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How much do self-employed barbers make?

Barbers. Census data for 2024. Figures are revenue before costs, not income.

Barber trimming a seated customer's beard in a barbershop

Businesses

154,456

Revenue per firm

$32,831

Under $25,000

56%

Sole proprietors

95.2%

Census code 812111, "Barber Shops", covers barbers working for themselves, including those who rent a chair, when they file as a business.

In 2024, 154,456 US businesses with no paid employees were classified under this code. Between them they reported $5.1 billion in revenue, an average of $32,831 per firm, 44% below the $58,194 average for all businesses with no employees.

What stands out

Barbers sit in the middle of the revenue range. Only 25.4% reported under $10,000, well below the 37.3% for all nonemployers, but 4.5% reached $100,000, a third of the all-industry share.

95.2% are sole proprietors. Barbershops set up as partnerships or corporations averaged $108,155, against $29,074 for sole proprietors.

Mississippi holds 1.8 times its national share of barber businesses, Louisiana 1.7 and Alabama 1.4. Among states with at least 500 barber businesses, Minnesota (0.51) and Iowa (0.55) hold about half.

What a typical firm brings in

The average hides a wide spread. 25.4% of firms reported under $10,000 (all industries: 37.3%), 56% under $25,000 (all: 60.4%) and 80.4% under $50,000. 4.5% reached $100,000 or more (all: 13.3%). The middle firm falls in the "$10,000 to $24,999" bracket.

Share of 154,456 US firms in each revenue bracket, 2024. Shares use the national firm total and are rounded to one decimal; a band shown as 0% can hold a small number of firms, and bands without a published count are left out. Source: Census Bureau, Nonemployer Statistics.
  • Under $5,00014%
  • $5,000 to $9,99911.4%
  • $10,000 to $24,99930.6%
  • $25,000 to $49,99924.4%
  • $50,000 to $99,99915.1%
  • $100,000 to $249,9993.9%
  • $250,000 to $499,9990.5%
  • $500,000 to $999,9990.1%
  • $1 million to $2.5 million0%

How much is left after costs

The IRS Table 1 row nearest this trade, "Personal and laundry services", does not match the scope of this Census category, so no matching profit figure is shown here.

How it varies by state

California has the most firms, at 18,036. Among the 38 states (including DC) with at least 500 firms, revenue per firm is highest in Arizona ($51,060) and lowest in Mississippi ($19,116). The Census assigns each business to a state by its mailing address, which may not be where the work is done. These data do not explain state differences or show take-home pay.

Alabama2,636$24,037-27%
Alaska*152$48,388+47%
Arizona3,331$51,060+56%
Arkansas1,264$25,383-23%
California18,036$37,486+14%
Colorado1,695$50,018+52%
Connecticut1,548$40,071+22%
Delaware*318$30,428-7%
District of Columbia*214$31,327-5%
Florida16,492$36,789+12%
Georgia8,125$24,542-25%
Hawaii*369$44,797+36%
Idaho546$40,092+22%
Illinois6,641$25,977-21%
Indiana2,580$27,457-16%
Iowa621$29,209-11%
Kansas829$37,709+15%
Kentucky1,614$33,226+1%
Louisiana3,670$21,864-33%
Maine*331$42,810+30%
Maryland2,725$35,972+10%
Massachusetts2,938$43,115+31%
Michigan4,997$22,938-30%
Minnesota1,144$40,365+23%
Mississippi2,329$19,116-42%
Missouri2,006$29,150-11%
Montana*202$41,931+28%
Nebraska*437$36,403+11%
Nevada1,768$32,928+0%
New Hampshire*486$48,858+49%
New Jersey3,574$37,339+14%
New Mexico786$33,062+1%
New York10,143$31,026-5%
North Carolina4,569$31,529-4%
North Dakota*136$41,500+26%
Ohio4,580$29,306-11%
Oklahoma1,296$30,978-6%
Oregon1,002$44,264+35%
Pennsylvania4,570$32,301-2%
Rhode Island547$40,733+24%
South Carolina2,666$30,531-7%
South Dakota*137$36,401+11%
Tennessee3,990$27,466-16%
Texas18,016$30,466-7%
Utah1,124$45,111+37%
Vermont*93$39,817+21%
Virginia3,319$35,571+8%
Washington1,906$45,988+40%
West Virginia*436$32,860+0%
Wisconsin1,402$29,892-9%
Wyoming*120$40,858+24%

* Fewer than 500 firms, so the average is less stable. Click a column heading to sort. Receipts are modified by the Census Bureau to protect privacy.

Frequently asked questions

How much do self-employed barbers make?

Census data for 2024 show 154,456 US businesses with no paid employees in this trade, reporting an average of $32,831 in revenue each. 56% took in under $25,000, against 60.4% of all businesses with no employees. Revenue is what the business takes in before costs, so it is not the owner's income.

Which state has the highest revenue per firm for self-employed barbers?

Among the 38 states (including DC) with at least 500 firms, Arizona had the highest average revenue per firm, at $51,060, and Mississippi the lowest, at $19,116. States are assigned by business mailing address, and these figures do not show take-home pay.

Sources and method

Other trades