Barber Salary Guide and Career Outlook


Barbers earn a mean pay of $29,900 in the United States, C$36,000 ($28,124 USD) in Canada, and 15,040 ($20,128 USD) in the United Kingdom. The mean stands at AU$46,116 ($34,814 USD) for barbers in Australia, NZD$31,500 ($21,608 USD) for those in New Zealand, and INR357,119 ($5,534 USD) for barbers in India. Barbers earn on average R68,790 ($5,084 USD) South Africa.

How Much Does a Barber Make per Year by State?

Barber Salary US Canada UK Australia New Zealand India South Africa
Hourly Pay $14.38 C$17.31 £7.23 AU$22.17 NZD$15.14 INR171.69 R33.07
Annual Pay $29,900 C$36,000 £15,040 AU$46,116 NZD$31,500 INR357,119 R68,790

Barber Salary Influencing Factors

The barber field is populated with significant numbers of part-time and self-employed workers. The former group in particular may skew salaries downward. Barbers in the self-employed ranks rely on location and reputation to gain and sustain clients. Experience has a role in pay, but can influence job prospects to a greater degree.

1. Location

The place of a barber’s craft can figure into a barber’s pay. For self-employed barbers, location can mean a large or affluent client base to boost earnings.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Illinois has the highest-paid barbers, at $43,450. Those in Massachusetts follow at $41,660, while salaries in Washington average $39,300, good for third. Among metropolitan areas, the Boston area’s barbers ranked first in pay, with $46,510.

PayScale lists pay for barbers in Perth, Australia at 15 percent above the mean and pay for those in Melbourne at eight percent above the national mean. Barbers in London earn 38 percent above the United Kingdom’s national average.

How Much Does a Barber Make in the US?

Barber Salary US Per Year Per Hour
Minimum $18,210 $8.76
Maximum $47,400 $22.79
Bonus $3,300 $1.59
Overtime N/A N/A
Total Pay $18,210 to $47,400

How Much Does a Barber Make in Canada?

Barber Salary Canada Per Year Per Hour
Minimum C$19,574 C$9.41
Maximum C$61,825 C$29.72
Bonus N/A N/A
Overtime N/A C$12.48
Total Pay C$22,299 to C$73,700

How Much Does a Barber Make in the UK?

Barber Salary UK Per Year Per Hour
Minimum £14,000 £6.73
Maximum £30,000 £14.42
Bonus £102 £0.05
Overtime N/A N/A
Total Pay £14,000 to £30,000

How Much Does a Barber Make in Australia?

Barber Salary Australia Per Year Per Hour
Minimum AU$29,977 AU$14.41
Maximum AU$57,084 AU$27.44
Bonus N/A Up to AU$1.36
Overtime N/A AU$27.36
Total Pay AU$36,628 to AU$57,084

How Much Does a Barber Make in New Zealand?

Barber Salary New Zealand Per Year Per Hour
Minimum NZD$25,376 NZD$12.20
Maximum NZD$50,000 NZD$24.04
Bonus N/A N/A
Overtime N/A N/A
Total Pay NZD$25,376 to NZD$50,000

How Much Does a Barber Make in India?

Barber Salary India Per Year Per Hour
Minimum INR81,455 INR39.16
Maximum INR680,077 INR326.96
Bonus N/A N/A
Overtime N/A N/A
Total Pay INR81,455 to INR1,006,392

How Much Does a Barber Make in South Africa?

Barber Salary South Africa Per Year Per Hour
Minimum R47,344 R22.76
Maximum R290,874 R139.84
Bonus R5,750 R2.76
Overtime N/A N/A
Total Pay R47,344 to R290,874

2. Experience

Mid-career barbers in Canada garner pay of 18 percent above the mean, but “Experienced” barbers make 14 percent under the mean. According to the National Careers Service, hairdressers in the United Kingdom average £14,000 as “Starters.” For “experienced” hairdressers, salaries run from £14,000 and £24,000. Highly experienced ones can fetch north of £30,000 per year.

In Australia, experience results in a slight increase in pay. At entry-level, Australian barbers average earnings of AU$43,000. Those with five to twenty years of experience make on a mean basis AU$47,000. Achieving more than 20 years results in a mean pay of AU$50,000.

Experienced barbers in New Zealand can reach at or above NZD$50,000, especially with a stable of clients. Those working to that level often receive training or adult minimum wage.

3. Industry

Self-employed barbers feature prominently in the barber and hairstylist industry. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 72 percent of barbers were self-employed in 2016. In Canada, the self-employment rate stood at 59 percent.

According to the National Hairdressers Federation, the self-employed represent 76,000, or 48 percent, of hairdressers and barbers in the United Kingdom. For self-employed barbers, the number of clients and the hours worked determines compensation.

Schedule & Working Hours

With the large proportions self-employed, barbers often set their own hours. As a result, work schedules often vary. Barbers may work some evenings or weekends to serve customers who themselves may work during the day or have children in school on weekdays.

While barbers generally are full-time, the field has a sizeable contingent of part-timers.

In Canada, roughly three out of ten “Hairstylists and Barbers” work part-time. Job Outlook Australia reports that over 50 percent of hairdressers hold full-time positions, with the mean work week lasting 37.7 hours.

Bonuses & Benefits

Commissions constitute part of the pay package for barbers. According to PayScale, the figure for barbers in India is INR35,000, while commissions average R18,500 for those in South Africa. In the United Kingdom, barber commissions can reach £2,349.

The presence of part-time and self-employed barbers leads to generally low levels of employer-provided health benefits. Barbers in Canada have medical, dental and vision coverage at the rate of only 11 percent. That means nearly nine out of ten barbers have no employer-provided health benefits.

According to PayScale, only three percent in Australia get medical and none stated that they received vision or dental care. Only two percent of barbers in the United Kingdom enjoy medical care, four percent have vision coverage and three percent receive dental benefits.

For India, approximately a third have medical care, with none receiving vision or dental. PayScale reported no employer-provided health benefits for barbers in South Africa.

Career Outlook

Overall, customer demand for haircuts, hairstyling and other personal grooming services should support the need for barbers. Those seeking haircuts likely will prefer barbers with experience, thus making entry for new barbers challenging. To advance, barbers will need to gain experience with apprentice-like training. Certain jurisdictions may require barbers to be licensed.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts an increase of nine percent in employment of barbers by 2026. This translates to 5,200 additional jobs in the field. In 2016, the U.S. had 56,400 barbers.

According to Job Bank Canada, the “Hairstylist and Barber” occupation should see 26,300 job openings by 2024, with 24,700 seekers to fill them. Adzuna says that vacancies for barbers in London (UK) have grown by nearly 78 percent on a year-to-year basis, with the number of barbers in the city standing at 166.

In Australia, 61,400 workers engaged in hairdressing. By 2020, job openings could number between 25,001 and 50,000, with the projected size resting at 67,200.

Employment of hairdressers and barbers in New Zealand should rise to 10,220 by 2020 and 10,778 by 2025. In 2013, New Zealand had 8,880 professionals in this field.

Conclusion

Experience can aid barbers in finding jobs, clients and greater salaries. The field also affords extra pay for barbers seeking part-time work. Due to especially the number of part-time workers, figures for salaries and employment benefits such as health care and retirement will fall on the lower end of occupations in general.

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