Barbers vs Embalmers: $38K vs $59K Median Pay

Barbers vs Embalmers: what changes?

Consider Barbers if you want to provide barbering services, such as cutting, trimming, shampooing, and styling hair; trimming beards; or giving shaves. Consider Embalmers if you would rather prepare bodies for interment in conformity with legal requirements. Entry credentials differ: Barbers, postsecondary nondegree award; Embalmers, associate's degree.

Try this next: Compare three local entry-level postings for Barbers and Embalmers. List the duties, credentials, prior experience, and paid training each employer actually asks for. Try a supervised class or sample project from each field before choosing a program.

BLS 2025 wages and 2025–2035 projections. National medians are not starting offers. Occupation size is not a count of vacancies. View the BLS data.

Compare the practical differences

Barbers

National median pay (2025): $38,210
Route into the job: Postsecondary nondegree award
Prior related experience: No prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.
Training and licensing: BLS does not list a separate on-the-job training requirement. Employers may still provide orientation and role-specific training.
Work to investigate: Clean and sterilize scissors, combs, clippers, and other instruments.
Annual openings (2025–2035): 6,900

Know before you choose

Hands-on manipulation of tools, controls, or objects occupies a meaningful part of the workday.

See the full Barbers brief

Embalmers

National median pay (2025): $58,780
Route into the job: Associate's degree; More than 12 months of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing
Prior related experience: No prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.
Training and licensing: More than 12 months of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing.
Work to investigate: Conform to laws of health and sanitation and ensure that legal requirements concerning embalming are met.
Annual openings (2025–2035): 700

Know before you choose

BLS projects essentially flat employment (0.7%) through 2035. Annual openings mostly reflect replacement, not a rapidly expanding field.

See the full Embalmers brief

How the national numbers differ

Barbers has the edge on annual openings

Barbers is at 6,900 annual openings, compared with 700 annual openings for Embalmers.

Embalmers has the edge on median pay

Embalmers is at $58,780, compared with $38,210 for Barbers.

Barbers has the edge on projected growth

Barbers is at 3.3% projected growth, compared with 0.7% projected growth for Embalmers.

41/ 100

Barbers

32.7/ 100

Embalmers

Each available metric is ranked from 0 to 100 against the careers on ChooseField. The weighted average uses this profile: pay 30%, growth 25%, openings 30%, preparation level 15%. Missing values are not scored as zero; their weights are redistributed across available metrics. Occupation size has zero weight: employment is not accessible vacancies. Preparation categories do not measure admission difficulty or years without earnings. The score summarizes national measures; local opportunities and personal fit still need separate consideration.

Detailed evidence