What is the Job Outlook for a Barber?

A barber trims and styles hair, primarily for males, although they may perform other tasks too. Although employment growth in this field is somewhat faster than usual, formal training and licenses are required, and salaries are lower than average compared to other jobs. What’s the job outlook for barbers?

Crucial Details 

Barbers usually cut, wash, and style the hair of their male clientele. Certain barbers may provide skin care procedures and hair coloring services. Barbers must pass a license test and finish an authorized training program to practice in any state. Barbers may find employment at elderly homes, barbering schools, and conventional barbershops, among many other places. 

Barbers' Career Options 

Most people see a barber as someone who works in a store with a striped pole out front, cutting and clipping hair. Although many barbers continue to operate in conventional barbershops, a wider range of professional paths and possibilities are now accessible. Barbers may become self-employed, pursue jobs in the personal care sector, or instruct in schools for aspiring barbers. Moreover, if you are looking for part-time barber jobs near me, that option is also available.   

Self-Working Barbers 

Numerous professionals with a barbering background operate independently, either from their shops or facilities rented in establishments like salons, hotels, and spas. When barbers lease, they usually bring their own supplies and all other barbers must-haves for personal hygiene and pay the company owner a fee or rent. Barbers who work for themselves are often responsible for paying taxes and offering perks like retirement plans and insurance. 

Services for Personal Care 

In the personal care sector, barbers may find employment in various settings, including well-known barbershops, resorts, and cruise ships. Retirement homes and nursing facilities often employ barbers to give their inhabitants services. Governmental organizations usually hire barbers to provide haircuts at military installations and open spaces like jails and hospitals. 

Educational Instructors

Barber teachers are needed because many states mandate that aspiring barbers complete training courses before receiving a license. Many institutions employ skilled, certified barbers to provide students with the necessary skills to wash, trim, and style hair, mustaches, and beards. To teach, prospective teachers may need to fulfill further license requirements. 

Information about the Employment Outlook 

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) predicted 7% job growth for barbers between 2019 and 2029. This increase in possibilities was driven by population growth, rising demand for personal care services, and more barbers retiring or resigning. 

According to the BLS, the average hourly salary for barbers in 2019 was $16.92, tips included. The mean hourly income for barbers employed by technical and trade schools was $19.67, which was higher than the $16.86 received by those employed in personal care services.

You may work as a barber in a lot of different places. To work in this field, you must finish a barber school and get the required licenses. 

Overall, favorable employment prospects are anticipated - the barber job outlook is good. The need to replace employees who retire, shift to another profession, or quit for other reasons will result in many job opportunities. However, employees should prepare for fierce competition for positions and clientele at higher-paying salons, which are rare and require candidates to beat off a sizable pool of seasoned cosmetologists and hair stylists.

Lisa Franz