36 states and territories. Click a state for the full local breakdown.
Workforce and education
About 15,000 people work as Barbers in the United States. The mean (average) wage is $47,070 — above the median, which means high earners pull the average up. On qualifications: a high school diploma is typically enough, with most skills learned on the job, per O*NET occupation data.
Frequently asked questions
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Related salaries
Other personal care & service roles with similar pay.