June 5, 2022
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If you’re interested in becoming a barber you probably have questions like – should I attend barbering school? Which barbering school should I attend? How much will the program cost? What will I learn? Is it worth it? And more!
Searching online can be daunting; “THERE’S SO MUCH INFORMATION AGHHHH!”
Not to worry though, we cover a lot of your concerns here in this blog post and others on our site so rest assured you’ve arrived at the right place for answers. Let’s start at the very beginning by defining ‘barbering’ (you’ll be surprised how many people enroll in beauty colleges only to realize the course doesn’t cover barbering at all).
What is barbering?
Barbering is the service of cutting/styling hair (predominantly male hair) and includes beard trimming and beard styling. It involves tools like trimmers, scissors and combs, with other enhancing tools specific to each barber and their preferences.
Now that that’s covered, we hope you won’t end up in the wrong hair-related course like some other unfortunate souls.
Barbering Industry Insights
You should always check if the industry you are looking to pursue is healthy and growing. The great news is there is always going to be a need for barbers and the skills are very transferable from one country to another.
According to the US Bureau of Labour Statistics, jobs in the barbering, hair styling and cosmetics industry will grow 19% between 2020 and 2030.
Barber Schools – what are they and are they worth it?
Barber schools are exactly as they sound. These are colleges and institutes with courses designed to teach you and set you up for a career in barbering. They typically start from the ground up so don’t be afraid if you have no prior knowledge or experience.
At barbering school, students learn things like how to cut hair, the different types of hair and the various techniques used to cut each hair type. Students will also learn about hair product chemistry, hygiene, health and safety, and business management. Students will likely practice on dolls at first, with most courses providing you with the opportunity to cut real hair towards the end.
It’s a great opportunity to be trained by experienced barbers and learn in a safe-space with supervision practicing on mannequins.
Students also get a certificate once they graduate which will help them when applying for jobs.
Note: don’t waste too much time trying to decide if you should go to barbering school or not as chances are you don’t have a choice. In the US, it’s a regulatory requirement to graduate from an authorized and accredited school before employment. You can’t get around this so focusing your research on which barbering program best suits you would be more efficient.
As stated by the US Bureau of Labour Statistics:-
“All states require barbers, hair stylists, and cosmetologists to be licensed. To qualify for a license, candidates are required to graduate from a state-approved barber or cosmetology program and then pass a state exam for licensure.”
Here are some barbering schools we have researched for you in the US and UK.
How long does barber school last?
This is a very common question but unfortunately not so easy to answer. It depends on how advanced the course you choose is. Some barbering schools will have courses of 8, 16 and 30-week lengths. Some are designed for part-timers who can only afford to do 1 or 2 days of school a week, others are designed for full time 4 or 5 day weeks. The requirement to become a barber is set in hours by various state laws – typically 1,500 hours.
It’s important that you pick a course that meets your lifestyle, covers the licensing requirements and is affordable.
How much does barber school cost?
In the US, you can expect to pay anywhere between $2,000 and $20,000. This range is mainly subject to how in-depth the courses are and the institution’s name that’s offering it. Again, what’s important is that the course covers the basic licensing requirements you are after. It’s then up to you how advanced you want to take it. Some barbering schools will offer apprenticeships and those ones usually come with higher tuition fees.
In the UK, barbering school typically costs between GBP2,000 and GBP6,000. Again, it depends on how advanced you want the education to be. There is the minimum course to get you to NVQ Level 2 and others that teach you business management and marketing tactics for those looking to run their own shops someday.
London School of Barbering is a great place to gain education, network and find your next job. They have online video tutorials for home learning as well as in-person hands-on training. Be sure to check out their jobsboard for the latest openings too.
Barbering school fees – financial aid
There are many ways to fund your tuition fees for barbering school, but first and foremost you should check your eligibility for any government aid. If you meet the requirements it would be foolish not to take it.
Check your local government’s website, and also speak to the institute you are applying to for advice. Make an appointment with the school advisor, they will know the financial aid options available and can point you in the right direction. FAFSA is probably a good place to start, it’s the federal financial aid site.
As part of the application process, you will need to prove that you meet the criteria set out which typically involves tax returns, social security numbers etc, and it can take some time so don’t leave it too late before checking.
What are the requirements to enrol in Barber School?
These programs are designed for individuals with no prior barber experience. Each barber program can have its own minimum requirements, but most just look for the completion of a high school diploma. There is also an age restriction typically set at 16+ years.
And of course, you need to be able to cover the tuition fees too which is usually the sticking point for many.
Why should I go to Barber School?
The obvious answer is for many it’s a legal requirement for barber professionals. We discuss getting your barber license in another blog post you can find here.
The hands-on training you gain as part of these programs is highly valued later when you are applying for jobs in real barbershops. Barbershop owners are reluctant to hire someone who can’t show they have had some level of hands-on training – which is understandable, you are about to cut their clients’ hair so their barbershop’s reputation is on the line.
A barber program will help you pick up the minimum skills and tips that will help set you up for a strong career in barbering. It will help to secure an apprenticeship and also help you in interviews when discussing your experiences.
It’s proof you at least know the basics!!
Is there a difference between beauty school and barber school?
Yes, a barbering school’s program will focus on hair whereas a beauty school will focus on cosmetology. A cosmetology program will include skin and nails so not exactly what a trainee barber would be looking for.
Consistently practice and learn
Just turning up for work doing the 9-5 shift will not earn you more than 20,000-30,000 a year in most cases. To really hit the high-income figures you need to consistently practise your skills, and learn from those in higher positions than you. Barbering is an art form, and like any art form, there is always scope for improvement. It really never ends.
You can always tell when you are sitting in a passionate barber’s chair compared to one who is there for the bare minimum.
So make sure you are always challenging yourself to improve year on year, identifying your weaknesses, growing your brand online, and trying new things. Your clients will notice the improvements and will sense your passion for your craft and want to stay loyal to your business. When they see this passion and skill they won’t question your higher pricing.
Watch videos online of other barbers and what they are up to, this can be a great way to pick up on industry tips quickly.
How much money can you earn (income)?
I won’t dwell on this section too much because it can be very limiting and discouraging for someone looking to enter the industry. There are many ‘average’ barbers who earn an average wage and that’s ok.
But there are also master barbers earning over 6 figures and more! It’s all about generating multiple income streams and understanding that there are only so many heads you can cut in a day so don’t limit yourself to just that income source.
Earn more money as a barber by opening your own shop and renting out chairs, selling products, offering training courses, and creating YouTube content online. These are only some of the many ways to boost your barbering income. Once you are experienced and have established yourself as a talented barber, you can even offer an apprenticeship program to the junior barbers.
Check out our blog on The Wealth Barber for more.
Barbering events near you
Look out for barbering events near you and don’t be shy when they come up. Enter yourself for various challenges like the ‘15min Fade’.
Even if your fade was nowhere near 15mins I guarantee you it’s faster than what it was before you entered.
BARBERCON is a great event based in multiple states across the US and The Great British Barber Bash is another one worth checking out if you are back in the UK.
There are also great networking benefits at these events and product reviews. Be sure to speak to and learn from those with years of experience as they have the tried and tested formulas to success. Many people set the foundations to their barber career at these events. We can’t emphasize enough how valuable they are.
Business Management for barbers
This is a really important part of the barbering program. You’ll learn the business skills necessary for barber shop management like staffing, stock management, payroll, branding and marketing – all vital for success.
Take some inspiration from other successful barbers while also remembering that you should bring your own uniqueness to the table.
Check out these guys who have mastered both their craft as barbers and as businessmen:
Scheduling client appointments
There are many barbershop management tools you can use with each one offering a unique experience and service offering.
Be sure to check out our TrimCheck app that allows you to manage both in-shop and call-out bookings in one calendar.
Learn how to market yourself
Whether you do this as an individual or as a shop, you need to get yourself online. Instagram and YouTube are very popular but also TikTok can be a great way to make viral videos that will feed traffic onto your Instagram and YouTube profiles.
It lets people know you are passionate about barbering and offers a chance for them to see your talents before sitting in your chair.
If you get your following up you can even start selling merchandise, barbering tools and mentoring courses for the next generation. We have a separate blog that goes into more detail on how to become a wealthy barber – you can check it out here.
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I hope that you feel a little better now about barbering school, the industry and what your next steps are to set up for a strong career with the right program. Be sure to check out some of our other blogs and sign up for our weekly newsletter to keep up to date on the latest trends and changes affecting barbers worldwide.
Contact us at barberhub@trimcheck.com
