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Data report · Updated October 2026

Barber salary by state: a $38,210 median, and Oregon pays the most at $83,650

May 2025 BLS wage estimates for barbers in 36 states, plus barbershop pay data for every state.

Employed barbers in the US earned a median salary of $38,210 and a mean of $47,070 in May 2025[1]. Oregon had the highest mean barber pay at $83,650, followed by Washington at $67,540 and Colorado at $59,140, while Utah was lowest at $25,890[1].

Barber at work in a barbershop chair, illustrating barber pay
Illustrative image. The data and charts come from the sources listed in this report.

  • $38,210

    Median annual wage for barbers, May 2025[1]

  • $47,070

    Mean annual wage for barbers, May 2025[1]

  • $83,650

    Mean barber pay in Oregon, the top-paying state[1]

  • $76,460

    Pay at the 90th percentile, the top 10% of barbers[1]

By Jessica Hamilton, Editor · Published · Updated · Free to reuse with credit (CC BY 4.0)

Key findings

  1. The median barber on a payroll earned $18.37 an hour, or $38,210 a year, in May 2025[1].
  2. Mean barber pay was $47,070, well above the median because a minority of high earners pull the average up; the 90th percentile was $76,460[1].
  3. Oregon ($83,650), Washington ($67,540) and Colorado ($59,140) had the highest mean barber salaries of the 36 states with published data[1].
  4. Utah ($25,890), Arkansas ($28,260) and Alabama ($28,320) had the lowest mean barber salaries[1].
  5. The top-paying metro area was Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro at $71,770, just ahead of Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue at $71,150[1].
  6. Median barber pay rose from $30,150 in May 2019 to $38,210 in May 2025, a 26.7% increase (menhaircuts.net calculation)[2][1].
  7. Barbers out-earn hairdressers and cosmetologists at the median, $38,210 versus $35,790[1][3].
Infographic: Barber salary by state: a $38,210 median, and Oregon pays the most at $83,650

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How much does a barber make a year in 2026?

The most recent federal wage survey, covering May 2025, puts the median barber salary at $38,210 a year, or $18.37 an hour[1]. Half of employed barbers earned more than that and half earned less. The mean, or simple average, was higher at $47,070 a year and $22.63 an hour[1].

These are the newest official numbers available in 2026. The Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) once a year, and the May 2025 round is the one in use now. There is no official 2026 figure yet, so treat any site quoting a "2026 barber salary" as either this data or a private estimate.

One detail matters a lot for barbers: OEWS counts only people on a payroll. It estimated 15,000 employed barbers in May 2025[1], while the BLS Employment Projections program counts 75,800 barber jobs in 2025, of which 60,600, or 79.9%, are self-employed[4]. Booth renters and shop owners who pay themselves are mostly outside these wage tables.

Barber wage percentiles, United States, May 2025[1]
PercentileHourly wageAnnual wage
10th$13.75$28,600
25th$15.18$31,570
50th (median)$18.37$38,210
75th$28.35$58,960
90th$36.76$76,460

Which states pay barbers the most?

Oregon tops the list with a mean barber salary of $83,650 and a median of $77,430[1]. Washington is second at $67,540, then Colorado at $59,140, Missouri at $55,900 and Illinois at $55,540[1]. Illinois has an unusual pattern: its median of $65,430 is higher than its mean, which suggests pay there clusters toward the upper middle rather than being pulled up by a few top earners[1].

The Pacific Northwest leads on metro pay as well. Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro paid a mean of $71,770 and Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue $71,150[1]. Several of these estimates rest on small samples, so read the ranking as a broad pattern rather than an exact order.

Top 10 states by mean annual barber wage, May 2025Top 10 states by mean annual barber wage, May 2025. Oregon: $83,650; Washington: $67,540; Colorado: $59,140; Missouri: $55,900; Illinois: $55,540; Iowa: $54,470; New Jersey: $54,080; Florida: $52,980; Virginia: $51,480; Minnesota: $49,400.Oregon$83,650Washington$67,540Colorado$59,140Missouri$55,900Illinois$55,540Iowa$54,470New Jersey$54,080Florida$52,980Virginia$51,480Minnesota$49,400
Top 10 states by mean annual barber wage, May 2025. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS Profiles: Barbers (39-5011), May 2025 national, state, metro and industry estimates (2026)[1]. Mean annual wage for employed barbers (SOC 39-5011). 36 states have published estimates. Download chart (PNG)
Show the numbers
Top 10 states by mean annual barber wage, May 2025
CategoryValue
Oregon$83,650
Washington$67,540
Colorado$59,140
Missouri$55,900
Illinois$55,540
Iowa$54,470
New Jersey$54,080
Florida$52,980
Virginia$51,480
Minnesota$49,400

Barber salary in every state with published data

The table ranks all 36 states for which the BLS published a May 2025 barber wage. The other 14 states and the District of Columbia had no published estimate for this occupation, usually because too few payroll barbers were surveyed to meet BLS reliability standards: Alaska, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Hawaii, Kansas, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, Ohio, South Dakota, Vermont, West Virginia and Wyoming.

Where the employment column says "Not published", the BLS released a wage but not a head count. For those states, and for a figure that covers every state, see the barbershop pay table further down.

Barber wages by state, May 2025 (ranked by mean annual wage)[1]
RankStateMean annual wageMedian annual wageMean hourly wageEmployed barbers
1Oregon$83,650$77,430$40.22Not published
2Washington$67,540$61,150$32.471,220
3Colorado$59,140$61,500$28.44480
4Missouri$55,900$47,880$26.88580
5Illinois$55,540$65,430$26.70Not published
6Iowa$54,470$58,900$26.19130
7New Jersey$54,080$54,850$26.00Not published
8Florida$52,980$49,410$25.471,240
9Virginia$51,480$46,730$24.75160
10Minnesota$49,400$53,990$23.75260
11California$47,720$38,380$22.941,390
12North Carolina$47,710$31,050$22.94330
13Maine$46,800$35,300$22.5050
14North Dakota$46,770$48,540$22.4880
15Georgia$46,110$30,750$22.17550
16New York$44,760$38,580$21.52Not published
17Maryland$44,680$35,400$21.48Not published
18South Carolina$44,600$32,900$21.44220
19Michigan$44,490$35,490$21.39Not published
20Nebraska$43,950$39,090$21.13Not published
21Wisconsin$43,210$36,540$20.77450
22Louisiana$42,270$44,430$20.3240
23Connecticut$42,120$41,400$20.25330
24Rhode Island$41,740$34,900$20.07Not published
25Texas$41,630$30,760$20.012,580
26Indiana$40,760$33,600$19.60370
27Mississippi$38,840$38,480$18.68Not published
28New Mexico$38,760$39,100$18.6350
29Idaho$37,810$36,040$18.18130
30Pennsylvania$37,630$36,920$18.09530
31Arizona$35,050$34,380$16.85Not published
32Oklahoma$34,400$34,860$16.54170
33Tennessee$29,460$24,690$14.16Not published
34Alabama$28,320$29,120$13.61Not published
35Arkansas$28,260$25,640$13.59170
36Utah$25,890$25,370$12.45320

Which states pay barbers the least?

Utah had the lowest mean barber wage at $25,890, with a median of $25,370[1]. Arkansas ($28,260), Alabama ($28,320) and Tennessee ($29,460) were the only other states below $30,000[1]. The gap between the top and bottom is wide: Oregon's mean is about 3.2 times Utah's (menhaircuts.net calculation: $83,650 / $25,890 = 3.23)[1].

Low published wages do not always mean barbers in those states earn little overall. In states where most barbers rent a chair or own a shop, the few payroll barbers in the survey may be apprentices or newer hires. Texas shows how this can skew things: it has the most payroll barbers of any state, 2,580, yet a median of only $30,760[1].

Lowest-paying states by mean annual barber wage, May 2025Lowest-paying states by mean annual barber wage, May 2025. Arizona: $35,050; Oklahoma: $34,400; Tennessee: $29,460; Alabama: $28,320; Arkansas: $28,260; Utah: $25,890.Arizona$35,050Oklahoma$34,400Tennessee$29,460Alabama$28,320Arkansas$28,260Utah$25,890
Lowest-paying states by mean annual barber wage, May 2025. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS Profiles: Barbers (39-5011), May 2025 national, state, metro and industry estimates (2026)[1]. Download chart (PNG)
Show the numbers
Lowest-paying states by mean annual barber wage, May 2025
CategoryValue
Arizona$35,050
Oklahoma$34,400
Tennessee$29,460
Alabama$28,320
Arkansas$28,260
Utah$25,890

How much do barbershop employees earn in each state?

A second BLS dataset fills the gaps. The Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW) counts every worker covered by unemployment insurance at barbershops (NAICS 812111), drawn from employer tax records rather than a survey. In 2025, private barbershops averaged 35,340 employees nationwide and paid them an average of $39,421 a year, or $758 a week[5].

This figure covers everyone on a barbershop payroll, including receptionists and managers, and it excludes self-employed barbers and booth renters. By this measure the District of Columbia ($54,542), New Hampshire ($51,111) and Washington ($47,985) paid the most, and Hawaii ($29,787), Michigan ($30,366) and Rhode Island ($30,668) the least[5]. Vermont and Wyoming figures were not disclosed to protect the confidentiality of a handful of employers[5].

Average annual pay at private barbershops by state, 2025 (QCEW, NAICS 812111)[5]
StateAverage annual payAverage employeesBarbershops with employees
District of Columbia$54,5428822
New Hampshire$51,1116924
Washington$47,985927130
Minnesota$47,94446464
Colorado$45,2531,321196
Kansas$45,09521429
South Dakota$44,91310014
Massachusetts$44,912372160
North Carolina$44,421906202
Oregon$43,94547290
Iowa$43,69224442
Maryland$42,9871,500151
Maine$42,8439128
Tennessee$42,815862124
New Mexico$42,4728329
Alaska$42,2343410
Delaware$42,12014638
Texas$42,1195,183767
Virginia$41,8611,081262
Montana$41,1697416
Connecticut$41,12627187
Wisconsin$39,795625137
Arizona$39,749758200
North Dakota$39,53312727
Nevada$39,52129572
South Carolina$39,432527114
Nebraska$39,32121143
West Virginia$39,2188416
California$38,8012,601726
Arkansas$38,58839466
Missouri$38,372881142
Alabama$38,30729690
Georgia$38,245860283
Florida$38,2222,021884
Indiana$37,952714151
Idaho$37,93235246
Illinois$37,5921,245324
Pennsylvania$37,4391,411340
Louisiana$37,079452104
Ohio$36,270868186
Kentucky$36,14617066
Oklahoma$35,41546980
Mississippi$34,51216640
New Jersey$33,2401,592502
New York$31,7402,0211,002
Utah$30,879766143
Rhode Island$30,6683529
Michigan$30,366724177
Hawaii$29,78712959
VermontNot disclosedNot disclosed7
WyomingNot disclosedNot disclosed4

Has barber pay gone up since 2019?

Yes. The median barber wage was $30,150 in May 2019 and dipped slightly to $29,970 in May 2021, a period when the pandemic shut many shops[2][6]. It then rose to $36,150 in May 2023 and $38,210 in May 2025[7][1]. Across the six years that is a 26.7% increase (menhaircuts.net calculation: ($38,210 - $30,150) / $30,150).

Payroll employment moved around much more than pay. OEWS counted 20,030 employed barbers in May 2019, 12,910 in May 2021, 15,990 in May 2023 and 15,000 in May 2025[2][6][7][1]. Those swings partly reflect sampling error and partly the shift of barbers between payroll jobs and self-employment.

The mean climbed further, from $35,190 to $47,070, up 33.8% (menhaircuts.net calculation: ($47,070 - $35,190) / $35,190)[2][1]. The bigger jump in the mean points to growth at the top end: the 90th percentile rose from $56,630 in 2019 to $76,460 in 2025[2][1].

Median and mean annual barber wage, 2019 to 2025Median and mean annual barber wage, 2019 to 2025. May 2019 median: $30,150; May 2021 median: $29,970; May 2023 median: $36,150; May 2025 median: $38,210.May 2019medianMay 2021medianMay 2023medianMay 2025median$30,150$29,970$36,150$38,210
Median and mean annual barber wage, 2019 to 2025. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS Profiles: Barbers (39-5011), May 2025 national, state, metro and industry estimates (2026)[1]. Medians from the May 2019, 2021, 2023 and 2025 OEWS releases. Means: $35,190 (2019), $35,700 (2021), $41,570 (2023), $47,070 (2025). Download chart (PNG)
Show the numbers
Median and mean annual barber wage, 2019 to 2025
CategoryValue
May 2019 median$30,150
May 2021 median$29,970
May 2023 median$36,150
May 2025 median$38,210

Do barbers make more than hairstylists?

At the median, yes. Barbers earned $38,210 in May 2025, while hairdressers, hairstylists and cosmetologists earned $35,790, a difference of $2,420 (menhaircuts.net calculation)[1][3]. The means show a similar gap: $47,070 for barbers against $43,960 for hairdressers and cosmetologists[1][3].

Hairstylists vastly outnumber barbers on payrolls, 305,710 to 15,000[3][1]. The QCEW tells the same story at the shop level: private beauty salons averaged $35,724 a year in pay in 2025, below the $39,421 at barbershops[8][5].

Median annual wage, barbers vs hairdressers and cosmetologists, May 2025Median annual wage, barbers vs hairdressers and cosmetologists, May 2025. Barbers: $38,210; Hairdressers, hairstylists and cosmetologists: $35,790.BarbersHairdressers, hairstylists andcosmetologists$38,210$35,790
Median annual wage, barbers vs hairdressers and cosmetologists, May 2025. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS Profiles: Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists (39-5012), May 2025 (2026)[3]. Download chart (PNG)
Show the numbers
Median annual wage, barbers vs hairdressers and cosmetologists, May 2025
CategoryValue
Barbers$38,210
Hairdressers, hairstylists and cosmetologists$35,790

How much do self-employed barbers earn?

No official source publishes a clean salary figure for self-employed barbers. The closest is the Census Bureau's American Community Survey, which includes the self-employed. Data USA's summary of that survey puts the barber workforce at 80,891 people in 2024 with an average wage of $33,157[9]. This is a household survey of what workers report, while OEWS is an employer survey, so the two figures measure different things and should not be compared directly.

Platform data shows what drives a chair's earnings. Across SQUIRE barbershops from May 2025 to April 2026, the average haircut was $43 before tax and tip, and the average barber handled 94.2 appointments a month[10]. Tips averaged 20% to 23% depending on region[10]. Those are averages for shops using one booking platform, not for all barbers.

Is barbering a good-paying career?

It depends on where you work and how you work. A payroll barber at the median earns less than the $50,980 median for all US occupations in 2025[11], but the top 10% of payroll barbers earn $76,460 or more[1]. Barbering usually requires a postsecondary nondegree award, a certificate from a barber school, rather than a college degree[11].

Demand looks steady. BLS projects barber jobs to grow from 75,800 in 2025 to 78,300 in 2035, a 3.3% rise, with about 6,900 openings a year as barbers retire or change jobs[11]. For more on the trade, see our barbering basics guide and how to find a good barber.

Frequently asked questions

What is the average barber salary in 2026?

The latest official data is from May 2025: a mean of $47,070 and a median of $38,210 a year for barbers on a payroll[1]. No newer federal figure has been published.

Which state pays barbers the most?

Oregon, with a mean barber wage of $83,650 in May 2025, followed by Washington at $67,540 and Colorado at $59,140[1].

Which state pays barbers the least?

Utah, with a mean of $25,890 in May 2025. Arkansas ($28,260) and Alabama ($28,320) were next lowest[1].

How much do barbers make an hour?

The median hourly wage was $18.37 and the mean was $22.63 in May 2025[1].

How much do the top 10% of barbers make?

At least $76,460 a year, or $36.76 an hour, for payroll barbers in May 2025[1].

Do barbers make more in Texas or California?

California's mean barber wage was $47,720 versus $41,630 in Texas in May 2025; the medians were $38,380 and $30,760[1].

Does BLS barber pay include self-employed barbers?

No. OEWS covers wage and salary workers only. About 79.9% of the 75,800 barber jobs in 2025 were self-employed[4].

Methodology and limitations

State, metro and national barber wages come from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2025 estimates for SOC 39-5011 Barbers, read from the BLS OEWS Profiles tool. Historical medians and means come from the May 2019, May 2021 and May 2023 OEWS occupation pages. Barbershop pay by state comes from the BLS QCEW 2025 annual averages for private establishments in NAICS 812111. Job counts including the self-employed come from the BLS Employment Projections 2025 to 2035 tables. Percent changes and ratios are menhaircuts.net calculations with the formula shown. All figures were accessed on October 15, 2026.

Limitations

OEWS excludes self-employed barbers, who hold about four in five barber jobs, so it describes payroll barbers only. Many state estimates have high relative standard errors (Washington's employment estimate has an RSE of 49%), and 14 states plus DC have no published barber wage. QCEW pay covers all employees of barbershops, not just barbers, and excludes booth renters. ACS-based figures from Data USA are self-reported and use a different definition. SQUIRE figures reflect shops on that platform only.

Every figure on this page links to its source. Numbers are reported as published; any menhaircuts.net calculation is labelled and shows its inputs. Spotted an error? Tell us and we will check it.

Sources

  1. OEWS Profiles: Barbers (39-5011), May 2025 national, state, metro and industry estimates, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (2026). Accessed October 15, 2026.
  2. Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2019: 39-5011 Barbers, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (2020). Accessed October 15, 2026.
  3. OEWS Profiles: Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists (39-5012), May 2025, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (2026). Accessed October 15, 2026.
  4. National Employment Matrix, occupation 39-5011 Barbers, 2025 and projected 2035, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (2026). Accessed October 15, 2026.
  5. QCEW open data: NAICS 812111 Barber shops, 2025 annual averages (private ownership), U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (2026). Accessed October 15, 2026.
  6. Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2021: 39-5011 Barbers, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (2022). Accessed October 15, 2026.
  7. Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2023: 39-5011 Barbers, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (2024). Accessed October 15, 2026.
  8. QCEW open data: NAICS 812112 Beauty salons, 2025 annual averages, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (2026). Accessed October 15, 2026.
  9. Barbers: occupation profile (2024 data), Data USA (ACS PUMS) (2025). Accessed October 15, 2026.
  10. The State of Barbershops 2026: SQUIRE Barber Trends and Insights Report, SQUIRE (2026). Accessed October 15, 2026.
  11. Employment Projections: Occupational projections, 2025-35, and worker characteristics, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (2026). Accessed October 15, 2026.

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Hamilton, J. (2026, October 15). Barber Salary by State 2026: BLS Pay Data for Every State. menhaircuts.net. https://menhaircuts.net/stats/barber-salary-by-state/

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<a href="https://menhaircuts.net/stats/barber-salary-by-state/">Barber Salary by State 2026: BLS Pay Data for Every State</a> (menhaircuts.net, CC BY 4.0)

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$38,210: Median annual wage for barbers, May 2025 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, via menhaircuts.net/stats/barber-salary-by-state/)

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