Thinking you might want to cut hair for a living? Fantastic! It’s fun, rewarding, the money is quite good, and the job prospects are great.
By nature of you reading this, on a barbering blog, you have already thought about barbering as an option. That’s a good start, because the majority of people entering this industry just enroll in cosmetology school without a thought to the other side of the business.
In working with plenty of cutters of both stripes over the years, we think there are two good reasons to become a stylist, and two good reasons to become a barber. One is not inherently better than the other, but we hope our experience inside the industry will have you make a well-informed decision about which you want to be.
FOR COSMETOLOGY
MONEY
via Local B. Natalie briefly apprenticed under Vero Beaupre, the owner, while in Montreal. They do world class work, and the prices reflect it.
Perhaps the main reason people go into cosmetology is the money, hearing about the potential to be a fabled 6-figure stylist. Yes, of course, if your services have triple digit prices, and you add in color and keratin treatments and the rest, you can make some insane money as a stylist.
Those sky high prices have a downside though. If you are charging premium prices, you have to deliver a premium service, and that includes managing some…shall we say, difficult clients with similarly sky high expectations, regardless of what you are working with on their head. It can be challenging and rewarding, but more stress than a lot of us like in our careers.
If you are more drawn to charging reasonable human prices for normal human services, how much money you can make is more down to how many clients you can service in a day.
It is like the difference between working fine dining and a nice little family owned diner. Is the money worth the stress, aggravation, and constantly having to be perfectly proper? If it is, go for it, but many of us prefer to make good money working hard with good normal folks.
That’s not to say you can’t make 6 figures as a barber, more than one Beardsgaard barber has been fast enough, adept enough at managing their books, and killer on retail enough to hit those numbers.
SCHOOLS
As far as real barber schools, they began in the late 1800s in Chicago and stayed strong until the 70s when the hippies began proliferating and men stopped getting so many haircuts. As the barber shops and schools disappeared, men’s and unisex salons started popping up to fill the space.
These days there are only a handful of dedicated barber schools in the state of Illinois, so the chances of there being one near you is incredibly slim. The Beardsgaards both went to school with people that lived hours away, and would just stay in town for half the week, basically camping out at school 12 hours a day. They were some of the most dedicated students that school ever had, and it’s telling that they have been shop owners as long as we have.
Barber schools are rare and hard to come by these days (UPDATE: the laws have changed, at least in Illinois, since this was written, and now a great many cosmetology schools offer barbering programs and licenses, making it much easier to find a school near you), and the one closest to you might not offer exactly the environment you want to work in (the one we went to had great instructors, but between some students and clients, it had a tendency to get cartoonishly racist, mysogonist, and every other -ist you could think of – sadly common in pockets of this industry, and one of the reasons we built this place different).
Despite all that, it was a pretty darned good school, and better than most! It is just the nature of barber schools. Most people in barber school are counting down their remaining hours like prison sentences and a lot of clients go there because it’s cheap, but no matter where you are, you get out of school what you put into it.
FOR BARBERING
LICENSING
We talked about the general differences between barbers and cosmetologists in the post Hair People, but that is speaking more to what clients need to know about the differences between the two. From a practical (and in the US, legal) angle, the only difference is a barber’s ability to shave with a straight razor.
From a licensing perspective (in Illinois where we are, at least), you need to have completed your 1500 hours of school and taken the state board test for each discipline to practice it in the state in which you went to school. If you already have one of the licenses, it is still another 1000 hours to get dual licensed ˆ(ANOTHER UPDATE: in Illinois it is now down to 500 hours! Additionally, many schools now offer internship programs where you get to complete 150 of your final hours in a barbershop instead of school).
There is a reason hardly any barbers go back to school to get dual licensed – they don’t get any new abilities, legally. On the other hand, we can hardly count all of the cosmetologists who are trying to find the time and money to go back to barber school, just to be able to shave.
These days we hair people have so many continuing education options that if you want to be a barber and a banging colorist, or be able to execute a killer blowout, or cut long layers perfectly, there are intensive classes for that, and educators all over the internet. The level of instruction for all of the more cosmo-specific skills when you are in school is so surface-level (there is a lot to cover in those 1500 hours), you will get far more value out of one-off classes.
JOB MARKET
(UPDATE: the job market is a different animal now in 2022 than it was in 2014 when this was written, this whole next section is updated!) As of 2012, in the US there were almost 12 times more licensed cosmetologists than barbers. While the job market for stylists is good, if you are a barber who is a marginally responsible person (show up on time, sober, etc.) with at least average skills, you can find a job anywhere, anytime. We hardly know any barbershops anywhere that are fully staffed, not just in Illinois.
Barbering has been picking up new blood since the schooling requirements for dual licensure have gone down, but even amongst those new to hair, this industry is popular with those from other sectors of the service industry. The service industry is for those who don’t want to live life sitting behind a desk all day. It’s for those who like to move, like their days to go by quickly, like to meet new people, and like the big money seasons it can bring.
We got into barbering because it had all that, with better hours, way better job security, higher AND more stable income, fewer (but not zero) drunk people, and perhaps most importantly, the deeper relationships we develop with our clients while making a tangible impact on their lives.
Here at Beardsgaard, we have worked hard to make work life more stable and steady with full books every day managed by an amazing shopkeep, truly decent, livable hours, and health insurance, which is almost unheard of in the hair industry. While most industries are understaffed due to the pandemic changing everything about work, barbering has been there for decades, we’re old hat at that. Our mission has always been to build a great place to work over the long haul, because at least two of us are here forever.
We will admit, this post is a bit self-serving.
As we count down the last 14 months until we open our own shop, (2016 UPDATE: been open over a year and we’re sort of killing it these days – 2020 UPDATE: almost a dozen people work here these days ye gods) (2022 UPDATE: that was too much, we are back to a little bigger than our original plan with 5 chairs, and it’s we have some semblance of lives again) our worries are not about whether we can create a successful business, not about whether we will find enough clients to stay afloat, our worries are (now and always have been), about simply finding enough staff.
Will we be able to find any barbers? And if so, will they be any good? Will they fit in with our shop? (2016 UPDATE: it took a week to fill up beyond capacity, and we found some more barbers eventually!) We will cross that bridge when we come to it, but in the meantime, this world needs more barbers!
It doesn’t matter whether you decide on barbering or cosmetology, we cannot encourage you strongly enough to thoroughly check out both options. Or it could be that you have been thinking about a career change, or a career as opposed to a job. We want you too.
We formally invite you to join us in what most of our kind feel is the best job in the world.
4 Steps to a Perfect Shave
Hi,
First off- I love the design of your website!
Second- Do you have an recommendations on schools that offer barber training which includes the straight razor training? I just moved to Belleville IL and I’m looking for a new career to go along with my new state. Thank you.
Megan
I been cutting for seven years now this is the best job I could have asked for.I can do whatever I want when I want.I have perfected every single haircut I cut.
I am seriously considering going to barber college, I had the opportunity many years ago, but at the time I could not ‘see’ it now I am 61 . Do you think it is possible to start so late, just to help or be an on call barber? I am in California in Los Angeles area/
Ray, you go do that thing. The Beardsgaards spent time in school with more than one sextuagenarians who were categorically the COOLEST. And if they didn’t live so far from our current shop, we would hire then in an instant. If you’re the type of person who can throw themselves hard into something whole hog and be the most enthusiastic one around, you’ll land in a great shoppey home. Good luck!
Hello, just ran across this website because I was, um, searching information for barber schools, barbers etc. I’m 34, and I used to cut hair(not professionally) when I was in my early 20’s. I always wanted to cut hair but I’m such a procrastinator that I just didn’t follow through. Now I’ve been working a part time for almost 8 years. As a second income I play poker, which has helped a lot for a second income. I live in NY btw. But I love the creative side to being a barber. I’m a perfectionist as well, and I’m always analyzing other men’s hairstyle to see if it’s nice or not etc. Anyhow, I’m interested in becoming a barber and I’m just wondering if it’s worth it. I don’t want to work in a corporate setting anymore and I’m figuring being a barber is just the way to go. As far as working certain hours and such. I don’t know, I still haven’t bitten the bullet in actually going to a school to get licensed. Still searching, but this website is great and I’m glad that I came across this. Will continue to ponder.
Hello!
I’ve been barbering in Houston, Tx. for over 10 years now and this is the best line of work I’ve ever had! I enjoy my clients and the need to serve them. I do however get discouraged at times when people don’t show on time or completely not show at all. I work strictly on appointments so my time is extremely valuable to me. I’m considering opening my own shop, but I get overwhelmed in thought about whether to have contractors or commission based barbers, the quality of barbers, and being able to sustain the overhead if I get indelible people. I just need some insight on what’s best for me. Thanks!
Calvin this is a great question, but one that requires a bit too detailed an answer to go into here. This sounds like a great topic for an upcoming post! Stay tuned, we’ll definitely be covering this in some detail soon.
Hi,
I live in St. Charles, IL., and have been a licensed cosmo for 10+ years. I have been really interested in becoming licensed as a barber. Hair has been my passion since I was a little girl and I am more than ready to take it to the next level.
I know there are not many barber schools in Illinois, but could you possibly recommend one or two? And do you know if I need to do all 1500 hours since I am a licensed cosmo already?
Any help is very appreciated!
Tina
Hello Tina! The closest barber school to here is Champions in Oswego, our first barber hire came out of there and he was wonderful before he got lured away by the big city. If you’re already a licensed cosmo, you only need to do 1000 hours, and recently they added the option of select students finishing their last 100 hours interning at a barbershop. Other school options are The Barber Academy in Schaumburg (the owners went there) and Success where another barber of ours went. From one lady barber to another potential one, brace yourself. Barber school is NOT cosmetology school, the testosterone and grossness is overwhelming, but it gets a bit better once you’re in a full on shop. Especially one like ours.
Aveda Institute in Madison offers a new barbering program. It starts in May and I’m enrolled. So excited I’ve always wanted to do this.
The article was written a couple of years ago, but both of our recent apprentices came out of cosmetology schools that just started offering barbering programs. Some legalities have changed of late, and we’re pretty freaking jazzed that so many more people are going to be getting the opportunity to be a barber where there were no school options before. Congratulations, and welcome to the club!
Hello,
I have been cutting family, friends, and my hair for a couple years now. My skill set is not the best but I believe I have the drive, and will to be successful in this business. My question is how advanced do your skill have to be to be a successful barber, and if attending barber school will that help improve my skill set.
Thank you
Depending on where you live, attending barber school and passing the state boards is not a just helpful for your career, it is highly illegal to cut hair without doing both of those things. The only US state in which a license is not required is Alabama (last time we looked), but I can’t speak to other countries. As far as skill set, if your clients are happy and you never stop pursuing continued education, that’s a good bar to aim for. We often joke that the secret to our shop’s success so far is that we care, a whole lot, and we don’t fuck it up. Simple but effective. Good luck!
This is a good post, but from what you mentioned “their is not much of a difference between barbers and cosmetologist except for barbers being able to utilize a straight razor” is false. I know as a licensed barber that my profession is geared towards Mens haircuts. Not makeup or all the rest that comes with men/women shops. I strongly believe that people need to be educated in the difference in the two professions and why Barbers continuously give the best fades and haircuts you can buy.
We were primarily referring to the license in that sentence. A barber can legally do anything a cosmetologist can, but in the reverse all barbers gain in their license is the razor.
While we appreciate your passion for our shared profession, we would heavily disagree that barbers are the only ones that can give perfect fades and haircuts. There is stellar work and horrific work on both sides of the aisle, no one has a monopoly on great haircuts, and we wholeheartedly believe the entire industry would be a better place with more learning and cooperation on both sides. Generalized bashing helps no one.
There are thousands of men and women all over the US that would have gone to barber school if there were any nearby or even within 100 miles, but the low number of schools and their concentration around major cities forced many who are barbers in their hearts into the only option they had to cut hair.
Being a great barber means pursuing continued education and training constantly, and that is what develops the technical skills required to excel in the kinds of haircuts we specialize in. The fact that many of the best barbers we have ever worked with have been dual licensed are living proof of that.
Being a barber has been on my radar for quite sometime, I wanted to go to school about 5years ago, but got kind of intimidated and kind doubted myself. But after being at a couple good corporate jobs and being laid off for basically no reason, and have to wonder where my next dollar was coming from,And now Iam at point where I don’t trust theses snakes in the corporate world, get used up and fire u. So I believe the time to be a barber is now! Iam always constantly thinking about it and I am 34 years old now, and should of been made this happen! I love how the artwork of haircuts look it has always been very intriguing to me!
hello there!! Iam 48yr women interested in changing careers. Looking into a new profession that doesnt require alot of schooling or time. Do you think iam too old to get into barbering and can you make a decent living at it??
Too old? No fucking way lady. In fact, Blademaiden’s mom, who went back to school at 58 to become a hospice nurse would use much more colorful language, because she is a goddam firecracker. And the Beardsgaards both went to school (at different times) with multiple dudes in their 60s.
But we warn you, people who go into hair because they think it’s quick and easy money are not going to find what they’re looking for. In barbering more than cosmetology, you only make really good money if you’re really good. It’s also a very physical part of the service industry, and as much as many of us love it, it takes a lot out of you. It keeps you young and makes you old all at the same time. But if you have nimble, steady hands, love minutia, doing the same thing over and over again until it’s flawless, and making people’s day, you might be a barber.
If you’re not sure it’s for you, visit some barber shops, introduce yourself, ask a few questions, and hang out for a bit. Most barbers are thrilled to talk to potential barber student (or at least the ones worth your time are), because with the shortage of barbers, almost every shop is looking to get a hook into a future barber. Good luck, it’s a pretty awesome profession to be a part of.
I’m looking for a barber school that has evening classes (I quit my teaching job, after 18 years, in order to get a career in barbering). I have found a lot of cosmetology schools but that is not what I am after and I do not want to have to try to complete the shaving hours after-the-fact; kind of defeats the purpose of what I am doing: training to be a barber.
Any suggestions for evening classes would be greatly appreciated!
Barbering is a first career for few, but among barbers, it is many of our last careers. As far as schools, we would definitely have to know where you are first, but your best bet is to find a handful of barbershops where you might want to cut, especially any with barbers under 30 years old-ish and ask about the local barber schools. Almost all of them have 1990’s level web presence, they mostly seem impossible to find online. Gotta do the legwork to get into an old school trade like this 🙂
Yes, I’am close to graduating barber school but I don’t feel comfortable enough yet to cut in a shop. I guess what I’am saying is I think I need to learn a lot more, especially cutting with shears. What can I do to improve? Thanks
As much as a barber may get out of school, as soon as that safety net is gone, it’s scary as fuck. Not all shops do this, I would hazard to say most don’t, but we have hired inexperienced barbers out of school, called them apprentices, and continued their training in the shop (with client discounts on services) until they were at a comfort and skill level to become full staff barbers. A lot of shops might not offer that, because some barbers, fresh out of school and full of confidence, would take it as an insult (at least until they get their first real client and find themselves scared shitless). But if you offer it yourself, keep yourself humble, and are hungry to learn, I’m pretty confident you’ll find a shoppey home. Good luck!
(also offer to cut all your friend’s hair, as often as you can)
I came across this blog and got to give you credit, it was very informational…I am 33 years old and been thinking about going to Barber school for quite some time. I am really interested in doing the straight razor and believe I would excel at it once I learned. My fear is not being good because honestly, these Barbers on social media, are doing insane cuts. However, I believe it takes a lot of practice to do the things they do, and I just think I would fucking kill it once I learned. That being said, I am in St. Louis and looking for a Barber school that is hip to the new styles..any suggestions?!
Practice is literally the only way to get good at this stuff. But you can find out if you have the skillset before you give it a go. First, can you draw well? Paint a straight line without painter’s tape? If so, you likely have the fine motor skills necessary (those are probably the biggest indicator of barber skills, if you don’t have them, the rest is going to come really hard). Next, grab yourself a blowdryer/brush and a straight razor and, assuming you have hair, practice on yourself. Both of those things are required to be a top barber. Once you have all those skills down, just find a school, any school. I actually cannot name a school in the US that teaches the kind of work that everyone’s drooling over on Instagram, ours was almost all clipper cuts with bald fades and old dudes. But my friend, you live in a golden age. Use the internet, use YouTube. The only way we got good at what we do was checking out techniques, trying them out, and seeing what worked for us. Your skillset is an evolving toolbox, but not every tool will fit your particular box. Remember, you can find the shittiest school ever, what you get out of school in entirely predicated upon what you put into it. Get hungry, get passionate, get obsessive, and you’ll be just fine. Good luck!
I am a women barber. I have retired this year at the age of 49. I made way more money doing barbering than I did working as a stylist in a salon. I open my own one women barber shop. I was able to build a large clientele list. Tips were much better than working with women. Most tip me $20 for a $15 hair cut. Mojo’s was a old school cash only shop, I played blues music, relaxing decor. Made my very own Shave cream, face moisturizers, I offered mani’s and Pedi’s. Straught razor shaves. Fades were perfect.
Hullo! I’m 19 years old, (actually gonna be 20 in 11 days lol), from Austin, Texas, and I’ve been cutting my own hair for about 2-2.5 years, and didn’t realize how much I enjoyed it until my best friend sat with me and helped me figure out what I want to do in life. I’ve cut cousins hair and after helping me discover my enjoyment, my best friend even let me cut his. I love the gentleman feel and classy style of barbers, with the modern pompadours and faded undercuts. Handlebar mustaches, well groomed beards and my personal favorite, the Balbo, all look incredible and id love nothing more than to be a professional and a great barber. However, I’m sorely in the dark. I haven’t even the slightest clue where to start or how to know if I’m going the right direction. I’ve happened across this post looking for barber specific courses and/or schooling and think y’all are just phenomenal! May I get any tips and would i be able to attend, say, cosmetology school but be a licensed barber, straight razor certification included? Thank you very much for your time in reading this!
It varies greatly from state to state, but the place to start is your state’s Department of Financial and Professional Regulation. They can tell you where the schools are because as hard as we look, no one seems to have a proper listing anywhere online of all barber schools. You may need to go to a barber school, but more and more cosmetology schools are starting licensed barber programs due to the lack of actual barber schools in a lot of places. If you’re self-motivated and eager to learn, it doesn’t matter where you go, just get licensed, stay obsessed, and ask all the questions ever. You’ll do great.
I am very interested in enrolling in a barber school. I’m 28 years old now and don’t have much experience cutting hair. I was curious if you need any experience going into school to begin with. Thanks.
Some people do, some don’t, but the folks with no experience don’t have any bad habits to break yet. We personally had just cut ourselves for years before going to school, Blademaiden also used to cut some brave friends who didn’t mind shitty haircuts. We totally know what we’re doing now though. 😉
I live in Effingham IL. Are there any decent barber schools near me?
Thanks.
T~
No idea, unfortunately. Combo of Google and asking the local barbers should tell you though!
Hi all, starting a new career next week..Barbering. At 52 and was in the corporate world, I have had enough of the politics, the “it’s who you know” crap, decided to become a barber. Can anyone tell me if they felt intimidated in the classes, then more importantly how they were treated once in a shop. Were customers willing to come to the “new” guy? Thanks for an information.
Far more than are willing to come to “the new girl” in barbering at least. It kind of sucks, but in this industry people intrinsically trust dudes, and older dudes even more, you should be fine. Just remember that walking the fine line of uber humility and confidence in the early days of your career will make people comfortable with you, and actively seeking out new techniques and information from your fellow barbers will make you grow. Never stop learning, right?
I’m looking to specialize in facial hair and open my own shop but I’m having a hard time tracking down resources for schools that don’t teach you cosmetology which is something I’m definitely not interested in. Any advice?
If you want to use a straight razor you’ll need a barber’s license, but even as barbers you’ll still likely learn color and perms and all the rest, sometimes actively, sometimes just informationally. As a detail-oriented barber, my perm wraps were always pretty baller in school, but I thankfully haven’t done one since. Get your license wherever you can because the lack of barber schools in most areas won’t give you many if any choices in where you get that license. You will learn more in your first couple of months on the floor after you graduate and from the internet than you will in school in most cases. Be passionate af, never stop learning, and get to it! You’ll do great.
My name Jeremey Green I want to become a barber I’ve never cut hair before but I want to learn I’ve always wanted to become a barber what do I need to do to become a barber
Hi, enjoyed your posts very informative and funny! Thinking about training as a barber, 46 though ! Ireland.
I have chronic fart pants. Would be bad for me to be a barber?
Judging by this actual review from our Yelp page, pretty sure you’ll be fine:
“Dutch is a good barber…once though he farted so bad that I couldn’t get his bowel oder outta my hair or beard for a week…..tried tomato juice,peroxide and baking soda, I even scorched it with a plasma torch but it just got so unbearable that I had to shave my face and head and eyebrows to…always make sure dutch is downwind from you…there’s no telling what evil he’ll unleash from beneath his trousers on those who are pure and innocent!..but damn he can cut hair!!!”
I’m really glad I found this blog. I have been in a corporate job for 15 years, the money is great. I’m starting to realize it’s not worth the stress and politics anymore. I was worried about switching careers. Seems like alot of people are also doing it. All of my friends are barber’s and they love their job. I really want to thank you for this blog, think this was exactly what I’ve been looking for after doing research for months. Thanks again.
If there’s one thing we have learned in our years in so many industries is that stress and politics and drama is present everywhere, or not. It is far less the industry than the company, although the service industry (long, exhausting days of serving the general public) is not the least dramatic place you’ll ever find. You’ll have to choose or open the kind of shop that has good people and good vibes to escape that environment. We strongly believe that if you want to be a barber though, you need to love, and we mean LOVE, making people feel good, you need to love the hustle and bustle, and you need to not mind spending the rest of your life being itchy. Oh yes, and love cutting hair, of course. 🙂
Hi, great blog! I’ve always thought about becoming a barber and am now looking at schools here in Indianapolis. Only two and really really expensive! $21k and $17k. Why is barber school so expensive?
Also, I’m a classic introvert. Pro or con in the barbering field?
Thanks!
Still less than college, and all the barbers I know that have even the most basic of job skills are gainfully employed and in constant demand. Can’t say that about a lot of college grads. Blademaiden is also an introvert, but the kind that likes to solve problems, and that’s what she does at work. It works out well, you just likely won’t be the kind of barber that goes out every night with your fellow barbers because you need to go home and not talk to people for a bit.
Thank you for this blog! I’m a high school student from California and was wondering what I could do to become a barber. I am aware that the barber industry is a male-dominated field which is why I wanted to know how I could make it as a woman going into college. For example, what degrees should I get in college in order to someday have my own barbershop? Can I take barbering class on the side while I’m at college? Please feel free to share your own experiences whilst on your journey to become a barber, this would help out a lot. Thank you!
Honestly I would just like to no what my steps are to beginning to learn how to cut hair professionally and then finding work a job cutting here.
Great post, really encouraging. I’ve been thinking about going to barbering school recently, it sounds like a cool gig and there aren’t hardly any barbers (or schools) where I live (Reno NV). Question for you : would it be weird for a bald guy to go into barbering? I have a beard…
I’m mostly wondering if barbers are judged by their own hair and if I don’t have any, would it make a difference? Not that barbers likely do their own hair. But what do I know. Haven’t had hair for ten years.
It’s good to know that there are nearly 12 times more cosmetologists than barbers in the US, which leaves a lot of job opportunities available for licensed barbers. I was recently laid off and have been looking for ways to earn money since then. Maybe learning to be a barber could be a way to have some reliable job opportunities.
Hello, my friend and I will be starting a new salon business. I will be the hairdresser and he will be working on the massage part of the business. We live along Minneapolis and we found Woodbury suites that can help us get started. They provide specialized rooms depending on your specialty and since this will be our first time, I think that this space will be great. Thank you for this!
You made a great point about licensing and making sure that you meet the requirements to be able to legally be licensed. My husband is looking to become a barber and he needs to get training so that he can do it legally as a business. He will keep these tips in mind as he searches for a professional program that can help him.
Any tips on practicing prior or while in school for barbering? Example as self cuts, giving friends cuts, etc
Definitely get yourself a mannequin head and learn to comb, section, then start with longer haircuts, going gradually shorter. Or, if you’re brave, willing friends and family plus yourself work too! Also, shave your legs with a straight razor (not your arms, because you need one hand for the razor, the other to stretch the skin). You will be glad once you’re doing your first shave on a real person that you practiced on yourself first.