Barber
Key facts
Barbers cut, trim, taper and style men's hair. They also remove facial hair by shaving the specific area. Barbers use tools such as scissors, clippers, razors and combs. They may offer additional services like shampooing, styling, coloring and performing scalp massages.
Barbers are skilled professionals who specialize in men's hair and facial grooming. Your days will involve providing a range of services, from precision haircuts and beard trims to traditional shaves. You’ll need excellent attention to detail, strong communication skills, and a commitment to providing a high-quality experience for each client.
- • Cutting, trimming, tapering, and styling men's hair using scissors, clippers, and razors.
- • Removing facial hair through shaving, often following specific client requests.
- • Providing additional services such as shampooing, styling products application, hair coloring, and scalp massages.
Where this occupation is in demand
Reported labour shortages and surpluses, by year. Published for occupation groups, not for individual job titles.
Deeper colour: reported the same way in more consecutive years.
Figures cover Personal service workers — 86 jobs including this one.
In shortage: Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Hungary and 4 more.
Longest-running shortage: Denmark, 4 years.
Where it is regulated, your qualification would need formal recognition before you could practise.
Select a place on the map to see its figures.
About this source›
Source: ELA/EURES labour shortages and surpluses. Readings are published at occupation-group level, and cover Europe. Editions differ in annex layout and country coverage, so a change between years does not always mean the labour market changed. Countries in grey were not reported, which is not the same as being in balance.
What these words mean
The four things this section reports
- Reported demand
- Whether employers report needing people in this job — a judgement published by a national or EU body, not a count.
- Where it is heading
- Which way employment in this job is expected to move over the coming years, from an official projection.
- Openings
- Roughly how many openings arise — from growth and from people leaving the job.
- Typical pay
- What people in this job typically earn where the source publishes it. Blank does not mean unpaid; it means nobody publishes it for that place.
A measure is left out when nobody publishes it for that place, rather than shown as zero.
Which way the market leans for you
- In your favour
- More openings than people looking — employers are competing for candidates.
- Balanced
- Openings and candidates are roughly matched.
- Competitive
- More people looking than openings — expect to compete.
- Mixed evidence
- Sources disagree, or the same occupation group is short in one part and oversupplied in another.
Every source resolves to one of these four, so there is a single vocabulary to learn. What differs is the evidence behind it, which is printed underneath each verdict — a measured ratio of openings to jobseekers, or an assessment published by a national body.
How this job compares with other jobs in the same country
- Strong
- Among the strongest in that country
- Good
- Stronger than most jobs in that country
- Mixed
- About typical for that country
- Weak
- Weaker than most jobs in that country
This is a rank within one country, not a score you can carry across borders — the registers behind two countries count different people, so the same number means different things in each. It is also why a job can be among the strongest in a country and still show as Competitive: it leads the field in a market that is crowded overall.
Where these come from
Every figure is published by a national statistics office, a public employment service or an EU body, and each card names its source and the period it covers. Some places are counted monthly, others assessed once or twice a year, so two places on the same map can be describing different moments — the date is always shown.
None of this predicts one person's chances. It describes a market.
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Find your career path and explore the science behind our recommendations.
Could barber fit you?
Answer three quick questions. This is not a full assessment — it is a teaser to help you decide whether to compare your profile.
Do you enjoy tasks that require Attention to Detail?
Do you enjoy tasks that require Self-Control?
Do you enjoy tasks that require Cooperation?
Future Outlook for barber
The outlook for barber is exceptionally stable. While AI tools will assist with daily tasks, the core of this role relies on human judgment, resulting in a high resilience score of 79%.
How are these scores calculated?
The Resilience Score (0–100) estimates how structurally protected this occupation is from automation and AI disruption, based on task-level analysis. Higher scores mean more human-judgment-intensive tasks. AI Exposure shows the estimated percentage of task hours that current AI capabilities could affect. These are model-derived structural indicators, not predictions about individual job security.
How could barber change as AI adoption grows?
Human judgement, trust, and context remain strong protectors for this role.
Illustrative scenario based on task automatability — not a forecast. Values are rounded the further ahead you look.
Human judgement, trust, and context remain strong protectors for this role.
Illustrative scenario based on task automatability — not a forecast. Values are rounded the further ahead you look.
How AI may change this role
Deterministic, model-based interpretation of current role signals — not a guarantee of replacement.
What still depends on people
- style hair
- work ergonomically
- use equipment for hair care
Where AI may become a co-pilot
- maintain equipment
- stay up-to-date with hair style trends
- listen actively
Tasks most exposed to automation
No single task here is highly automatable yet.
Vital Signs & AI Vectors
AI Exposure Vectors
0-100%Exposure to content generation, creative augmentation, and large language model tools
Exposure to AI-assisted analysis, pattern recognition, and predictive modelling tasks
Exposure to physical automation, robotics, and sensor-driven task displacement
Exposure to workflow automation, decision-support software, and process digitisation
Technical Details
NexFuture v3.0 estimates automation exposure natively from ESCO essential-skill groups, weighted by skill mass and calibrated against expert anchors. Scores are probabilistic estimates, not guarantees. See the NexFuture Methodology White Paper for full details.
Measures automation exposure. It does not measure pay, demand, or how many jobs exist near you.
What people in this role usually do
Arts, Entertainment, & Design
A typical day as a barber
09 09:00 · Morning advise on hair style
10 10:30 · Mid-morning stay up-to-date with hair style trends
12 12:00 · Midday treat facial hair
14 14:00 · Afternoon use equipment for hair care
15 15:30 · Late afternoon work safely with chemicals
17 17:00 · Wrap-up communicate with customers
Task order is illustrative. Individual days vary.
What you need to do this work
The skills, knowledge and tools this role calls for — and the traits and rewards that come with it.
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style hair
Style a person's hair using the appropriate techniques and products.
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use equipment for hair care
Use tools to cut, trim or shave hair, such as scissors, clippers, razors and combs.
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treat facial hair
Shape, trim or shave beards and moustaches, using scissors and razors.
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work ergonomically
Apply ergonomy principles in the organisation of the workplace while manually handling equipment and materials.
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work safely with chemicals
Take the necessary precautions for storing, using and disposing chemical products.
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communicate with customers
Respond to and communicate with customers in the most efficient and appropriate manner to enable them to access the desired products or services, or any other help they may require.
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maintain equipment
Regularly inspect and perform all required activities to maintain the equipment in functional order prior or after its use.
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advise on hair style
Make recommendations to customers about suitable hair styles, based on their preferences and your own professional judgment.
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maintain customer service
Keep the highest possible customer service and make sure that the customer service is at all times performed in a professional way. Help customers or participants feel at ease and support special requirements.
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listen actively
Give attention to what other people say, patiently understand points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times; able to listen carefully the needs of customers, clients, passengers, service users or others, and provide solutions accordingly.
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manage personal professional development
Take responsibility for lifelong learning and continuous professional development. Engage in learning to support and update professional competence. Identify priority areas for professional development based on reflection about own practice and through contact with peers and stakeholders. Pursue a cycle of self-improvement and develop credible career plans.
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process payments
Accept payments such as cash, credit cards and debit cards. Handle reimbursement in case of returns or administer vouchers and marketing instruments such as bonus cards or membership cards. Pay attention to safety and the protection of personal data.
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stay up-to-date with hair style trends
Keep abreast of current and future fashion trends in hair styles.
hair
Human hair, its composition and interaction with various chemicals, environment factors and health issues.
- barbering techniques
- hair products
See whether this role fits your Career DNA
Take the free Career DNA assessment to see how barber aligns with your interests, work style, and future path. In less than 10 minutes, you will get a personalized fit signal and a roadmap for what to do next.
Scan to continue on mobilePath to become a barber
What it typically takes to qualify: education level, where it is a regulated profession, and where to study.
Primary education
Regulated in 15 countries on record. Minimum EQF 3–4, depending on the country.
Reflects the EU regulated-professions database. Not legal advice — confirm requirements with the relevant national authority before relying on this for a career or immigration decision.
Real programmes leading to this occupation, by country.
Growth Pathways & Similar Roles
Explore typical career progression paths, adjacent skills, and similar roles to plan your next transition.
Where does barber fit?
Similarity scores based on skill overlap from ESCO data.
Frequently asked questions
- What skills are most important to succeed as a barber?
- Beyond technical skills like cutting and shaving, strong communication and interpersonal skills are crucial. You’ll need to listen carefully to client requests, offer styling suggestions, and build rapport to create a loyal customer base. Attention to detail and a steady hand are also essential.
- Is it common to be self-employed as a barber?
- While many barbers work as employees in salons or barbershops, it’s also a very common career path to establish your own self-business. This offers greater flexibility and control over your work, but also requires business management skills.
- What kind of work environment can I expect?
- Barbers typically work in barbershops, salons, or occasionally mobile settings. The environment is usually fast-paced and client-focused, requiring you to be on your feet for extended periods. Maintaining a professional and welcoming atmosphere is key.
- How much does Barber pay in the United States?
- $38,960 a year at the median, as of 2025-05. State medians run from $24,690 to $77,430. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics. This is a United States figure and not a projection for Europe.
- Is Barber a regulated profession?
- It is listed as a regulated profession in 15 European countries: Italy, Luxembourg, Belgium, France and 11 more. The lowest qualification level required among them is EQF 3. Where a profession is regulated, a qualification earned elsewhere has to be formally recognised before you can practise. Source: EU Regulated Professions Database.
Sources: ESCO O*NET ELA/EURES Cedefop BLS Data updated September 20, 2026 About our data