What it takes to make a living as a barber on Long Island

At Roosevelt High School four years ago, Cynthia and Christopher Felder transformed a science classroom into a barber studio.

The founders of the Barber & Beauty Institute of New York, or BBINY, operate an after-school program that helps a dozen or so students each year obtain an apprenticeship license and begin working toward a New York State master barber license, which barbers need before legally opening their own shops.

Every student who completes the Roosevelt program receives a scholarship to BBINY.

Anderzen Flores, a Roosevelt graduate, followed that path and completed the institute’s program in 2024. He is now studying finance at Malloy University and has worked at a barbershop for two years.

Although his first priority is a career in finance, he hopes to open a barbershop one day.

“A lot of people get laid off these days, so it’s good to have more than one source of income,” he said.

Barber employment growth 2022-2032

Long Island projected growth: 13.1%

Statewide projected growth: 3.5%

Source: New York State Department of Labor

Since 2006, the institute has offered several barbering and hairstyling programs, including training for aspiring barber operators and master barbers.

Demand for haircuts may be steady, but an individual barber’s income depends on building and retaining a client base. For self-employed barbers, long-term financial security also depends on accurately reporting income, paying taxes and saving for retirement. Earnings reported to the government can affect future Social Security benefits and eligibility for some disability benefits.

Those responsibilities are becoming more important as barbering employment grows on Long Island.

The region has approximately 140 wage-and-salary barber jobs, with median annual pay of $38,951, according to state Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics data. But that count excludes independent contractors and other self-employed barbers, meaning it does not represent the industry’s total workforce, a state Department of Labor spokesperson said.

Licensed barber operators on Long Island

Nassau: 604

Suffolk: 943

Total: 1,547

Source: New York Department of State, July 2026 

A separate state projection, which includes self-employed workers, counted 840 Long Island barbers in 2022. The department expects that number to reach 950 by 2032, an increase of 13.1%. Statewide barber employment is projected to grow 3.5% during the same period.

Barbering has traditionally involved significant cash payments, making careful income tracking especially important for self-employed workers. In 2024, approximately 74% of barbers were self-employed nationwide, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The price of independence

Aspiring barbers can qualify for a New York State master barber license by working under a licensed master barber for two years or by completing an approved course of study, among other requirements, Cynthia Felder said. 

But RJ Rosas, 29, of Hicksville, said earning the license does not mean a barber should immediately open a business.

He has worked as a barber for eight years and has co-owned R.D.M. Studio since November 2024.

“I don't necessarily think that everyone should own [a business]. It's a lot of work,” Rosas said.

At his first job in 2018, Rosas said, the barbershop charged around $17 for a cut. He has watched haircut prices rise since then.

Prices for haircuts and other personal care services rose about 125% between 1997 and 2026, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics inflation data. A $20 haircut in 1997 would cost about $45 this year. At R.D.M. Studio, a cut costs $40, which Rosas described as “more than fair” given the rising cost of living on Long Island.

Setting prices requires barbers to account for the type of shop they operate, their overhead and the number of clients they expect to serve.

Rosas and his co-owners rent a suite through Sola Salon Studios, which he said is their largest monthly expense. Sola Salon Studios offers private studio rentals starting at about $299 per week on Long Island, a company spokesperson said. The rent includes Wi-Fi, a website and utilities.

“If they know what average revenue looks like for them, and they know they're not going to get hit with miscellaneous charges, they can run their business very well,” the spokesperson said.

Rosas said his other overhead costs are low and he does not have to worry about paying for studio repairs.

R.D.M. Studio uses high-quality clippers that cost from $200 to $300 and scissors ranging from $100 to $1,200. Rosas said his Japanese steel scissors cost $1,200. Besides rent, recurring expenses include razors and shaving cream, he said.

Self-employed independent contractors receive their haircut fees and tips directly, but they are responsible for reporting business income and expenses and may need to make quarterly estimated tax payments. Those responsibilities are not incorporated into every barbering program.

“That's kind of what we have to learn ourselves,” Rosas said. “Barber school kind of just teaches you how to become a barber, how to cut hair, and they basically just say how to pass the test.”

From “hustler” to entrepreneur

When Cynthia Felder saw one of her former students working at a grocery store, the student said she needed the money to save for retirement, Felder said. The encounter prompted Felder to add financial education to BBINY’s curriculum.

“We have CPAs come in, we have lenders come in, teaching the things they must have in order to get to that next level,” Felder said. “In this industry, it's really, really important because if we don't, we're setting them up for failure.”

Caleya Burton, of Jamaica, Queens, started King’s Cosmetics, a men’s hair care and grooming products business, with her father in 2019. Her father had been a master barber for 40 years. After he died, Burton decided to pursue her own master barber license and plans to eventually open a shop when she completes the program.

"My long-term goal is to open The King’s Grooming Lounge, where barbering, skincare and The King’s Cosmetics all come together under one brand,” she said

She anticipates paying for a chair or suite, tools, products and insurance. She said tracking those costs will be central to building a sustainable business.

“I’m learning that it’s important to plan for those costs and build a strong financial foundation rather than expect success overnight,” Burton said.

As she builds a barbering clientele, Burton said she will likely work a separate job. She plans to charge $25 per cut and hopes to serve 15 to 20 clients per week. She said she expects to raise her prices as she gains experience.

“When it came down to taxes and reporting things, I was lost,” Burton said. “The financial part will take you from a hustler to an entrepreneur."

Self-employed barbers may need to set aside around 20% to 25% of their income for federal and state taxes, said Ernie Patrick Smith, founding partner of accounting and advisory firm Nawrocki Smith LLP. That estimate includes the 15.3% federal self-employment tax, which funds Social Security and Medicare, according to the IRS. Independent contractors who are just starting out may prioritize immediate business costs over retirement contributions.

“Because they would be more focused on earnings and less about the retirement side of things, they would probably keep costs down,” said Smith. “I think it’s a tough business to enter and be in.”

Business beyond the barber chair

Financial planning is only part of the challenge. Shop owners also must recruit barbers, retain clients and decide when to step away from cutting hair to manage the business.

Keith Banks launched Sir Shave Barber Parlor in Wyandanch in 2017. A small-business loan helped cover equipment and build-out costs. But finding and retaining talent has been crucial, he said.

Some of his barbers earn six figures, “rightfully so,” Banks said. His barbers are independent contractors who handle their own taxes. Earnings can vary based on a barber’s prices, chair-rental agreement and ability to maintain a steady client base, Banks said.

Haircuts start at about $35, with cut, shave and facial packages costing as much as $125. Banks, who is not a barber, said attracting and retaining clients requires consistency and an experience, whether a barber works in a traditional shop or a private suite.

“Our clients don't care about price. Our prices have gone up three times. They care about the experience,” he said.

Banks said younger barbers should not underestimate either their earning potential or the financial responsibilities of running a business. Shop owners also must sometimes step away from the chair to focus on management, he said.

Now, Flores and the barber who employs him are discussing becoming co-owners, Flores said. After working with the owner for two years, Flores said he understands more about the realities of running a business: balancing client service with staffing, finances and other challenges behind the scenes.

“There’s a lot of stress,” Flores said. “You have to know how to manage people, how to make sure business is coming in. [The owner] always keeps that behind the scenes. I don’t think it’s good to have other people that are working for you to see if you’re struggling. They don’t come here to try to run the business, that’s all on the owner.”