Barbers
Human ServicesO*NET 39-5011.00United States
Provide barbering services, such as cutting, trimming, shampooing, and styling hair; trimming beards; or giving shaves.
- Median annual earnings
- $31,695
- Projected change
- +13.1%
- Typical education
- High school diploma or less
- Employment
- 85.77K jobs
50th percentile, United States
2025 to 2035
45.5% of the workforce
Growing to 96.99K by 2035
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ASU learning related to this career
These courses and certificates are connected through catalog career relationships and Lightcast skill tags.
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The work
What barbers do
Tasks reported for this occupation, ordered by how often they come up in the role.
- Clean and sterilize scissors, combs, clippers, and other instruments.
- Cut and trim hair according to clients' instructions or current hairstyles, using clippers, combs, hand-held blow driers, and scissors.
- Drape and pin protective cloths around customers' shoulders.
- 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.
- Perform clerical and administrative duties such as keeping records, paying bills, and hiring and supervising personnel.
- Stay informed of the latest styles and hair care techniques.
- Suggest treatments to alleviate hair problems.
- Order supplies.
- Shampoo hair.
- Recommend and sell lotions, tonics, or other cosmetic supplies.
Pay and outlook
What the job pays and where it is heading
Annual earnings range
Reported earnings by percentile, United States
- 10th percentile
- $12,433
- 25th percentile
- $21,625
- 50th percentile
- $31,695
- 75th percentile
- $51,735
- 90th percentile
- $80,601
The gold marker shows the median. Half earn more than $31,695 and half earn less.
Employment outlook
2025 to 2035 projection
+13.1%faster than average
202585,772 jobs
2035 projected96,994 jobs
11,222 more positions over the decade, before replacement hiring.
Preparation
Education levels
What people currently working in the career hold. These are not entry requirements.
- High school diploma or less
- 45.5%
- Certificate
- 28.7%
- Some college
- 11.7%
- Associate degree
- 11.1%
- Bachelor's degree
- 1.7%
- Master's or Professional degree
- 1.3%
Skills
Skills employers ask for
Technical skills appearing most often in job postings for this occupation.
How the work gets done
Core competencies
Broad capabilities associated with strong performance in this occupation.
- Active Listening
- Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
- Service Orientation
- Actively looking for ways to help people.
- Social Perceptiveness
- Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
- Speaking
- Talking to others to convey information effectively.
- Judgment and Decision Making
- Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
- Monitoring
- Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
- Critical Thinking
- Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
- Reading Comprehension
- Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
- Time Management
- Managing one's own time and the time of others.
- Active Learning
- Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
- Coordination
- Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
- Complex Problem Solving
- Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
- Persuasion
- Persuading others to change their minds or behavior.
- Operations Analysis
- Analyzing needs and product requirements to create a design.
- Writing
- Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
- Management of Personnel Resources
- Motivating, developing, and directing people as they work, identifying the best people for the job.
- Negotiation
- Bringing others together and trying to reconcile differences.
- Operations Monitoring
- Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
- Management of Material Resources
- Obtaining and seeing to the appropriate use of equipment, facilities, and materials needed to do certain work.
- Troubleshooting
- Determining causes of operating errors and deciding what to do about it.
In the market
Job titles and employers
Recent job postings in United StatesCommon job titles
- 01Hair Stylists/Barbers2,157 postings
- 02Barbers1,838 postings
- 03Barbers/Cosmetologists763 postings
- 04Stylists/Barbers701 postings
- 05Licensed Barbers522 postings
- 06Barber Instructors141 postings
- 07Master Barbers138 postings
- 08Hair Stylists/Cosmetologists90 postings
- 09Cosmetologists/Hairstylists58 postings
- 10Master Barbers/Stylists56 postings
- 11Managers/Hairstylists49 postings
- 12Barbers/Managers47 postings
- 13Haircutters13 postings
- 14Licensed Cosmetologists10 postings
- 15Hairdressers9 postings
- 16Front Desk Receptionists8 postings
- 17Hair Stylists/Nail Technicians7 postings
- 18Independent Operators7 postings
- 19Luxury Sales Stylists6 postings
- 20Cosmetologists5 postings
Top employers
- 01Sport Clips1,376 postings
- 02Ratner Companies557 postings
- 03Regis Corporation213 postings
- 04Floyd's 99 Barbershop128 postings
- 05Great Clips104 postings
- 06Colleyville Lifetime Fitness67 postings
- 07Navy Exchange Service Command67 postings
- 08Life Time58 postings
- 09Supercuts45 postings
- 10Hammer & Nails Grooming Shop For Guys35 postings
- 11Costcutters33 postings
- 12Paul Mitchell Schools31 postings
- 13Southeast Clips31 postings
- 14Oliverio Clips29 postings
- 15Roosters Men's Grooming Center28 postings
- 16Weldon Barber24 postings
- 17Gme21 postings
- 18Cookie Cutters Haircuts For Kids20 postings
- 19Smart Style Family Hair Salon20 postings
- 20Sharkeys Cuts For Kids19 postings
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