Best Barber programs in Indiana, ranked by enrollment
Provide barbering services, such as cutting, trimming, shampooing, and styling hair; trimming beards; or giving.
22 schools in Indiana run programs that feed this job, graduating 182 people a year. The job pays a median of $33,600 in Indiana across about 370 jobs (BLS OEWS May 2025).
Fields of study in Indiana that lead to this job
Grouped at the 4-digit CIP level. Numbers are graduates per year in this state.
2 programs in Indiana that lead to this job
Ranked by graduates per year in Indiana (IPEDS completions). Graduate earnings and debt are national College Scorecard figures reported at the 4-digit CIP level, so specializations within one field share a figure. Each program also links to its own Indiana page.
| # | Program | Graduates / yr | Share of pipeline | Schools | Grad earnings (1 yr) | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CIP 12.0402In Indiana → | 146 | 80.2% | 10 | $17,113 | $10,000 |
| 2 | CIP 12.0413In Indiana → | 36 | 19.8% | 19 | $17,113 | $10,000 |
Top 22 schools in Indiana
Ranked by graduates per year into this job. Graduate earnings are reported for 17 of the 22 schools in this state.
| # | School | Graduates / yr | Top feeder program | Grad earnings (1 yr) | Grad rate | Net price | Acceptance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Denmark College Merrillville, IN Private for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 55 | Barbering/Barber | $18,762 | 75% | $16,757 | — |
| 2 | Kenny's Academy of Barbering Indianapolis, IN Private for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 41 | Barbering/Barber | $15,048 | 55% | $15,665 | — |
| 3 | Ravenscroft Beauty College Fort Wayne, IN Private for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 18 | Barbering/Barber | $15,449 | 63% | — | — |
| 4 | Rogers Academy of Hair Design Evansville, IN Private for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 13 | Barbering/Barber | $16,042 | 68% | $15,466 | — |
| 5 | Lil Lou's Beauty and Barber College Gary, IN Private for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 8 | Barbering/Barber | $11,397 | 33% | $19,502 | — |
| 6 | Lil Lou's Beauty and Barber College - Hammond Hammond, IN Private for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 7 | Barbering/Barber | $11,397 | 67% | $15,536 | — |
| 7 | Summit Salon Academy - Kokomo Kokomo, IN Private for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 7 | Barbering/Barber | $17,556 | 68% | $17,270 | — |
| 8 | Paul Mitchell the School - Indianapolis Indianapolis, IN Private for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 4 | Cosmetology, Barber/Styling, and Nail Instructor | $23,870 | 67% | $15,064 | — |
| 9 | Rudae's School of Beauty Culture - Ft Wayne Fort Wayne, IN Private for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 4 | Cosmetology, Barber/Styling, and Nail Instructor | $19,131 | 79% | $26,437 | — |
| 10 | Empire Beauty School - Indianapolis Indianapolis, IN Private for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 3 | Cosmetology, Barber/Styling, and Nail Instructor | — | — | — | — |
| 11 | Lil Lou's Beauty and Barber College - South Bend South Bend, IN Private for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 3 | Barbering/Barber | — | — | — | — |
| 12 | Tricoci University of Beauty Culture - Highland Highland, IN Private for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 3 | Cosmetology, Barber/Styling, and Nail Instructor | $16,118 | 75% | $20,114 | — |
| 13 | Tricoci University of Beauty Culture - Indianapolis Indianapolis, IN Private for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 3 | Cosmetology, Barber/Styling, and Nail Instructor | $18,846 | 55% | $18,983 | — |
| 14 | Art22 Academy Fort Wayne, IN Private for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 2 | Cosmetology, Barber/Styling, and Nail Instructor | — | 84% | — | — |
| 15 | Empire Beauty School - Speedway Speedway, IN Private for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 2 | Cosmetology, Barber/Styling, and Nail Instructor | $17,113 | 43% | $18,388 | — |
| 16 | Paul Mitchell the School - Merrillville Merrillville, IN Private for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 2 | Cosmetology, Barber/Styling, and Nail Instructor | $19,685 | 86% | $17,265 | — |
| 17 | Summit Salon Academy Anderson, IN Private for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 2 | Cosmetology, Barber/Styling, and Nail Instructor | $21,529 | 80% | $17,198 | — |
| 18 | Don Roberts School of Hair Design Schererville, IN Private for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 1 | Barbering/Barber | $17,400 | 76% | $16,693 | — |
| 19 | PJ's College of Cosmetology - Richmond Richmond, IN Private for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 1 | Cosmetology, Barber/Styling, and Nail Instructor | $15,581 | 54% | $18,875 | — |
| 20 | Taylor Institute of Cosmetology II Knox, IN Private for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 1 | Cosmetology, Barber/Styling, and Nail Instructor | — | 73% | $9,019 | — |
| 21 | Tricoci University of Beauty Culture - Lafayette Lafayette, IN Private for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 1 | Cosmetology, Barber/Styling, and Nail Instructor | $18,846 | 100% | $23,076 | — |
| 22 | Vincennes Beauty College Vincennes, IN Private for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 1 | Cosmetology, Barber/Styling, and Nail Instructor | — | 33% | $10,985 | — |
All 22 schools in Indiana
Every school in Indiana with a program that feeds this job, ordered by graduates per year. Earnings are shown for the ranked schools above; open a school profile for the rest.
| School | City | Control | Graduates / yr | Feeder programs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Denmark College | Merrillville | Private for-profit | 55 | 2 |
| Kenny's Academy of Barbering | Indianapolis | Private for-profit | 41 | 2 |
| Ravenscroft Beauty College | Fort Wayne | Private for-profit | 18 | 1 |
| Rogers Academy of Hair Design | Evansville | Private for-profit | 13 | 1 |
| Lil Lou's Beauty and Barber College | Gary | Private for-profit | 8 | 2 |
| Lil Lou's Beauty and Barber College - Hammond | Hammond | Private for-profit | 7 | 2 |
| Summit Salon Academy - Kokomo | Kokomo | Private for-profit | 7 | 2 |
| Paul Mitchell the School - Indianapolis | Indianapolis | Private for-profit | 4 | 1 |
| Rudae's School of Beauty Culture - Ft Wayne | Fort Wayne | Private for-profit | 4 | 1 |
| Empire Beauty School - Indianapolis | Indianapolis | Private for-profit | 3 | 1 |
| Lil Lou's Beauty and Barber College - South Bend | South Bend | Private for-profit | 3 | 2 |
| Tricoci University of Beauty Culture - Highland | Highland | Private for-profit | 3 | 1 |
| Tricoci University of Beauty Culture - Indianapolis | Indianapolis | Private for-profit | 3 | 1 |
| Art22 Academy | Fort Wayne | Private for-profit | 2 | 1 |
| Empire Beauty School - Speedway | Speedway | Private for-profit | 2 | 1 |
What barbers earn in Indiana
What people already working in this job earn (BLS OEWS May 2025). Not graduate earnings.
U.S. median $38,210. Indiana pays below the national figure.
Concentrated here: Indiana employs more of this job per worker than the U.S. average.
Metro areas in Indiana
Job outlook
Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections, 2024 to 2034.
Growth and openings are national. The Bureau of Labor Statistics does not publish employment projections at state level, so these figures describe the occupation across the whole U.S., not this state alone.
How to get in
The full skills, tools, and day-to-day breakdown lives on the national Barbers page.
How to become a Barber
Job zone 3 of 5 · SVP 6.0 to < 7.0- Typical entry education
- Postsecondary nondegree award
Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job.
Employees in these occupations usually need one or two years of training involving both on-the-job experience and informal training with experienced workers. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations.
Top skills
The same job in other states
Where else this occupation employs the most people, and what it pays there.
Related careers in Indiana
Every major mapped to this job
The official federal mapping behind the rankings above.
All 4 majors mapped to Barbers4 of them graduated someone in the latest IPEDS year. NCES CIP 2020 → SOC 2018 crosswalk.+
- 12.0402Barbering/Barber
- 12.0407Hair Styling/Stylist and Hair Design
- 12.0412Salon/Beauty Salon Management/Manager
- 12.0413Cosmetology, Barber/Styling, and Nail Instructor
Common questions
Answers for people weighing barbers programs in Indiana.
What degree do you need to become a Barber?+
Postsecondary nondegree award is the typical entry-level education BLS reports for this occupation. The most common program people actually graduate from is Barbering/Barber, which awarded 146 degrees in Indiana in 2024-25, 80.2% of everyone graduating from a program that feeds this career.
Which college majors lead to becoming a Barber?+
The NCES CIP-to-SOC crosswalk maps 2 programs to this occupation. The largest are Cosmetology and Related Personal Grooming Services. Together they graduate about 182 people a year in Indiana.
How much do barbers earn in Indiana?+
The median is $33,600 a year (BLS OEWS May 2025). That is 12.1% below the U.S. median of $38,210. This is pay for people already working in the occupation, not the same thing as graduate earnings one year after finishing a degree.
Is demand for barbers growing?+
BLS projects a +4.1% change in employment between 2024 and 2034, about as fast as average, with roughly 8,400 openings a year nationally once retirements and job changes are counted.
How many schools offer programs for this career in Indiana?+
22 institutions in Indiana reported graduates from at least one of the 2 programs that feed this occupation in IPEDS 2024-25. Rankings on this page use graduates per year, because the federal data publishes no enrollment count by program.
What other job titles do barbers work under?+
Employers advertise this work under many names. O*NET records Barber, Stylist, Barber Stylist, Barber Shop Operator among the most commonly reported, all mapping to SOC 39-5011.
About the data on this page
Rankings use IPEDS completions 2024–25, degrees awarded per year. That is the closest federal measure of how many people a program puts into a career, because no federal dataset publishes enrollment by program. Wages and employment come from BLS OEWS May 2025, growth and openings from BLS Employment Projections 2024-34, and which majors lead to which jobs from the NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk. Occupation descriptions, tasks, skills and tools are O*NET 30.3 (CC BY 4.0, U.S. Department of Labor/ETA).
BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics
May 2025Wages, employment counts, location quotients and metro breakdowns.
BLS Employment Projections
2024–34Projected growth, annual openings and typical entry-level education.
IPEDS Completions
2024-25 (provisional)Graduates per year by program and institution — the ranking metric.
College Scorecard, Field of Study
2020-21 cohortsMedian graduate earnings one year after completion, and median debt.
Census Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes
latest availableGraduate earnings 1/5/10 years out, where the state participates.
NCES CIP 2020 and the CIP-to-SOC 2018 crosswalk
CIP 2020 / SOC 2018Which college programs officially lead to this occupation.
O*NET Database 30.3
30.3Tasks, skills, knowledge, tools, job zone and alternate job titles.
Official source →CC BY 4.0, U.S. Department of Labor / ETA
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