Career Training Path › Barber schools › California
Barber schools in California
California has 76 accredited campuses awarding barber credentials. If you finish and work as a barber in California, expect to start around $35,900–$37,040 and reach a median of $38,380 with experience; the top quarter earn $44,790 or more (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025, California). Graduates of these California programs — every graduate, whatever job they took — earned a median of $16,005 in their first year, against $14,528 nationally; that is the figure used to rank campuses below.
What barbers earn in California
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; 1,390 employed in California. National median: $38,210.
Campuses in California, ranked by what their graduates earned
Cities: AnaheimBakersfieldBaldwin ParkCanoga ParkCarsonChula VistaClovisConcordCosta MesaDowneyEl CajonEscondidoEurekaFresnoGarden GroveHemetLa MesaLa PuenteLa QuintaLancasterLong BeachLos AngelesMercedModestoOaklandOceansideOxnardPalm DesertPasadenaPleasant HillPomonaPowayReddingRiverbankRiversideSacramentoSalinasSan BernardinoSan DiegoSan Fernando
| Campus | City | Type | Grads / yr | Earnings, yr 1 | Program debt | Completion | Cost / yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco Institute of Esthetics & Cosmetology Inc | San Francisco | for-profit | 10 | $27,448 | $6,333 | 87% | $22,016 |
| Cinta Aveda Institute | San Francisco | for-profit | 7 | $22,246 | $6,333 | 62% | $20,168 |
| Paul Mitchell the School-Sacramento | Sacramento | for-profit | 40 | $21,946 | $6,333 | 79% | $19,402 |
| Beyond 21st Century Beauty Academy | Santa Fe Springs | for-profit | 9 | $19,813 | $3,530 | not reported | $31,744 |
| MTI College | Sacramento | for-profit | 26 | $19,736 | $9,833 | 77% | $25,251 |
| Paul Mitchell the School-North Tahoe | Truckee | for-profit | 10 | $19,550 | $10,500 | not reported | not reported |
| Los Angeles College of Aesthetics | Los Angeles | for-profit | 6 | $19,431 | $3,823 | 85% | $26,394 |
| Paul Mitchell the School-East Bay | Pleasant Hill | for-profit | 13 | $19,327 | $12,850 | 78% | $34,474 |
| Federico Beauty Institute | Sacramento | for-profit | 46 | $18,757 | $6,333 | 88% | $27,316 |
| Bellus Academy-Poway | Poway | for-profit | 42 | $18,753 | $9,376 | 73% | $38,794 |
| Paul Mitchell the School-Pasadena | Pasadena | for-profit | 21 | $18,001 | $10,556 | 38% | $31,818 |
| Lu Ross Academy | Ventura | for-profit | 49 | $17,868 | $6,333 | 65% | $24,647 |
| Paul Mitchell the School-Costa Mesa | Costa Mesa | for-profit | 51 | $17,801 | $7,232 | 82% | $25,691 |
| Paul Mitchell the School-San Diego | San Diego | for-profit | 16 | $17,801 | $7,232 | 99% | $37,754 |
| Santa Ana Beauty Academy | Santa Ana | for-profit | 4 | $17,726 | not reported | 75% | $16,220 |
| Modern Beauty Academy | Oxnard | for-profit | 33 | $17,378 | $8,896 | 80% | $24,382 |
| Hinton Barber and Beauty College | Vallejo | for-profit | 40 | $17,211 | $14,556 | 63% | $23,566 |
| Salon Success Academy-Upland | Upland | for-profit | 32 | $17,179 | $7,177 | 91% | $21,692 |
| Salon Success Academy-West Covina | West Covina | for-profit | 3 | $17,179 | $7,177 | 87% | $22,274 |
| CRU Institute of Cosmetology and Barbering | Garden Grove | for-profit | 84 | $17,096 | $9,833 | 68% | $15,402 |
| North Adrian's College of Beauty Inc | Modesto | for-profit | 11 | $16,812 | $9,995 | 70% | $22,013 |
| Paul Mitchell the School-Modesto | Modesto | for-profit | 26 | $16,537 | $6,333 | 80% | $20,936 |
| International School of Beauty Inc | Palm Desert | for-profit | 41 | $16,477 | $6,773 | 92% | $24,198 |
| Bellus Academy-Chula Vista | Chula Vista | for-profit | 34 | $16,289 | $15,144 | 68% | $25,214 |
| Bellus Academy-El Cajon | El Cajon | for-profit | 10 | $16,245 | $7,917 | 72% | $38,794 |
| ZMS The Academy | Los Angeles | for-profit | 47 | $16,113 | $5,500 | 41% | $13,346 |
| Milan Institute-Clovis | Clovis | for-profit | 57 | $16,005 | $6,333 | 63% | $26,169 |
| Milan Institute-Bakersfield | Bakersfield | for-profit | 15 | $16,005 | $6,333 | 59% | $28,832 |
| Milan Institute-Merced | Merced | for-profit | 15 | $16,005 | $6,333 | 55% | $27,338 |
| Baldwin Park Adult & Community Education | Baldwin Park | Public | 28 | $15,737 | not reported | 71% | $11,859 |
| Pomona Unified School District Adult and Career Education | Pomona | Public | 20 | $15,711 | not reported | 85% | $10,280 |
| California Hair Design Academy | La Mesa | for-profit | 20 | $15,545 | $6,333 | 87% | $29,960 |
| Academy of Esthetics and Cosmetology | San Fernando | for-profit | 3 | $15,529 | $5,263 | 67% | $31,985 |
| Paul Mitchell the School-Fresno | Fresno | for-profit | 32 | $15,336 | $11,188 | 84% | $28,484 |
| Milan Institute of Cosmetology-Vacaville | Vacaville | for-profit | 6 | $15,295 | $6,333 | 57% | $28,312 |
| Paul Mitchell the School-Sherman Oaks | Sherman Oaks | for-profit | 27 | $15,251 | $10,556 | 75% | $33,027 |
| Lawrence & Company College of Cosmetology | Selma | for-profit | 8 | $15,244 | $7,000 | 70% | $25,133 |
| Paul Mitchell the School-Temecula | Temecula | for-profit | 58 | $14,989 | $12,856 | 69% | $32,530 |
| Waynes College of Beauty | Salinas | for-profit | 8 | $14,956 | $5,694 | 93% | $20,566 |
| Elite Cosmetology School | Palm Desert | for-profit | 10 | $14,952 | $8,610 | 88% | $26,471 |
| Coba Academy | Anaheim | for-profit | 19 | $14,574 | $6,990 | 76% | $24,258 |
| Coachella Valley Beauty College | La Quinta | for-profit | 35 | $14,566 | $3,299 | 83% | $29,757 |
| Coachella Valley Beauty College-Hemet | Hemet | for-profit | 28 | $14,566 | $3,299 | 92% | $24,210 |
| Advance Beauty Techs Academy | San Jacinto | for-profit | 30 | $14,355 | $5,241 | 80% | $34,131 |
| Fredrick and Charles Beauty College | Eureka | for-profit | 12 | $14,268 | not reported | 79% | $25,270 |
| Moler Barber College | Oakland | for-profit | 170 | $13,937 | $12,445 | 23% | $29,428 |
| Shasta School of Cosmetology | Redding | for-profit | 8 | $13,912 | not reported | 78% | $30,007 |
| Salon Success Academy-Riverside | Riverside | for-profit | 43 | $13,737 | $12,127 | 81% | $22,333 |
| American Beauty College | West Covina | for-profit | 71 | $13,650 | $5,775 | 69% | $31,037 |
| International College of Beauty Arts & Sciences | Los Angeles | for-profit | 1 | $12,823 | $7,553 | 88% | $25,200 |
| John Wesley International Barber and Beauty College | Long Beach | for-profit | 15 | $12,543 | not reported | 60% | $22,053 |
| Sierra College of Beauty | Merced | for-profit | 12 | $12,416 | not reported | 84% | $13,463 |
| Borner's Barber College | Los Angeles | for-profit | 8 | $12,272 | not reported | 78% | $28,133 |
| Lancaster Beauty School | Lancaster | for-profit | 14 | $12,252 | $8,500 | 68% | $26,740 |
| Bridges Beauty College | Victorville | for-profit | 7 | $11,982 | not reported | 90% | $22,873 |
| Advance Beauty College | Garden Grove | for-profit | 20 | $11,890 | not reported | 67% | $14,811 |
| Santa Ana Beauty College | Santa Ana | for-profit | 6 | $10,309 | not reported | 89% | $14,075 |
| Associated Barber College of San Diego | San Diego | for-profit | 67 | $9,036 | $15,835 | 81% | $30,229 |
| California Barber and Beauty College | San Diego | for-profit | 26 | $8,073 | not reported | 59% | $17,884 |
| Urban Barber College | Concord | for-profit | 89 | not reported | $9,855 | 78% | $28,003 |
| Central Valley Barber College | Riverbank | for-profit | 76 | not reported | not reported | 98% | $19,429 |
| MIXED Institute of Cosmetology & Barber | Sacramento | for-profit | 44 | not reported | not reported | 73% | $25,113 |
| California College of Barbering and Cosmetology | Stockton | for-profit | 34 | not reported | $8,280 | 79% | $20,465 |
| Hacienda La Puente Adult Education | La Puente | Public | 29 | not reported | not reported | 77% | $9,138 |
| Riggins Urban Barber College | San Diego | for-profit | 22 | not reported | not reported | 42% | $27,655 |
| Institute of Technology | Clovis | for-profit | 21 | not reported | $12,861 | 74% | $29,228 |
| Southern California College of Barber and Beauty | Escondido | for-profit | 19 | not reported | not reported | 80% | $30,888 |
| San Bernardino Beauty College | San Bernardino | for-profit | 11 | not reported | $12,500 | 75% | $34,898 |
| Milan Institute-Palm Desert | Palm Desert | for-profit | 7 | not reported | not reported | 48% | $28,722 |
| Victory Career College | Carson | for-profit | 7 | not reported | $6,332 | 94% | not reported |
| Cosmetica Beauty and Barbering Academy | Downey | — | — | not reported | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Eminence Barber Academy | Riverside | — | — | not reported | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Jama?s Beauty & Barber College | Canoga Park | — | — | not reported | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| The Barber Academy | San Jose | — | — | not reported | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| The Brothers & Sisters Barber Cosmo Academy | Oakland | — | — | not reported | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| West Coast Barber College | Oceanside | — | — | not reported | not reported | not reported | not reported |
Earnings are median wages and self-employment income reported to the IRS (W-2 and Schedule SE) for graduates who received federal aid and were working and not enrolled, measured in the calendar year after finishing. They are pay only: health insurance, retirement contributions and other benefits are not included.
Ranked by median earnings of this program's graduates one year after completion (College Scorecard field-of-study, Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) 2022-23 Completions survey; College Scorecard June 2026; Database of Accredited Postsecondary Institutions and Programs (DAPIP), September 2026); campuses without a reported figure follow, by credentials awarded. "Program debt" is the median federal loan debt for graduates of this program at this campus. Completion is the campus-wide 150%-of-time rate. "Not reported" means the federal file suppresses the value for privacy.