Barbering major
Barbering: courses, careers, and where to study
Barbering programs train you to cut and style hair, shave and shape beards and mustaches, fit hairpieces, and prepare for your state board barber licensing exam.
A barbering program teaches the technical craft of the barbershop: cutting and tapering hair with clippers, shears, and razors; blending fades and outlining hairlines; and shaving and shaping facial hair, beards, and mustaches, including the classic straight-razor shave with hot towels and lather. Coursework covers hair and scalp anatomy and physiology, shampooing and basic chemical applications such as color and texture services, facial and scalp massage and basic skin treatments, hairpiece and toupee fitting, and the sanitation and disinfection rules that govern razors, blades, and stations. Students also learn client consultation, equipment maintenance, and the business side of running a chair or a shop. Where Cosmetology covers a broad range of hair, nail, and skin services across salons and spas, barbering concentrates on cutting, men's grooming, and razor shaving in a barbershop setting.
Most students enter through a state-approved barber school and complete a set number of supervised clock hours on mannequins and live clients before sitting for the state board, which usually pairs a written theory exam with a practical demonstration scored on technique and sanitation. Barber licensing is regulated by each state, so required hours, exam format, renewal, and reciprocity between states vary, and some areas distinguish a barber license from a cosmetology license; verify the rules with your state board before enrolling. Many barbers work in barbershops or salons, rent a chair, or build their own clientele over time. A program is preparation for the exam and the chair, not a guarantee of work, since pay, hours, and demand depend on location, employer, specialty, and the book of clients you develop.
In federal data for the closely related occupation of barbers, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a 2024 median wage of $38,960 and projects employment to grow about 4.1% from 2024 to 2034; a postsecondary nondegree award is the typical entry-level education for that occupation. National figures are occupation-wide medians across all experience levels, not starting wages or graduate outcomes.
Academic classification (CIP)
In the federal Classification of Instructional Programs, Barbering maps to CIP 12.0402, Barbering/Barber, within the CULINARY, ENTERTAINMENT, AND PERSONAL SERVICES family. The official definition:
A program that prepares individuals to shave and trim facial/neck hair and beards, cut and dress hair, fit hairpieces, give facial and scalp massages, apply cosmetic treatments, and to prepare for licensure as professional barbers at various levels. Includes instruction in facial shaving; beard and mustache shaping and trimming; shampooing; hair cutting; hair styles and styling art; facial treatments and massage; chemical applications; hair and scalp anatomy and physiology; hairpiece and toupee fitting; equipment operation; health and safety; customer service; and shop business practices.
Source: U.S. Department of Education (NCES), Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) 2020. View on nces.ed.gov
What credential Barbering is awarded as
Of the 1,001 Barbering credentials U.S. colleges reported conferring in 2023-24:
- Certificate98%981
- Associate2%20
CampusPin does not have enough states reporting this field to say whether the mix changes from state to state. See the full study.
Credentials conferred in 2023-24, U.S. Department of Education IPEDS completions. A certificate is a different credential from a degree, not a lesser one, and this counts what was awarded rather than what a college currently offers.
What you'll study
- Clipper cutting, tapering, and fading techniques for a range of hair types
- Scissor-over-comb and shear cutting, layering, and hairline outlining
- Straight-razor shaving with hot towels, lather, and proper blade handling
- Beard and mustache shaping, trimming, and detailing
- Hair and scalp anatomy, physiology, and analysis of hair and skin conditions
- Shampooing, conditioning, and basic chemical services such as color and texture
- Facial and scalp massage and basic skin and grooming treatments
- Hairpiece and toupee fitting, cleaning, and maintenance
- Sanitation, disinfection, tool care, client consultation, and shop business practices
Typical careers
- Barber
- Hairstylist
- Men's grooming specialist
- Barbershop manager
- Booth or chair renter
- Cosmetologist
Typical salary range: Early-career wages vary by employer, region, and experience (BLS, 2024 barbers median $38,960).Ranges are early-career estimates. Any BLS figure shown is the occupation-wide median across all experience levels, not a starting wage, and is informational only.
Related occupations
Occupations the federal CIP–SOC crosswalk associates with Barbering, with what each one pays and how many openings it is projected to average each year. Ordered by projected annual openings, largest first. Linked titles open the full CampusPin career page.
| Occupation | Median pay | Openings / yr | Projected change | Most entrants hold |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barbers | $38,960 | 8,400 | +4.1% | Postsecondary nondegree award |
Crosswalk: U.S. Department of Education (NCES), CIP 2020 to SOC 2018. Pay, openings and projections: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (2024 wages, Employment Projections). 1 of these 1 occupations report a median wage.
“Most entrants hold” is what BLS observes about people already working in the occupation. It is not a legal requirement, not an admission rule, and not a guarantee of entry. Studying Barbering does not guarantee any specific occupation, and many of these roles are entered from several different fields. Projected openings are a projection, not jobs promised.
The federal crosswalk associates only one occupation with Barbering. That is a statement about the field, not about its graduates: a breadth degree is not tied to a particular job, so the crosswalk has little to map. Graduates of this field work across many occupations, and what follows the degree depends far more on the skills and experience built alongside it.
Before you commit to a Barbering major
CampusPin does not rank programs. Use these prompts to pressure-test whether a specific Barbering program fits your goals, they are decision questions, not claims about any school.
Ask the Barbering department
- Which concentrations or specializations are offered, and which faculty lead them?
- What does the typical course sequence look like, and how much is required vs. elective?
- What labs, studios, clinical placements, or research opportunities are available to undergraduates?
- Is there a capstone, thesis, internship, or co-op requirement?
Ask current students & check the curriculum
- How heavy is the workload, and how accessible is the faculty?
- What internships or co-ops did you do, and where do recent graduates end up?
- Does the required curriculum actually match the careers listed above?
- How easy is it to add a minor, double major, or switch tracks later?
Find a Barbering program
CampusPin lists U.S. universities and community colleges by state, tuition, school size, acceptance rate, and campus setting, no account required.
Colleges that awarded the most Barbering credentials
Largest by credentials conferred in 2023-24. This measures the size of the graduating class, not quality, and it is not a ranking.
- Central Georgia Technical CollegeGA · 101
- Wiregrass Georgia Technical CollegeGA · 88
- Atlanta Technical CollegeGA · 56
- South Georgia Technical CollegeGA · 44
- Coahoma Community CollegeMS · 42
- Savannah Technical CollegeGA · 41
- Northwest Louisiana Technical Community CollegeLA · 37
- Daytona State CollegeFL · 36
- Campbellsville UniversityKY · 33
- Institute of TechnologyCA · 33
- Clary Sage CollegeOK · 32
- Albany Technical CollegeGA · 27
Based on credentials this institution reported conferring in the federal IPEDS completions collection for 2023-24. It confirms the field was awarded that year, not that the program currently accepts students, and it covers only the fields CampusPin tracks. Confirm current offerings with the institution.
Where Barbering credentials were awarded
2 states have a distinct enough set of Barbering colleges to be worth its own page.
Related majors
Cosmetology
Cosmetology programs train you to cut, color, and style hair, perform manicures, pedicures, and skin services, and prepare for the state board licensing exam.
Esthetics and Skin Care
Esthetics and skin care programs train you in facials, waxing, skin analysis, and spa treatments and prepare you for the state esthetician licensing exam.
Massage Therapy
Massage Therapy trains you in hands-on techniques to manipulate muscles and soft tissue, for people who want a practical, touch-based path in wellness and clinical care.
Culinary Arts
Culinary Arts trains you to cook professionally and run a working kitchen, blending hands-on technique with menu planning, food safety, and cost control.
Put this major in context
The salary above is an occupation-wide median from federal data, not a starting wage or a guarantee. These CampusPin guides and reports help you read it well, see where a Barbering degree can lead, and weigh it against cost and program quality.
Explore Personal Care & Service careers
Median pay, job outlook, and the occupations this field covers.
How one major leads to many careers
Why a single Barbering degree can open more than one path, and how to read the occupations above.
Why a median wage is not a starting salary
How to read a BLS median, and why early-career pay usually sits below it.
When accreditation and licensure matter
How program accreditation and state licensure can shape a Barbering path before you enroll.
Does a pricier college pay off?
How college cost lines up with graduation and earnings, an association, not a ranking.
Does picking a major narrow your college list?
Across the federal completions data, most fields barely change which colleges are on the table. Which ones genuinely do.
Certificate or degree?
What credential a field is usually awarded as is mostly set by the field itself, not by the state, with a short list of exceptions.
How this guide is sourced
This is an editorial guide from the CampusPin Editorial Team. Career and wage figures are from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, occupation-wide medians across all experience levels, not starting wages, and link to each career page. Program availability comes from CampusPin's free institution search; CampusPin does not assert that any specific school offers this exact major until that program data is verified. Last reviewed 2026-06-15. How CampusPin sources data · Report a correction.