Barber Job Outlook
The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects employment of barbers to grow 3.3% from 2025 to 2035 (about 2,500 more jobs), with about 6,900 openings a year, and the May 2025 median pay of $38,210 a year ranks 750th of 825 occupations.
- Projected change
- +3.3%
- Openings a year
- 6,900
- Median pay
- $38,210
- Pay rank
- 750th of 825
Is employment of barbers growing or shrinking?
Growing: BLS projects employment of barbers to rise 3.3% (about 2,500 more jobs) from 2025 to 2035, about the same as the 3.5% projected across all occupations. That is slower than the +4.4% summed from BLS's employment levels across the 32 personal care and service occupations with a projection. That change ranks 374th of 830 projected occupations.
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Employment, 2025 | 75,800 |
| Employment, 2035 | 78,300 |
| Projected change | +3.3% |
| Openings a year | 6,900 |
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035. A projection is a BLS estimate, not a count. The 75,800 jobs here differ from the 15,000 on the salary page because Employment Projections also counts the self-employed and a wider set of workers, while OEWS counts wage and salary jobs in May 2025. BLS published these projections on August 27, 2026; checked November 10, 2026. Confirm any figure in the BLS Employment Projections tables.
BLS's reasons for this projection are at the Occupational Outlook Handbook. State projections are at Projections Central; projections by industry are left to BLS. Education, licensing and work context at O*NET.
How many job openings are there each year?
About 6,900 openings a year, from job growth and from workers leaving the occupation, the 324th most of 830 occupations. About 96% of them replace workers who change occupations or leave the labor force; the rest come from the 250 jobs added in an average year.
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035.
How does pay for barbers rank?
The median of $38,210 a year ranks 750th of 825 occupations with a published median. It sits in the upper half of occupations on openings and the lower half on pay.
Source: BLS OEWS national file, May 2025. Wage and salary jobs only; the self-employed are not counted. OEWS pay excludes overtime, shift differentials and non-production bonuses. Ranks count only the occupations with that published figure: 830 for projected change, 830 for openings, 825 for median pay, which is why the totals differ.
What does it take to start?
- Typical entry-level education: postsecondary nondegree award.
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035, education and training assignments.
How do related jobs compare on outlook?
| Occupation | Change | Openings a year | Median pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists | +7.7% | 73,400 | $35,790 |
| Skincare Specialists | +8.8% | 14,200 | $45,330 |
| Shampooers | +5.6% | 2,200 | $32,600 |
| Manicurists and Pedicurists | +9.2% | 21,900 | $35,760 |
| Makeup Artists, Theatrical and Performance | +6.1% | 600 | $97,150 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Personal Service Workers | +6.3% | 12,000 | $48,590 |
| Locker Room, Coatroom, and Dressing Room Attendants | +6.4% | 4,000 | $36,300 |
| Tailors, Dressmakers, and Custom Sewers | -8.8% | 3,700 | $41,640 |
Related occupations from O*NET; projections from BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035; pay from BLS OEWS, May 2025.