Barbers Salary
In Illinois, barbers earn $65,430 at the median, or about $31.46 an hour. The range runs from $31K at the entry level to $72K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 93.85), which stretches that salary to about $69,718 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,407/month, about 32.7% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Illinois. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $65K get you in Illinois?
About barbers
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Illinois
Illinois sits well above the national pay line for barbers, local pay runs about 71% higher than the U.S. median of $38K. Rent runs $1,407/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 33% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 93.85 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 6% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Illinois
Entry-level barbers (10th percentile) start around $31K. Mid-career wages sit at $65K. Top earners bring in $72K or more, a $41K spread from bottom to top.
Barbers salary by metro in Illinois
1 metro area with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin | $50K | -24% | N/A |
Compare to other states
Track barbers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Illinois numbers change.
Related careers in Personal Care
Frequently asked questions
Can a barber afford a 2BR apartment alone in Illinois?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $65K, rent takes 33% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,407/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,300/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for barbers in Illinois?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new barbers typically earn — is $31K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,888/month. At HUD’s $1,407/month FMR, rent would take 75% 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 Illinois?
Local pay is 71% above the national median — $65K here vs. $38K nationally.
How does Illinois compare to the national average for barbers?
Illinois pays $65K median vs. the U.S. average of $38K — that’s +71%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.85), the purchasing-power equivalent is $70K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do barbers make in Illinois?
The median is $65,430 a year, that works out to about $31 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $31,460, and experienced barbers can clear $71,990. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $65K enough to live in Illinois?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,265/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,407/month, which eats 33% 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 Illinois?
Illinois has a Regional Price Parity of 93.85 (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 $69,718 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.