Barbers Salary
In Fargo, ND-MN, barbers earn $48,810 at the median, or about $23.46 an hour. The range runs from $29K at the entry level to $59K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 90.87), which stretches that salary to about $53,714 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,112/month, about 32.8% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $49K get you in Fargo?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Fargo’s Regional Price Parity (90.87). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About barbers
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Fargo
Fargo sits well above the national pay line for barbers, local pay runs about 28% higher than the U.S. median of $38K. Rent runs $1,112/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 33.1% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 90.87 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 9% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for barbers in metros near Fargo, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington | $39K | $37K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Fargo, ND-MN
Entry-level barbers (10th percentile) start around $29K. Mid-career wages sit at $49K. Top earners bring in $59K or more, a $30K spread from bottom to top.
Barbers pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Barbers salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oregon | $77K | +103% | N/A |
| Illinois | $65K | +71% | N/A |
| Colorado | $62K | +61% | 480 |
| Washington | $61K | +60% | 1,220 |
| Iowa | $59K | +54% | 130 |
| New Jersey | $55K | +44% | N/A |
| Minnesota | $54K | +41% | 260 |
| Florida | $49K | +29% | 1,240 |
| North Dakota | $49K | +27% | 80 |
| Missouri | $48K | +25% | 580 |
| Virginia | $47K | +22% | 160 |
| Louisiana | $44K | +16% | 40 |
| Connecticut | $41K | +8% | 330 |
| New Mexico | $39K | +2% | 50 |
| Nebraska | $39K | +2% | N/A |
| New York | $39K | +1% | N/A |
| Mississippi | $38K | +1% | N/A |
| California | $38K | +0% | 1,390 |
| Pennsylvania | $37K | -3% | 530 |
| Wisconsin | $37K | -4% | 450 |
| Idaho | $36K | -6% | 130 |
| Michigan | $35K | -7% | N/A |
| Maryland | $35K | -7% | N/A |
| Maine | $35K | -8% | 50 |
| Rhode Island | $35K | -9% | N/A |
| Oklahoma | $35K | -9% | 170 |
| Arizona | $34K | -10% | N/A |
| Indiana | $34K | -12% | 370 |
| South Carolina | $33K | -14% | 220 |
| North Carolina | $31K | -19% | 330 |
| Texas | $31K | -19% | 2,580 |
| Georgia | $31K | -20% | 550 |
| Alabama | $29K | -24% | N/A |
| Arkansas | $26K | -33% | 170 |
| Utah | $25K | -34% | 320 |
| Tennessee | $25K | -35% | N/A |
Showing 1–10 of 36 states
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track barbers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Fargo numbers change.
Related careers in Personal Care
Frequently asked questions
Can a barber afford a 2BR apartment alone in Fargo?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $49K, rent takes 33.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,112/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,000/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for barbers in Fargo?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new barbers typically earn — is $29K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,726/month. At HUD’s $1,112/month FMR, rent would take 64% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is barber a high-paying job in Fargo?
Local pay is 28% above the national median — $49K here vs. $38K nationally.
How does Fargo compare to the national average for barbers?
Fargo pays $49K median vs. the U.S. average of $38K — that’s +28%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 90.87), the purchasing-power equivalent is $54K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do barbers make in Fargo, ND-MN?
The median is $48,810 a year, that works out to about $23 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $28,760, and experienced barbers can clear $59,070. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $49K enough to live in Fargo?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,359/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,112/month, which eats 33.1% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a barbers salary go in Fargo?
Fargo has a Regional Price Parity of 90.87 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median barbers salary is worth about $53,714 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do barbers get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.