Hairdressers and barbers: average salary and pay in the UK
Full-time hairdressers and barbers in the UK earned a median £24,279 in the year to 5 April 2025, according to the ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE): 38% less than the £39,039 median for all full-time jobs.
What the figures show
It is in the lowest-paid third of the 382 occupations (17th from the bottom).
The middle half of full-time jobs paid between £19,408 and £27,762.
Median full-time pay: women £23,913 a year, men £25,490 a year.
Most jobs here are part-time: 15,000 of about 43,000 are full-time.
Since 2021 the median has risen 57.7% (from £15,397), faster than the 25.0% for all jobs.
The Annual Population Survey counts 129,300 people in this line of work, 13% of them in Yorkshire and the Humber.
Pay distribution, 2025 provisional
| Gross pay | Full-time, annual | Full-time, weekly | Full-time, hourly | All, annual | All, weekly | All, hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | – | £344.10* | £10.00 | £7,751* | £166.30 | £10.53 |
| 20th percentile | £18,653 | £388.80 | £12.20 | £9,863 | £195.40 | – |
| 25th percentile | £19,408 | £401.40 | – | £10,378 | £211.00 | – |
| 30th percentile | £21,186 | £413.70 | £12.21 | £11,111 | £237.90 | – |
| 40th percentile | £23,284 | £470.80 | £12.36 | £13,052 | £260.70 | £12.21 |
| Median (50th percentile) | £24,279 | £490.00 | £12.68 | £15,064 | £291.50 | £12.29 |
| 60th percentile | £25,523 | £505.00 | £13.00 | £17,475* | £341.70 | £12.63 |
| 70th percentile | £27,399 | £531.70 | £13.97 | £20,893* | £401.40 | £13.03 |
| 75th percentile | £27,762* | £547.50 | £14.54 | £23,383* | £454.20 | £13.44 |
| 80th percentile | – | £573.90* | – | £24,448* | £486.60 | £14.01 |
| Mean | £24,075 | £494.20 | £13.27 | £16,792 | £333.80 | £13.10 |
Pay since 2021
| ASHE year | Full-time, annual median | Full-time, weekly median | Full-time, hourly median | All, annual median | All, weekly median | Jobs (thousands, indicative) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 revised | £15,397 | £334.20 | £8.91 | £11,013 | £230.30 | 50 |
| 2022 revised | £18,044 | £367.20 | £9.99 | £12,711* | £258.40 | 56 |
| 2023 revised | £19,460 | £419.90 | £11.13 | £13,480 | £256.10 | 42 |
| 2024 revised | £21,789 | £456.00 | £11.96 | £14,641* | £297.70 | 42 |
| 2025 provisional | £24,279 | £490.00 | £12.68 | £15,064 | £291.50 | 43 |
Hairdressers and barbers by region
UK: 129,300 (± 13,900), April 2025 to March 2026. 6 of the 12 regions and nations have samples too small to publish.
| Region or nation | People in employment | 95% confidence interval |
|---|---|---|
| Yorkshire and the Humber | 17,200* | ± 4,800 |
| North West | 16,000* | ± 4,800 |
| South East | 12,700* | ± 4,500 |
| South West | 12,300* | ± 4,000 |
| Scotland | 11,800* | ± 3,900 |
| Wales | 7,700* | ± 2,500 |
Annual Population Survey (Nomis)
What hairdressers and barbers do
Hairdressers and barbers shampoo, cut, colour, style and treat hair. (ONS SOC 2020, 6221)
Also covers: artistic director (hairdressing), barber, colourist (hairdressing), hair designer, hair stylist, hairdresser, art director, artistic director, barber's assistant, barbering assistant, colour technician, general assistant, hair dresser, hair technician, hairdresser's assistant, hairdressing assistant, hairdressing stylist and hairdressing technician (28 titles in the ONS coding index).
- Discusses customer requirements, analyses hair condition and other relevant features to define and advise on hair style
- Washes, conditions, bleaches, tints or dyes hair and provides any necessary basic scalp treatments
- Cuts and trims hair using scissors, clippers, razor and comb
- Combs, brushes, blow-dries or sets wet hair in rollers to style or straighten
- Shaves and trims beards and moustaches
- Collects payment, arranges appointments and cleans and tidies salon
There are no minimum academic requirements for entry, although some colleges require candidates to possess GCSEs/S grades. Training is provided Off and on-the-job and lasts up to three years leading to the awarding of NVQs/SVQs at levels 1, 2 and 3. Apprenticeships leading to an NVQ/SVQ at level 3 are also available.
Related
Hairdressers and related services (median £24,290) · Beauticians and related occupations · Leisure and travel service occupations n.e.c. · salary percentile · UK average weekly earnings growth · Median
ASHE Table 14: 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 · coding index · notes · 15 October 2026