Barbers Salary
In Maryland, barbers earn $35,400 at the median, or about $17.02 an hour. The range runs from $33K at the entry level to $59K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 98.76), that's roughly $35,844 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,795/month, about 73.4% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Maryland. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $35K get you in Maryland?
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What this looks like in Maryland
Barbers pay in Maryland tracks closely to the national median, $35K locally vs. $38K nationwide, a 7% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,795/month, which is 74.3% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 98.76) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Maryland
Entry-level barbers (10th percentile) start around $33K. Mid-career wages sit at $35K. Top earners bring in $59K or more, a $26K spread from bottom to top.
Barbers salary by metro in Maryland
1 metro area with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson | $47K | +34% | N/A |
Compare to other states
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BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Maryland numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a barber afford a 2BR apartment alone in Maryland?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $35K, rent takes 74.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,795/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 Maryland?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new barbers typically earn — is $33K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,963/month. At HUD’s $1,795/month FMR, rent would take 91% 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 Maryland?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $35K locally vs. $38K nationally, a 7% difference.
How does Maryland compare to the national average for barbers?
Maryland pays $35K median vs. the U.S. average of $38K — that’s -7%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 98.76), the purchasing-power equivalent is $36K — below the national median.
How much do barbers make in Maryland?
The median is $35,400 a year, that works out to about $17 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $32,720, and experienced barbers can clear $58,510. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $35K enough to live in Maryland?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,415/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,795/month, which eats 74.3% 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 Maryland?
Maryland has a Regional Price Parity of 98.76 (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 $35,844 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.