Barbers Salary
In Kansas City, MO-KS, barbers earn $42,210 at the median, or about $20.29 an hour. The range runs from $34K at the entry level to $82K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 92.54), which stretches that salary to about $45,613 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,358/month, about 47.2% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $42K get you in Kansas City?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Kansas City’s Regional Price Parity (92.54). 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
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What this looks like in Kansas City
Barbers pay in Kansas City tracks closely to the national median, $42K locally vs. $38K nationwide, a 10% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,358/month, which is 46.9% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 92.54 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 7% 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 Kansas City, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| St. Louis | $58K | $61K |
| Springfield | $57K | $64K |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin | $50K | $48K |
| Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway | $24K | $27K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Kansas City, MO-KS
Entry-level barbers (10th percentile) start around $34K. Mid-career wages sit at $42K. Top earners bring in $82K or more, a $48K 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 Kansas City numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a barber afford a 2BR apartment alone in Kansas City?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $42K, rent takes 46.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,358/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $900/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for barbers in Kansas City?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new barbers typically earn — is $34K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,052/month. At HUD’s $1,358/month FMR, rent would take 66% 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 Kansas City?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $42K locally vs. $38K nationally, a 10% difference.
How does Kansas City compare to the national average for barbers?
Kansas City pays $42K median vs. the U.S. average of $38K — that’s +10%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 92.54), the purchasing-power equivalent is $46K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do barbers make in Kansas City, MO-KS?
The median is $42,210 a year, that works out to about $20 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $34,200, and experienced barbers can clear $82,300. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $42K enough to live in Kansas City?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,895/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,358/month, which eats 46.9% 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 Kansas City?
Kansas City has a Regional Price Parity of 92.54 (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 $45,613 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.