Where is it easiest to open: Barber Shops
50 states, side by side. Operator counts and wages from Census and BLS; licence records matched on “SOC 39-5012” (soc) for Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists. A blank gate means NO RECORD MATCHED, which is not the same as no licence.
| State | Operators | Avg staff | Pay / employee | Gate | Licence titles matched |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NY | 987 | 2.3 | $26,716 | licence | Barber; Cosmetologist, Natural Hairstylist, Es |
| FL | 794 | 2.0 | $30,979 | exam | Barber Assistant; Barbers |
| CA | 580 | 3.9 | $34,406 | licence | Apprentice; Barber |
| NJ | 558 | 2.8 | $28,765 | exam | COSMETOLOGIST-HAIRSTYLIST; ELECTROLOGIST |
| TX | 552 | 6.2 | $35,452 | exam | BARBER; COSMETOLOGIST |
| PA | 282 | 3.3 | $35,963 | exam | Barber; Barber Manager |
| IL | 276 | 3.5 | $33,222 | exam | BARBER; COSMETOLOGIST |
| VA | 235 | 3.8 | $35,972 | exam | Barber Individual; Barber School License |
| AZ | 201 | 3.2 | $35,416 | licence | Cosmetologist; Cosmetology Instructor |
| CO | 185 | 6.3 | $35,746 | exam | Barber; Cosmetologist |
| WA | 179 | 6.9 | $44,995 | exam | Cosmetologist; Instructor (Cosmetology) |
| GA | 178 | 3.1 | $32,690 | exam | Barber Apprentice; Barber Instructor |
| NC | 175 | 4.3 | $38,330 | exam | Apprentice Barber; Apprentice (Cosmetology) |
| MI | 173 | 3.2 | $24,885 | exam | Barber; Barber Instructor |
| MA | 161 | 2.5 | $36,256 | exam | BARBER; COSMETOLOGIST (HAIRDRESSER) LICENSE |
| OH | 126 | 5.9 | $26,479 | exam | Advanced Cosmetologist; Barber |
| MD | 121 | 4.3 | $34,603 | licence | APPRENTICE COSMETOLOGIST; APPRENTICE LIMITED STYLIST |
| WI | 117 | 5.4 | $38,479 | exam | BARBERING & COSMETOLOGY APPRENTICE; BARBERING & COSMETOLOGY PRACTITIONER |
| IN | 108 | 4.5 | $34,529 | exam | Barber; Barber Instructor |
| MO | 107 | 4.9 | $33,927 | exam | Barber; Barber Instructor |
| UT | 101 | 4.4 | $27,362 | licence | COSMETOLOGIST HAIR STYLIST; ELECTROLOGIST |
| TN | 101 | 5.7 | $37,653 | exam | BARBER TECHNICIAN; COSMETOLOGIST |
| SC | 82 | 4.0 | $33,237 | licence | Barber Assitant Manicurists; Barber Colleges |
| MN | 81 | 3.3 | $39,213 | licence | Barbers / Barbershops / Barber Schools; Cosmetology -Individual Licenses |
| OR | 77 | 5.9 | $38,462 | licence | Cosmetology: Barbering; Cosmetology (Barbering, Esthetics, Hai |
| CT | 75 | 2.7 | $35,828 | exam | Barber; Electrologist |
| NV | 61 | 3.0 | $30,868 | exam | Cosmetic Demonstrator; Cosmetologist |
| LA | 52 | 4.1 | $32,152 | exam | Barber; Cosmetologist or Beauctician or Beauty |
| OK | 51 | 5.8 | $33,316 | exam | Barber / Barber Instructor; Cosmetician |
| HI | 48 | 3.7 | $27,006 | exam | Barber; Beauty Apprentice |
| AL | 41 | 4.3 | $26,147 | exam | Certified Cosmetologist Apprentice; Certified Hairstylist Apprentice |
| KS | 34 | 5.2 | $38,888 | exam | Barber; Barber Instructor |
| AR | 30 | 4.9 | $35,378 | exam | Barber; Barber Instructor |
| DE | 30 | 4.1 | $35,675 | exam | Apprentice Cosmetologist/Barber/Master; Barber |
| NE | 29 | 4.9 | $36,277 | licence | Barber; Barber Instructor |
| KY | 27 | 4.4 | $32,692 | exam | Apprentice Barber; Apprentice Cosmetologist |
| NM | 25 | 4.2 | $34,019 | exam | Barber/Cosmetologist Instructor; Barber Instructor |
| RI | 25 | 1.5 | $27,026 | exam | Electrologist; Hairdresser, Cosmetologist, Estheticia |
| ID | 24 | 8.5 | $39,586 | exam | Barber; Barber - Instructor |
| NH | 23 | 3.9 | $42,500 | exam | Barber; Barber, Master |
| IA | 20 | 4.5 | $36,111 | exam | Cosmetologist License |
| MS | 16 | 5.9 | $34,436 | exam | Barber; Cosmetologist |
| ME | 15 | 4.3 | $40,984 | exam | Barber; Barber, Apprentice |
| DC | 15 | 5.9 | $45,773 | exam | BARBER; COSMETOLOGY |
| ND | 14 | 4.1 | $31,172 | exam | Barber Instructor; Cosmetologists |
| AK | 12 | 4.2 | $40,500 | licence | Barber; Body Piercing, Tattooing and Permanent |
| MT | 11 | 4.8 | $38,358 | exam | Barbers and Cosmetologists - Barber; Barbers and Cosmetologists - Barber No |
| WV | 9 | 5.7 | $35,902 | not matched | — |
| SD | 4 | 2.0 | $36,625 | licence | Barber; Cosmetologist |
| VT | 3 | 3.7 | $48,364 | exam | Cosmetologist; Electrologist |
Axes are shown side by side and deliberately NOT collapsed into a ranking. A composite would be a score with no measured interval, and an unmeasured score is the thing this product exists to argue against. A high licence gate is a cost to enter and a moat once cleared — which of those matters more is the operator's call, not ours.
Licence data courtesy of CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor. Free to read, no account, always — a condition of the data licence as well as our own position.