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Barber schools in Illinois

Illinois has 16 accredited campuses awarding barber credentials. If you finish and work as a barber in Illinois, expect to start around $31,460–$34,430 and reach a median of $65,430 with experience; the top quarter earn $71,930 or more (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025, Illinois). Graduates of these Illinois programs — every graduate, whatever job they took — earned a median of $17,909 in their first year, against $14,528 nationally; that is the figure used to rank campuses below.

What barbers earn in Illinois

$31,460starting (10th percentile)
$34,430early career (25th)
$65,430median, all experience
$71,930experienced (75th)
$71,990top earners (90th)

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 (national figures; the state estimate is not published). National median: $38,210.

Campuses in Illinois, ranked by what their graduates earned

16campuses in Illinois
299credentials awarded / yr
$17,909median earnings, yr 1 (Illinois)
$14,528median earnings, yr 1 (U.S.)

Cities: BloomingdaleBridgeviewCalumet CityChicagoCrystal LakeInaJolietLombardRichton ParkSouth HollandSpringfieldTinley Park

CampusCityTypeGrads / yrEarnings, yr 1Program debtCompletionCost / yr
Cosmetology & Spa Academy Crystal Lake for-profit 59 $20,756 $9,833 70% $21,104
Tricoci University of Beauty Culture-Chicago NW Chicago for-profit 16 $18,388 $7,307 0.0% $26,042
University of Spa & Cosmetology Arts Springfield for-profit 8 $18,172 $4,584 64% $21,024
Tricoci University of Beauty Culture-Bridgeview Bridgeview for-profit 10 $18,021 $7,307 67% $24,121
Paul Mitchell the School-Lombard Lombard for-profit 3 $17,977 $12,513 not reported not reported
Pivot Point Academy Bloomingdale for-profit 12 $17,841 $9,833 91% $16,391
Paul Mitchell the School-Tinley Park Tinley Park for-profit 5 $17,393 $8,722 60% $26,892
Larry's Barber College Chicago for-profit 65 $12,417 $3,481 63% $18,595
Larry's Barber College Chicago for-profit 28 $12,417 $3,481 89% $20,866
Larry's Barber College-Joliet Joliet for-profit 23 $12,417 $3,481 91% $21,239
Phipps Academy of Barbering Richton Park for-profit 32 not reported $10,389 76% $21,207
Networks Barber College Calumet City for-profit 25 not reported $9,833 73% $21,092
Rend Lake College Ina Public 8 not reported not reported 63% not reported
City Colleges of Chicago-Harry S Truman College Chicago Public 4 not reported not reported 32% not reported
South Suburban College South Holland Public 1 not reported not reported 28% not reported
Networks Barber College, Inc. Chicago 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.

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