Barbers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists provide haircutting, hairstyling, and other services related to personal appearance.

Duties

Barbers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists typically do the following:

  • Inspect and analyze hair, scalp, and skin to recommend services or treatment
  • Discuss hairstyle options
  • Shampoo, color, lighten, and condition hair
  • Chemically change hair texture
  • Cut, dry, and style hair
  • Trim facial hair
  • Receive payments from client
  • Clean and disinfect all tools and work areas

Barbers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists provide hair and other services to enhance clients’ appearance. Common tools may include combs and hairbrushes, clippers and scissors, straight razors, blow dryers, and curling and flat irons. They also may keep records of products used and services provided to clients, such as hair color, hair treatment, and clipper setting.

Those who operate their own barbershop or salon have managerial duties that may include hiring, supervising, and firing workers. They also may keep business and inventory records, order supplies, and arrange for advertising.

Barbers shampoo, cut, and style hair, mostly for male clients. They also may fit hairpieces, provide facials, trim beards and mustaches, and offer facial and head shaving. Depending on the state in which they work, some barbers are licensed to bleach, color, and highlight hair and to offer permanent-wave services.

Hairstylists and cosmetologists offer a wide range of hair services, such as shampooing, cutting, coloring, and styling. They often provide consultation and advise clients on how to care for their hair at home. Some also clean and style wigs and hairpieces.

Hairstylists and cosmetologists also provide facial and scalp treatments, makeup analysis, and skincare and nail services. In addition, some recommend hair care or skincare products. For more information about workers who specialize in skincare treatment or in fingernail and toenail services, see the profiles for skincare specialists or manicurists and pedicurists, respectively.

Work Environment

Barbers held about 50,200 jobs in 2021. The largest employers of barbers were as follows:

Self-employed workers      73%
Personal care services 25

Hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists held about 558,700 jobs in 2021. The largest employers of hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists were as follows:

Self-employed workers      47%
Personal care services 47
Retail trade 5

Barbers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists work mostly in barbershops or salons, although some work in spas, hotels, or resorts. Some lease booth space from a salon owner. Others manage salons or open their own shop after several years of gaining experience.

Barbers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists usually work in pleasant surroundings with good lighting. Physical stamina is important because they are on their feet for most of their shift. Prolonged exposure to some chemicals may cause skin irritation, so they often wear protective clothing, such as disposable gloves or aprons.

Work Schedules

Most barbers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists are full time, although part-time work is common. Work schedules may vary and often include evenings and weekends—times when barbershops and beauty salons may be busiest. Those who are self-employed and operate their own barbershop or salon may have long workdays, but they usually determine their own schedules.

Education and Training

All states require barbers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists to be licensed. To qualify for a license, candidates typically must graduate from a state-approved barber or cosmetology program and pass an exam.

Education

Barbers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists usually must complete a state-approved barber or cosmetology program. Admission to these programs varies by state, with some requiring a high school diploma or equivalent. Programs typically involve a mix of classroom studies and hands-on training and lead to a certificate or other postsecondary nondegree award. Some states require health and safety training as part of these programs.

Workers may continue to take advanced courses in hairstyling or in other personal appearance services throughout their careers to keep up with the latest trends. Those who want to open their own business also may benefit from taking courses in sales and marketing.

Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations

Barbers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists must obtain a license in order to work. Qualifications for a license vary by state. Generally, a person must meet state-specified minimum age requirements, have a high school diploma or equivalent, and have graduated from a state-licensed barber or cosmetology school.

After completing a state-approved training program, graduates take a state licensing exam that includes a written test and, in some cases, a practical test of styling skills or an oral exam.

In many states, cosmetology training may be credited toward a barbering license or vice versa, and a few states combine the two licenses. A fee usually is required to apply for a license, and continuing education units (CEUs) may be required with periodic license renewals.

State reciprocity agreements may allow licensed barbers and cosmetologists to get a license in another state without needing additional formal training or state board testing. Contact your state licensing agency for details.

Personality and Interests

Barbers, hairdressers, and cosmetologists typically have an interest in the Creating, Helping and Persuading interest areas, according to the Holland Code framework. The Creating interest area indicates a focus on being original and imaginative, and working with artistic media. The Helping interest area indicates a focus on assisting, serving, counseling, or teaching other people. The Persuading interest area indicates a focus on influencing, motivating, and selling to other people.

If you are not sure whether you have a Creating or Helping or Persuading interest which might fit with a career as a barber, hairdresser, and cosmetologist, you can take a career test to measure your interests.

Barbers, hairdressers, and cosmetologists should also possess the following specific qualities:

Creativity. Barbers, hairdressers, and cosmetologists must keep up with the latest trends and be ready to try new hairstyles for their clients.

Customer-service skills. Workers must be pleasant, friendly, and able to interact with customers in order to retain clients.

Listening skills. Barbers, hairdressers, and cosmetologists should be good listeners. They must listen carefully to what the client wants in order to make sure that the client is happy with the result.

Physical stamina. Barbers, hairdressers, and cosmetologists must be able to stand on their feet for long periods.

Tidiness. Workers must keep a neat personal appearance and keep their work area clean and sanitary. This requirement is necessary for the health and safety of their clients, as well as to make the clients comfortable enough to want to return.         

Time-management skills. Time-management skills are important in scheduling appointments and providing services. For example, routine haircuts do not require the precise timing of some other services, such as applying neutralizer after a permanent wave. Clients who receive timely hair care are more likely to return.

Pay

The median hourly wage for barbers was $14.41 in May 2021. The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $10.79, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $25.60.

The median hourly wage for hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists was $14.26 in May 2021. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $10.03, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $28.40.

In May 2021, the median hourly wages for barbers in the top industries in which they worked were as follows:

Personal care services      $14.37

In May 2021, the median hourly wages for hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists in the top industries in which they worked were as follows:

Personal care services      $14.26
Retail trade 14.16

Barbers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists may receive tips from customers. These tips are included in the wage data shown.

Most barbers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists work full time, although part-time work is common. Work schedules may vary and often include evenings and weekends—times when beauty salons and barbershops may be busiest. Those who are self-employed and operate their own barbershop or salon may have long workdays, but they usually determine their own schedules.

Job Outlook

Overall employment of barbers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists is projected to grow 11 percent from 2021 to 2031, much faster than the average for all occupations.

About 93,800 openings for barbers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire. 

Employment

Much of the projected employment growth in these occupations is due to recovery from the COVID-19 recession that began in 2020 and is likely to occur early in the decade.

The need for barbers and hairdressers will stem primarily from population growth, leading to greater demand for basic hair care services. In addition, an increased demand for hair coloring, hair straightening, and other advanced hair treatments is expected to continue over the projections decade.

Hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists continue to compete with providers of specialized services, such as nail and skin care. Consumers often choose manicurists and pedicurists and skincare specialists for these services, rather than to visit hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists for them. Still, employment is expected to grow to meet increased demand for personal appearance services.

For More Information

For more information about barbers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists, including education programs and state licensing, visit

American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS)

Beauty Schools Directory

National Association of Barber Boards of America (NABBA)

National-Interstate Council of State Boards of Cosmetology (NIC)

For information about other professional links, visit

Professional Beauty Association (PBA)

 

 

FAQ

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The career information above is taken from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook. This excellent resource for occupational data is published by the U.S. Department of Labor every two years. Truity periodically updates our site with information from the BLS database.

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