Barbers Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for barbers is $38,210, or $18.37 per hour. About 15,000 people work in this occupation nationwide. Wages vary substantially by state — from $77,430 in Oregon to $24,690 in Tennessee.
Wage distribution nationwide
Earnings spread across all U.S. workers in this occupation.
Salary by state
All 36 states with published data, ranked by median annual wage.
| # | State | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oregon | $77,430 | $37.22 | — | — |
| 2 | Illinois | $65,430 | $31.46 | — | — |
| 3 | Colorado | $61,500 | $29.57 | 480 | 1.73 |
| 4 | Washington | $61,150 | $29.40 | 1,220 | 3.57 |
| 5 | Iowa | $58,900 | $28.32 | 130 | 0.87 |
| 6 | New Jersey | $54,850 | $26.37 | — | — |
| 7 | Minnesota | $53,990 | $25.96 | 260 | 0.90 |
| 8 | Florida | $49,410 | $23.76 | 1,240 | 1.30 |
| 9 | North Dakota | $48,540 | $23.34 | 80 | 1.91 |
| 10 | Missouri | $47,880 | $23.02 | 580 | 2.05 |
| 11 | Virginia | $46,730 | $22.47 | 160 | 0.41 |
| 12 | Louisiana | $44,430 | $21.36 | 40 | 0.19 |
| 13 | Connecticut | $41,400 | $19.90 | 330 | 2.02 |
| 14 | New Mexico | $39,100 | $18.80 | 50 | 0.56 |
| 15 | Nebraska | $39,090 | $18.79 | — | — |
| 16 | New York | $38,580 | $18.55 | — | — |
| 17 | Mississippi | $38,480 | $18.50 | — | — |
| 18 | California | $38,380 | $18.45 | 1,390 | 0.79 |
| 19 | Pennsylvania | $36,920 | $17.75 | 530 | 0.91 |
| 20 | Wisconsin | $36,540 | $17.57 | 450 | 1.58 |
| 21 | Idaho | $36,040 | $17.33 | 130 | 1.53 |
| 22 | Michigan | $35,490 | $17.06 | — | — |
| 23 | Maryland | $35,400 | $17.02 | — | — |
| 24 | Maine | $35,300 | $16.97 | 50 | 0.87 |
| 25 | Rhode Island | $34,900 | $16.78 | — | — |
| 26 | Oklahoma | $34,860 | $16.76 | 170 | 1.01 |
| 27 | Arizona | $34,380 | $16.53 | — | — |
| 28 | Indiana | $33,600 | $16.15 | 370 | 1.20 |
| 29 | South Carolina | $32,900 | $15.82 | 220 | 0.97 |
| 30 | North Carolina | $31,050 | $14.93 | 330 | 0.70 |
| 31 | Texas | $30,760 | $14.79 | 2,580 | 1.90 |
| 32 | Georgia | $30,750 | $14.79 | 550 | 1.16 |
| 33 | Alabama | $29,120 | $14.00 | — | — |
| 34 | Arkansas | $25,640 | $12.33 | 170 | 1.33 |
| 35 | Utah | $25,370 | $12.20 | 320 | 1.91 |
| 36 | Tennessee | $24,690 | $11.87 | — | — |
Related occupations
Same job family, ranked by national employment.
Frequently asked questions
How much do barbers make?
The median annual wage for barbers in the United States is $38,210, or $18.37 per hour. Entry-level workers (10th percentile) earn $28,600, and the top 10% earn $76,460.
How many barbers are employed in the U.S.?
About 15,000 people work as barbers nationwide.
Which state pays barbers the most?
Oregon pays the most at a median of $77,430, followed by Illinois ($65,430) and Colorado ($61,500).
Which state pays barbers the least?
Tennessee has the lowest median at $24,690.
Where are barbers jobs most concentrated?
The location quotient measures employment concentration relative to the national average. The highest is Washington at 3.57×.