Barbers Salary
In Missouri, barbers earn $47,880 at the median, or about $23.02 an hour. The range runs from $37K at the entry level to $81K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.97), which stretches that salary to about $53,816 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,097/month, about 33.6% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Missouri. Jump to a metro for precise data:
Where the paycheck goes
What $48K actually covers in Missouri, month by month
About barbers
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What this looks like in Missouri
Missouri sits well above the national pay line for barbers, local pay runs about 25% higher than the U.S. median of $38K. Rent runs $1,097/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 33.7% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 88.97 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 11% 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, Missouri
Entry-level barbers (10th percentile) start around $37K. Mid-career wages sit at $48K. Top earners bring in $81K or more, a $44K spread from bottom to top.
Barbers salary by metro in Missouri
3 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| St. Louis | $58K | +21% | 260 |
| Springfield | $57K | +18% | 100 |
| Kansas City | $42K | -12% | 120 |
Compare to other states
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BLS updates this data annually. We'll email you when Missouri numbers change.
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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a barber afford a 2BR apartment alone in Missouri?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $48K, rent takes 33.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,097/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 Missouri?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new barbers typically earn — is $37K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,549/month. At HUD’s $1,097/month FMR, rent would take 43% 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 Missouri?
Local pay is 25% above the national median — $48K here vs. $38K nationally.
How does Missouri compare to the national average for barbers?
Missouri pays $48K median vs. the U.S. average of $38K — that’s +25%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.97), the purchasing-power equivalent is $54K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do barbers make in Missouri?
The median is $47,880 a year, that works out to about $23 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $36,710, and experienced barbers can clear $80,950. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $48K enough to live in Missouri?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,252/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,097/month, which eats 33.7% 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 Missouri?
Missouri has a Regional Price Parity of 88.97 (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 $53,816 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.