Barbers Salary
In Indiana, barbers earn $33,600 at the median, or about $16.15 an hour. The range runs from $30K at the entry level to $60K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.81), which stretches that salary to about $36,597 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,144/month, about 49% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Indiana. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $34K get you in Indiana?
About barbers
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What this looks like in Indiana
Pay for barbers in Indiana runs about 12% below the U.S. median of $38K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,144/month, which is 49% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 91.81 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 8% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for barberss.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Indiana
Entry-level barbers (10th percentile) start around $30K. Mid-career wages sit at $34K. Top earners bring in $60K or more, a $30K spread from bottom to top.
Barbers salary by metro in Indiana
1 metro area with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood | $34K | -0% | 210 |
Compare to other states
Track barbers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Indiana numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a barber afford a 2BR apartment alone in Indiana?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $34K, rent takes 49% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,144/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $700/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for barbers in Indiana?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new barbers typically earn — is $30K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,780/month. At HUD’s $1,144/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 Indiana?
Local pay runs 12% below the national median — $34K here vs. $38K nationally. Cost of living is 8% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Indiana compare to the national average for barbers?
Indiana pays $34K median vs. the U.S. average of $38K — that’s -12%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.81), the purchasing-power equivalent is $37K — below the national median.
How much do barbers make in Indiana?
The median is $33,600 a year, that works out to about $16 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $29,670, and experienced barbers can clear $60,060. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $34K enough to live in Indiana?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,334/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,144/month, which eats 49% 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 Indiana?
Indiana has a Regional Price Parity of 91.81 (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 $36,597 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.