How Much Do Barbers Make: Average Barber Salary (Guide)

Does it really pay off to become a barber?

The job is definitely interesting, and you are almost never going to run out of customers, as people need to cut their hair, shave or trim and shape their beard.

But, is it really worth all the hassle?

Becoming a barber is a tricky business.

You are going to need to deal with a lot of different people and learn to create a variety of different hair and beard styles.

All of that shouldn’t be an issue if you are paid well, right?

Loving your job is one thing, but being compensated for it is something entirely different.

You have to learn how to make a living off of it and enjoy it.

So our topic today is – how much do barbers make?

We explore the average salary and talk about the profession in general.

What Does It Take to Become a Barber

There are several steps that you will first need to take to become a barber in the first place to start earning money. These steps involve:

• Completing your high school and getting a GED or diploma
• Being at least 16 years old
• Completing an apprenticeship with a licensed barber
• Completing a training program or a barbering/cosmetology degree
• Giving and passing a barber licensing exam (both written and practical)

You should note that different states are likely to have additional requirements when it comes to becoming a barber, so make sure you are aware of your own state’s policies so that you can proceed in the right way.

How Much Do the Barbers Make Per Year

Generally, barbers can expect to make around $30,000 to $50,000 per year. However, this can vary considerably depending on where you are located, what kind of services you provide, how you market yourself, what your customers have to say about you and more.

Some barbers, especially those who own the shop, can expect to make anywhere between $80,000 and $100,000 per year, with a few ups and downs possible.

There are several other aspects of being a barber that can increase your salaries, such as the cash tips you receive from your clients or customers.

For instance, some customers can choose to tip you more simply if they have additional help that you can provide. These other services could include identifying your desired beard type and style, how to style and maintain the beard, choosing short beard styles for men of all ages, maintaining a particular hairstyle, which products to use, and more.

How Much Do Barbershop Owners Make

Barbershop owners can expect to make more than $50,000 per year, with typical incomes generally ranging from $80,000 to $100,000. However, this higher range is usually only possible in specific locations while also depending on what you offer.

It is also possible for sure barbers to serve celebrities or richer clients, in which case the amount they charge for their services can also be higher. Such barbers might also choose to offer custom pricing to increase their earnings.

Overall, the salary as a barbershop owner can also reflect the costs you have to incur in maintaining the shop and how much you charge your clients to make up for these costs.

Per hour, a barbershop owner can expect to make up to $25-$30, although if you earn direct tips, this can increase the rate even more.

Average Barber Salary by State

The state you live in is likely to affect how much you earn on average per year. You can go through the average annual barber salary for some states below, although you should note that this can vary even within the state, depending on the region or location.

• New York: $45,000
• Colorado: $40,000
• Texas: $38,000
• California: $43,000
• Washington: $49,000
• New Jersey: $40,000
• Massachusetts: $43,000
• Florida: $38,000
• Oregon: $39,000
• Illinois: $37,000
• Ohio: $37,000
• Virginia: $38,000
• Kentucky: $37,000
• Minnesota: $40,000
• Wisconsin: $40,000

Some of the states generally tend to pay more, while most other states tend to average an annual income of $35,000. Once again, this average annual salary does not necessarily include cash tips that barbers might receive.

What Factors Determine a Barber’s Income

As a customer, a year of growing your beard out and then visiting a barber for trimming your beard and shaping it based on your talk with your barber about the beard style you like is likely to cost you more.

In similar terms, barbers can charge more for certain services while also expecting to earn more depending on a range of other factors that you can go through below.

Barbershop Location

The location where you set up your barbershop can make a huge difference in how much you can earn as an income. We have already seen that certain states can give you more of an income than others, although there are vital differences even within the state.

Some posh or extravagant parts of town that usually receive rich customers are likely to have higher prices for their services, allowing them to earn more even through tips.

Of course, the more exclusive and expensive the location, the more you are bound to pay for setting up your shop in the first place and for managing its expenses while also paying your employees if any. It is, therefore, essential to ensure that you can make up for this through your services.

Make sure you do your research to find the best possible location for your shop. As an apprentice or employee, you should also look for shops based in such locations.

Target Demographic

Your target demographic is important to take into account here as well. In a way, this is tied in with the location of your barbershop since more exclusive locations are likely to give you customers that also have more spending ability and who would be willing to spend a higher amount of money on your services.

Despite this, it is still important for you to offer fair prices to ensure that you do not charge too high a price. This can help ensure that your customers are satisfied with your services and keep returning to you.

Make sure you also consider what other barbershops in the same area are charging and what makes your target demographic seek them for their haircuts and other adjacent services.

Quality of Service

The quality of services that you can offer can impact your income since more experienced barbers are likely to earn more than those just starting in their careers.

Thus, trying to build your experience, obtain new skills, work on achieving certificates, and establish your shop well can impact your income.

The quality of some products and tools that you use in your shop can also matter here since it can allow you to improve the quality of your service, leading to better results and a higher income.

Thus, go ahead and buy the beard grooming kit, the world’s best beard comb, that premium beard oil you’ve been eyeing as well as that tool that will perfectly shape your beard.

Reviews and Reputation

Depending on the kind and quality of services you provide and the steps you take to improve the customer’s experience, you are bound to get certain reviews that can help establish your reputation in the industry and the town or location you work in.

In this sense, having a good or bad reputation can determine the kind of income you will earn. A good reputation will increase the number of customers you have, allowing you to make more while also putting you at an advantage if you want to increase some of your prices.

How to Make Money as a Barber

Start Your Barbershop

Starting your barbershop can be a great decision to make money. However, to do this, having sufficient prior experience is vital to establish your shop more easily while also gaining some already loyal customers.

It is also essential for you to take some time to plan your expenses, obtain a license, register for the shop, gather the funds required to start the shop, find a suitable location and figure out how and where to source your equipment, among other steps.

Build Your Own Brand

Building your brand is an excellent way to make more money as a barber. This can mainly be helpful if you also have your barbershop and can figure out ways to make certain products of your own.

In addition, continuing to build the quality of your service and managing your shop can help you build your brand as well. Once you manage to establish this brand, you can continue to grow it by opening new shops.

Promote Yourself on Social Media

A social media account can be another excellent way to grow your presence and make more money. It can improve your reach among more people and allow potential customers to find you and seek you out for your services.

Promoting your store, showing the range of haircuts and styles you can offer, the kinds of products you use, and what your loyal customers have to say about you can help immensely. Social media accounts such as Instagram that can then link target audiences to your shop and brand’s website can also enhance this.

How Barbers Can Increase Profits

Clients Base

Making an effort to build and establish your client base can go a long way in helping you increase profits. How you treat your clients the first time they come in, what kind of services you offer, how satisfied they leave your shop and how often they return can matter considerably here.

In this way, you can obtain several loyal customers who will continue to rely on you whenever they need such services. They can then spread the word about your shop to their friends and family, allowing you to grow your client base.

Social Presence and Marketing

The previous section has already established building your social media presence to make money as a barber. Maintaining this kind of social presence and marketing your brand and services is important in this regard, so make sure you take out the time to update your social media on a frequent and regular basis.

If you can afford to, you can also hire a marketing specialist to help you out in this regard.

Visual Presentation

Visual presentation is essential for increasing your profits as a barber. This can not only apply to improving your presence online but also inside your shop as well.

Designing your shop to convey the essence of your brand and services can attract and retain customers. If you have your products, making sure that you display your logo on the things you sell can also help you grow your brand.

How you dress in the barbershop and how you present yourself to your clients are vital to work on as well. Make sure you maintain a clean appearance while also showing off professionalism in your haircut so that your clients can grow to rely on you more.

High-Quality Standard Services

You need to provide standard services at a high quality to build the trust of your customers and have them return to you for these services. Thus, even if they want a simple trim of their hair or beard, it should be of good quality to be satisfied.

Make sure you charge a fair price for these services since an unfairly high price might turn potential customers away. However, you can offer some extra services or invest in better equipment if you want a higher price to be reflective of the value your customers receive.

Promotions and offers can also help in this regard.

Improving Skills

Getting stuck with your skills and relying on them to take you forward might not work. You need to keep working on your skills and improving them so that the quality of the service that you offer can also increase.

This can include taking some additional courses, receiving new certificates, learning a new skill, watching videos, practicing what you learn, and even working on other skills such as communication.

These can then go a long way in helping you attract more customers who would otherwise not come to you if you do not offer a certain kind of skill or service.

Offering Barber-Adjacent Services

Barber services typically include haircuts and beard care. However, if you increase the number of services you offer in your shops, more and more customers will come to you and rely on you for their requirements.

Certain barber-adjacent services can include shaving, waxing, eyebrows, facials, styling, beauty treatments and many more. You can also offer and display different kinds of haircuts and styles in your shop.

This can further allow clients to spend more time and money in your shop, which can increase the number of customers you have.

FAQ

Do barbers make good money?

Barbers can make good money if they are experienced in the field and own a shop of their own. Amateur barbers might need some time to make good money.

Can a barber make 100k?

Yes, a barber can make 100k in a given year. However, high-quality services, high-end locations, ownership of the shop, additional services and a strong marketing strategy might be essential to make this possible.

Can a barber make 6 figures?

It is possible for a barber to make six figures, although this does not usually go beyond $100,00o 0r $150,000. Making six figures also takes plenty of time and effort while targeting the right kind of customers.

Who is the highest-paid barber in the world?

Rossano Ferretti is one of the highest-paid barbers globally, known for his ‘method’ style of haircutting. He is also often referred to as the Maestro due to his skills and services in the barbering industry and owns around 20 hair salons worldwide.

How much do barbers make per cut?

Barbers generally tend to make around $28 per cut, although this can depend on the kind of cut and where they are located. Those who work independently can expect to retain this amount, while those who work as employees will have to give a portion of it to the barbershop they work for.

Additional tips can increase this amount.

How much do barbers make per hour?

Barbers usually tend to make up to $20 per hour. Of course, if they can serve more customers within an hour, they can earn more as well. Owners of the shop and barbers working in high-paying locations might make more per hour as well.

How much do barbers make a month?

Barbers usually make around $3,000-$4,000 per month. When it comes to shop owners, the monthly income can increase, allowing them to earn between $6,000 and $10,000 per month. Once again, several factors can add to this income.

How much money do barbers make for a day?

Barbers can expect to make around $150-$200 a day if they work for 8 hours. This is based on their hourly wages but can increase with the kind of services, the number of customers, and the types of tips that each customer provides to them.

Conclusion

It is now clear how much barbers can expect to earn annually. Numerous factors can affect this income and things you can do to improve your income and make more profits.

Generally, if you gain enough experience, open up your shop and build a loyal customer base, you should earn well.