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Barbering

Types of Degrees Barbering Majors Are Earning

Those studying Barbering may pursue degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Certificate	10,941
Associate’s Degree	20
Master’s Degree	1,275

What Barbering Majors Need to Know

Programs in Barbering develop a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Barbering graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

According to O*NET, a major in Barbering emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• Customer and Personal Service — Importance 4.4 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.
• Administration and Management — Importance 3.2 / 5; level 2.6 / 7.
• English Language — Importance 3.1 / 5; level 3.3 / 7.
• Economics and Accounting — Importance 3.0 / 5; level 2.2 / 7.
• Psychology — Importance 3 / 5; level 3.1 / 7.

^{Importance is rated 1–5; level is 1–7. Source: ONET Online — weighted across related occupations.*}

Skills

Skills built by a Barbering program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Active Listening — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 3 / 7.
• Social Perceptiveness — Importance 3.1 / 5; level 2.9 / 7.
• Service Orientation — Importance 3.1 / 5; level 3 / 7.
• Speaking — Importance 3.1 / 5; level 2.8 / 7.
• Judgment and Decision Making — Importance 3 / 5; level 2.1 / 7.

Abilities

Abilities most relevant to Barbering careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Arm-Hand Steadiness — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 3.5 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 3.4 / 7.
• Near Vision — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 3.2 / 7.
• Finger Dexterity — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 3.1 / 7.
• Manual Dexterity — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 3 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Barbering graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Performing for or Working Directly with the Public	4.7 / 7
Thinking Creatively	3.9 / 7
Performing General Physical Activities	3.9 / 7
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships	3.8 / 7
Assisting and Caring for Others	3.5 / 7
Handling and Moving Objects	3.5 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	3.4 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	3.3 / 7
Judging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or People	3.2 / 7
Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards	3.2 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Barbering professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	—
Linux	Operating system software	—
Appointment scheduling software	Calendar and scheduling software	—
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	—
Facebook	Web page creation and editing software	—
YouTube	Video creation and editing software	—
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	—
Customer information databases	Data base user interface and query software	—
Microsoft Windows	Operating system software	—
Point of sale POS payment software	Point of sale POS software	—
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	—

^{Source: ONET Online technology skills, weighted across related occupations.*}

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Barbering graduates include:

• Hair Cutter
• Licensed Barber
• Tonsorial Artist
• Barber
• Barber Stylist
• Hairstylist
• Stylist
• Barber Shop Operator

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to Barbering graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:

Education Level	Share of Workers
Postsecondary certificate	28.7%
High school diploma or equivalent	24.6%
Less than a high school diploma	20.9%
Some college courses	11.7%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	11.1%
Bachelor’s degree	1.7%
Master’s degree	1.2%

^{Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*}

Who Is Earning a Degree in Barbering?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly male, with men earning 74.9% of Barbering degrees.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	3,116	25.1%
Men	9,282	74.9%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of Barbering graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	1,910	15.4%
Asian	244	2.0%
Hispanic or Latino	5,600	45.2%
Black or African American	3,924	31.7%
American Indian / Alaska Native	83	0.7%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander	48	0.4%
Two or More Races	364	2.9%
Race Unknown	197	1.6%
International Students	28	0.2%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Barbering Graduates Earn?

The U.S. Department of Education tracks median earnings of Barbering graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. These numbers tend to grow steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$17,533
4 years	$20,210
5 years	$22,425

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $22,425 — roughly 28% above the 1-year mark.

^{Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.}

Is a Degree in Barbering Worth It?

Looking purely at the federal earnings tracker, Barbering graduates earn a median of $20,210 four years after completion — about 47% below the national median for workers with only a high school diploma (~$38,000). On earnings alone, this program does not show an income premium over the baseline; non-financial outcomes (career interests, certification requirements, advancement potential) are typically the stronger argument for fields in this range.

^{ROI estimate compares the program’s 4-yr median earnings against the 2023 BLS CPS median earnings for high-school-only workers. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + BLS Current Population Survey.}

Related Programs

You may also be interested in these closely related fields of study:

Program	Annual Degrees Awarded
Cosmetology and Related Personal Grooming Services	136,936
Cosmetology/Cosmetologist, General	55,875
Aesthetician/Esthetician and Skin Care Specialist	42,738
Nail Technician/Specialist and Manicurist	14,442
Facial Treatment Specialist/Facialist	2,901
Cosmetology and Related Personal Grooming Arts, Other	2,497
Master Aesthetician/Esthetician	1,882
Cosmetology, Barber/Styling, and Nail Instructor	1,436
Hair Styling/Stylist and Hair Design	1,386
Salon/Beauty Salon Management/Manager	514
Make-Up Artist/Specialist	426
Electrolysis/Electrology and Electrolysis Technician	351

References

The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students and international students. This number is then divided by the total number of students to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard

More about our data sources and methodologies.