August 5, 2025

Barber vs. Cosmetologist: Understanding the Differences

As you consider your future, everyone has a suggestion. Some of your friends think you’d excel at being a cosmetologist, while others think you should consider becoming a barber. You know you enjoy working with people, and you want to help them look and feel their best. Before you can make a decision between pursuing a career as a cosmetologist or as a barber, you need to know the differences and similarities between the two career paths. Exploration of these two careers quickly proves that there are distinct areas where the two options overlap. It’s time to explore your options.

What Is a Cosmetologist?

In the beauty industry, a cosmetologist is a professional who helps their clients look their best. Some work directly with their clients to improve the look and feel of their skin by offering facials, helping them select products, and applying makeup. Others cut, color, and style their clients’ hair.

To become a cosmetologist, you need to go to beauty school and sit for your licensing exam. The exam includes a knowledge section and a practical section, where you show your skills. You must have 1,000 hours in beauty school before you can take the exams. This means that as a full-time student, you’ll spend between seven and 12 months, and a part-time student takes around 12 to 18 months to complete their hours.

What Are the Benefits of a Cosmetology Certification?

Cosmetology is a booming field with around 250,000 people licensed. While you might think this is a lot of people, there are many jobs available in the field, and it’s experiencing high growth. You’ll also find many benefits, such as:

Financial stability
Many open positions in the field
Flexible work hours and schedules
Provides an outlet for your creativity
Professional work environment
Industry respect
Advancement opportunities
Exciting new trends
Meet a diverse group of people
Build a clientele that returns to you for regular services

With your license in hand, you find yourself an important part of the beauty industry with many jobs and career options available to you.

Types of Careers as a Cosmetologist

When you choose to get a license in cosmetology, you’ll find that an entire world of opportunities opens up for you. You aren’t stuck with a single career focus. You can pick and choose what you want to do, including:

Hair stylist
Nail technician
Eesthetician
Make-up artist
Salon manager
Salon owner
Product representative
Sales associate of skin care and other beauty products
Teach cosmetology

After you start working as a cosmetologist, you’ll find a niche that you like the most. You can specialize in whichever area interests you the most.

What Is a Barber?

Also, a licensed professional, a barber, spends most of their day cutting hair. When most people imagine a barber, they see an old-fashioned shop where men go to get their haircuts from other men. However, there are also a fair number of female barbers, and women who get their hair cut at a barber shop.

Many barbers offer services to care for facial hair, which a cosmetologist doesn’t. This includes beard maintenance, mustache trims, and a full face shave. If you choose to work as a barber, your clientele will be mostly men, but you’ll see some women and children coming in for haircuts and styling.

What Are the Benefits of a Barber Certification?

When you decide to become a barber and go to school for your licensing exams, you’re committing to a future of meeting new clients and helping people get the haircuts they want. A barber certification comes with a host of benefits for you. Some of these benefits include:

Professional career
Financial independence
Flexible work schedule
Future career opportunities
Respect for the industry
Diverse clientele

You can start a career that builds you a reputation of respect and value within your local community. You won’t have to keep office hours, as you can set your own hours as a barber and work when it’s convenient for you.

Types of Careers as a Barber

You might have already decided on a career path if you pursue a barber’s license, or you might be curious about your options. A barber’s license provides you with a lot of flexibility. Some positions you might take include:

Working part-time or full-time, cutting hair in a traditional barber shop
Cutting hair in a traditional hair salon
Offering shaves at a salon or barber shop
Trimming and maintaining beards
Barber shop manager
Open your own barber shop
Brand influencer of beard and shaving products
Salesperson for a company that sells beard and shaving products

After a few years working as a barber, you can find a niche that you enjoy and can specialize in.

Can You Be a Certified Cosmetologist and a Barber?

Yes! If you’re a licensed cosmetologist looking to expand your skills and increase your versatility in the hair industry, you can become a licensed barber as well. At Barbers Trade School, our Cosmetology Crossover Program is designed specifically for licensed cosmetologists who want to gain barbering expertise without repeating foundational coursework.

This specialized program builds on your existing cosmetology knowledge and introduces you to essential barbering techniques such as clipper work, shaving, honing and stropping, and proper use of barbering instruments. With hands-on training, expert instruction, and a targeted curriculum, this program helps you elevate your career and become even more marketable in the beauty and grooming industry.

Choose Barber Trade School to Start an Exciting Career

Whether you decide to begin a career as a cosmetologist or as a barber, you need to find a beauty school that meets your needs. Barber Trade School is ready to help you learn the knowledge and skills you need to pass your licensing exam. Our staff enjoys sharing their knowledge and teaching new skills to our student body. We strive to make your time in school enjoyable. You can meet lifelong friends and build your skills to launch the career you want. Contact us now to take a tour of the campus or to learn more.