How to Become a Barber: Your Step-by-Step Guide

You’ve got a keen eye for style and follow all the latest hair trends. You can line up your own beard and hairline blindfolded. In the dark. Maybe you’re already the go-to person giving free cuts to friends and family on weekends (and they’re not too bad!). If this sounds like you, then it’s time to turn that passion into a thriving career as a professional barber.

Today's barbers are blending traditional barbering skills with modern trends, driving the resurgence of the profession and making it culturally relevant in contemporary society. In fact, the barbering and men’s grooming industries are experiencing tremendous growth, expanding at 7% annually through 2033 [1]. This surge means more opportunities, higher demand, and greater earning potential than ever before.

But transforming raw talent into professional success requires more than just skill—it demands the right education, proper certification, and strategic guidance. In other words, its a journey, one that industry expert Matthew Mendoza, AKA “Barber Doza,” knows well. As a licensed barber, consultant, and educator, Mendoza has guided countless aspiring barbers through their certification journey with his renowned workshops and courses.

In this guide for how to become a barber, Mendoza shares the same insider insights he provides to his students, answering the most pressing questions about breaking into the barbering profession and building a successful career in this booming industry.

Complete an Accredited Barbering Program

Barbering is a skill, a craft, a trade. Like any legitimate trade, it requires a nuanced and legitimate education—and a license to practice it. Obtaining a barber license is essential for legal employment and compliance with state regulations. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), every state mandates that a barber must complete barber school and become licensed to practice in that state [1]. We’ll get to the licensure part of this later. For now, let’s cover the education bit.

First, future barbers must have a high school diploma or GED to enter a barber program, or any kind of educational training. Accredited barber programs are typically offered in barber colleges, beauty schools, community colleges, and technical schools. Beauty schools generally focus on broader cosmetology training, while barber schools specialize in barbering skills and licensure. These programs usually take anywhere from nine months to two years to complete.

Financial aid options, such as grants and scholarships, are available to help cover the costs of barber school and meet licensing requirements.

Finding a Barber School

Barber programs are often run out of community colleges and trade schools, though can also be stand-alone schools. Most state board websites will have a directory of all the barber schools in your state. Mendoza suggests narrowing your search by proximity from there.

When looking for a barber school, it’s always important to consider things like curriculum, instructor experience, job placement assistance and career support, as well as accreditation, cost, and completion flexibility.

As with any industry, a major red flag to watch out for when choosing a barber school, accoridng to Mendoza, is bad reviews. He suggests reading as many Google Reviews as necessary and scrutinizing the school’s Instagram portfolio.

"I'd even consider sending an Instagram message to a current student or alumni and ask them about their experience at the school," Mendoza says.

What You'll Learn in Barber School

The barber school curriculum is organized into structured courses and classes covering all essential barbering skills, including:

Haircutting & Hairstyling

Ahh, the fundamentals. Learning to cut hair is a fundamental skill for all barbers, forming the foundation of professional barber services. Barbering programs place special emphasis on techniques for cutting and styling men's hair, ensuring you develop the specialized skills needed for male clients. The focus is creating classic and contemporary hairstyles for all clients.

arber programs further cover styling methods for different hair types and textures, from traditional pompadours to modern fades and undercuts. Comprehensive styling techniques include shampooing, scalp massage, curling, thermal pressing, and hairpiece services.

Color theory and application are also covered, teaching you how to blend grays, create highlights, or achieve full color transformations while understanding how hair chemistry affects results.

Shaving

The steady hand and practiced razor strokes, the concentration; there is, perhaps, no more classic an image in grooming than of a barber providing his customer with a straight shave.

That will be you.

Mastering the trimming, styling, and care of men's facial hair—including beards and mustaches—is a core component of barbering. Programs cover fundamental techniques, positions, strokes, and proper face preparation methods. One thing is certain: You’ll graduate barber school an ace with the straight razor and a keen understanding of facial hair.

Hygiene & Sanitation

It won’t matter how gifted you are with the shears if your chair looks like a car seat from the 1970’s and your workstation, as a whole, is a category 1 health hazard. That’s why barber school covers safety protocols including sanitizing, disinfecting, and sterilizing procedures (for tools and your workstation), as well as disposal techniques, to protect your clients.

So, yeah, you can say that barbering is an art and a science. You’ll learn basic physiology of the hand, arm, head, and face, as applied to barbering work.

You’ll also learn the chemistry of cosmetic products, molecular structure, and applications for hair treatments, shampoos, dyes, and styling preparations.

Shop Management, Salesmanship & Product Knowledge

This area of knowledge is particularly helpful if you see yourself running your own barbershop one day. You may learn business fundamentals including regulations, accounting, inventory control, sales and marketing, customer relations, and equipment management. Understanding how barbers earn and manage money—through commission structures, booth rentals, and other payment models—is essential for financial success in the industry.

Mendoza points out that while important, business topics like salesmanship and shop management will likely be less of a priority, becasue they aren't covered on the state board examination.

"The purpose of barber school is to prepare students to pass the state board exam and get their license," he says.

Barber Apprenticeships

An alternative to barber school is completing a barber apprenticeship. An apprenticeship is a hands-on, sort of “old world” option where you’d gain expertise under the guidance of a seasoned barber, mastering the craft of hair cutting and grooming.

One of the positives of an apprenticeship is the personalized instruction you’d get in different styling methods, developing proficiency in creating popular men's cuts and beard grooming techniques. The duration of a barber apprenticeship varies, extending until you can demonstrate the competency and confidence necessary to practice independently as a licensed barber professional.

As with so many things, the rules regarding apprenticeships vary by state, with some states not offering them at all. You can learn about apprenticeship availability by checking your state board's website.

While a popular option, apprenticeship programs can also be controversial. Mendoza points out that apprenticeships can take more than twice as long as barber school. He also points to a current low state board exam pass rate across apprenticeship programs in his state of California.

Of course, what's true of one state isn't necessarily true of another, and no two apprenticeship programs are created equal. So, how do you know if an apprenticeship is right for you? Do your research.

"If you've found a program that has a great reputation, it can certainly be a great option to get your license," Mendoza says.

Choosing Cosmetology School

Another option for barbers is to earn a cosmetology license. These programs differ from traditional barbering programs in that it provides a more varied education that includes

Hair
Nails
Makeup
Skin care
Emphasis on male and female clients

Cosmetology school can take 9 –12 months to complete, if attended full-time.

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Pass The Barber Exam

Once you’ve completed your schooling, it’s time to take the barber exam. The number of hours required to sit for the barber licensing exam varies by state, though it’s typically 1,500.

Scheduling Your Exam

The first part is pretty straightforward. In fact, it’s (mostly) like prepping for any exam:

Complete Application: Fill out the form with training hours and required personal information.
Submit Documentation: Provide Affidavit of Hours from your school, high school diploma/equivalent, and other required documents.
Pay Exam Fee: Include the required application fee with your submission.
Schedule Your Exam: Once processed, book your exam date allowing adequate preparation time.

Of course, every state has a slightly different take on the process. Checking your state’s Candidate Information Bulletin to make sure you have everything you need to take and pass the exam is crucial, according to Mendoza.

"For example, you might be required to bring a valid driver's license," he says. "If you forgot it, they might not even let you take the exam, and send you home."

Bummer.

Studying for Your Exam

Scheduling your exam makes it real. This is happening, and now it’s time to prepare. Mendoza's biggest suggestion for preparing for the barber exam is to focus on the topics that are on your state’s candidate information bulletin, as these are the topics you'll be tested on.

Study both written and practical components using available practice materials. Google “barber tests online” and you’ll find plenty of sample exams, some free, others paid. When it comes to the best study aids, Mendoza suggests the Milady Standard Barbering Exam Review book, which he used. He also offers a free barber exam study guide of his own, available on his website.

Passing both the written and practical exams is required to earn your barber's license and begin your professional career. To prep for the barber exam's practical portion, Mendoza recommends taking a ‘baby board’, a simulation of the actual exam using mannequins.

You may want to test your barber skills on a living, breathing test subject leading into test day. Find a friend who trusts you (or who owes you a favor) and see if they’d be interested in a FREE haircut and beard trim.

Just think about how the outcome might affect your friendship status...

What to Expect on Exam Day

The big day! The barber exam is split into two parts. The written part is a mandatory part of the process and tests your knowledge of barbering theory and state regulations. In many states, the National Interstate Council of State Boards of Cosmetology (NIC) administers the written portion, ensuring standardized testing across the country.

This portion tests your knowledge of:

Barber Theory: Covers chemical processes, hair styling, beard trimming, hair coloring, facial hair, as well as infection control, safety standards,
Scientific Concepts: Hair and scalp analysis, chemistry, and the effects of chemicals on hair and skin.
Application: This part of the test covers your ability to apply all the knowledge you’ve gained in hypothetical, real-life scenarios and circumstances that you can expect as a barber.

Tests vary state to state, but the written part usually consists of 100 – 150 questions. To reiterate, expect to be tested on the topics that are mentioned in your state's candidate information bulletin.

The second part is the practical portion, where you demonstrate your actual barber abilities—haircutting, beard trimming, a straight razor shave, and more on a mannequin or, potentially, a live model. Ace this part, and it's the last time you’ll have to ply your skills for nothing!

On test day, you'll be surrounded by people with varying natural abilities and different levels of preparation. What's Mendoza's key advice for exam day? Focus on yourself.

"Don't pay attention to anyone else in the exam room," he says. "Trust your preparation and stay in your lane."

After completing your exam, the wait begins. There are some cases in which people receive an immediate (unofficial) indication of their performance. What is more likely, though, is that you can expect to wait at least a few weeks for the official results.

Obtain Your State Barber License

When you’ve completed your barber training and passed your licensing exam, it’s time to get your barber license. Every state is a bit different, so we suggest researching your state barbering board’s website for exact licensing requirements and other important information.

Submit your completed application form to your state’s Board of Barbering and Cosmetology, along with required documentation and fees. In many states, you can apply online to renew or obtain your barber's license, pay fees, and submit required documentation.

Just like test results, receiving your barber license can take a bit of time, two to four weeks on average, though possibly longer. Some states, like California, even require fingerprinting, which can extend the timeframe considerably. Check in with your state’s licensing board regularly for updates.

Find Your First Job

The job hunt begins. Utilize professional networking sites, job boards (LinkedIn, Indeed, etc.) and social media to start networking with barbers. Continue to build your network by attending local barber workshops and national trade shows, if possible.

In addition to network expansion, these events help you stay current as a barber. As in so many areas of life, your barbering education is never done. In fact, your license needs to be reviewed periodically, usually every two years or so, so keep that in mind.

Don’t be too proud to interview at chain barber shops, as it will get you started. Many barbers begin their careers working in established shops on a commission basis before moving to booth rental or opening their own business. Check out the "Where Should I work," episode of Mendoza's podcast, Beyond Barber School for more job tips.

When interviews start coming in, remember to dress professionally. You’re in the business of helping people look sharp, cool, dignified and professional. How you present for an interview should reflect that. Let your enthusiasm for the field shine through and be sure to emphasize your technical skill (and be ready to back it up on the spot!). Don’t forget to share any insights you may have into client management and the customer experience.

Wherever you start working, no matter how many clients you may have, Mendoza stresses importance of balancing business sense and professionalism with your talent.

"To the degree that you take your business seriously is the degree that your clients will," he says. "If you don't take it seriously, then why should they?"

Understanding Barber Reciprocity

We thought we’d include a quick word about a little thing called barber reciprocity. You may choose to set up shop, as it were, in another state. Like we said, each state has different licensing requirements, and you’ll need to research what reciprocity requirements are necessary to transfer your current license to your target state.

When transferring your license to a new state, it can take an additional 2-6 weeks for the other state to process and mail the certification.

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To truly stand out in the barbering industry, aspiring barbers need more than just a steady hand and a sharp set of clippers. Becoming a successful barber means mastering a blend of technical skills, personal qualities, and business know-how that will set you apart in any barbershop or salon. Once you've mastered the craft, earned your license, and landed your first position it’s time to elevate your barbering career. Building a loyal clientele and streamlining your operations are what separate successful barbers from those who just "get by."

This is where professional barbering software becomes your secret weapon. Vagaro transforms how you run your business, from effortless appointment scheduling and client management to payment processing and marketing tools that keep customers coming back. It’s the complete solution that helps you operate like the professional you’ve trained to become.

Try Vagaro free for 30 days and discover how the right tools can accelerate your growth and maximize your earning potential from day one!