Becoming a barber is no easy feat. First, you need to undergo training and learn how to properly use the equipment to your advantage and the different styles and geometrical patterns to achieve the look your future customer wants.
Fortunately, many barber schools are scattered around Georgia, each with different environments, classes, knowledge, and hands-on experience. Nevertheless, you need to attend and enroll in a barber school to be equipped with the knowledge and skills when the time comes to cutting and styling hair.
In this article, we’ll be talking about the general requirements you need to enroll in a barber school, including information on how much it would cost for enrollment, what type of documents you need, and the procedure in getting your barber license.
By the end of this, you will be well on your way to becoming a great and stylish barber.
Tuition and Other Fees
Of course, the primary factor that we need to consider is how much the tuition will cost. Luckily for you, there are a total of 401 barber schools around the US, 8 of them being in Georgia.
In general, with all of the schools combined, the average cost of a barber school in the USA in 2021 is around $13,756; books, equipment, and other fees would cost approximately $1,661.
Specifically, in Georgia, the average cost of tuition is around $3,149 for state residents and an increase to $7,580 for out-of-state students for the academic year of 2019-2020. Expect that the price has increased due to the economic instability brought down by the pandemic.
Not to mention, a barber should have his trusty equipment beside him. If you’re going for the essentials, a complete set of barber equipment will cost around $50-100 on Amazon.
Financial Aid Requirements
Paying tuition can be a hard knock-out on our wallets and bank accounts. As a result, we result in financial loans and aids from FAFSA, which stands for Free Application for Federal Student Aid and banks.
For FAFSA, you need to apply online via their website, and it will only take a few minutes to accomplish. You would need information such as:
- Your SSS number
- Driver’s License
- Records of your untaxed income (child support, interest income, non-education benefits.)
- Account information such as investments, funding, business, and your bank balances.
If you are a dependent student, additional information is required, such as:
- Your parents’ SSS number
- Your IRS W-2 information and tax returns
- IRS 1040
- Foreign tax return or IRS 1040NR
If you completed the form, make sure that you have an account on the FAFSA website, as the site will use your account ID to let you have access to your account balance and other financial information in FAFSA (it also makes the process easier and faster)
Procedure For Getting Your Georgia Barber License
Supposedly, you want to get your barber license in Georgia as soon as possible, but you don’t know how to. Don’t worry; we listed the step-by-step procedure on how you can apply to get your license as a barber.
- First, you should have completed a total of 1500 hours of education (theoretical and practical experience from your school.
a. OPTIONAL: You can apply for an apprenticeship that totals 3000 hours over 18 months with the Georgia Board of Barbering for more experience and knowledge
2.If you skip the optional application, the next step is to pass the National Theory and Georgia State Licensing Exams. Then, you must submit your application to your school; afterward, your school will submit your application, and you will sit with the exam of PSI.
Note that two exams need to be completed: Georgia Barber Practical Exam and the National Barber Written Exam.
3.If you pass the two exams, then you must submit another application to the Georgia Board for a Master Barber’s License along with the application fee. Wait for a couple of days, and you will receive your license.
4.You need to renew your license every two years to maintain your professional license as a barber.
Type of Degrees in Barber Education
Before you begin barber school, you need a degree to enroll in your preferred barber school.
The minimum degree you need is a high school diploma or GED and completing an accredited barber training program in any barber institution you underwent. Your best bet would be the National Accrediting Commission of Career Arts and Sciences (NACCAS), as their courses and programs are primarily eligible for you to apply for a federal student loan.
After you’ve gone through the entire curriculum and practices in barbering, taken into consideration if you go full-time or part-time, it will hand you three different degrees after graduation, which are:
- A Graduate Diploma
- Technical Certificate
- Associate Degree
If you want to become a barber immediately, taking a barber certificate or diploma program will be your fastest route as it only requires one year of school. These certificates will also allow you to take up the licensure exam for barbers.
If you’re looking to diversify your options for jobs and your career, an associate degree should be the one you’re aiming to learn. This degree will make you undergo a cosmetology program and the barber program, which will last for nine months to 2 years.
Cosmetology similarly has the same subjects as barbering but has added skincare and beauty applications such as facial, mani-pedi, makeup, and more. Cosmetology also includes topics on how to run your spa/salon.
Barber Salaries in Georgia
Becoming a barber is a work of art and beauty as you handle hair as well as its intricacies. However, as necessary passion is in barbering, your salary is when you start working as one.
Around Georgia, the average salary of a barber (paid monthly) ranges from $3,800 – 10,000. So when you start as a novice barber, expect your salary to be the same as your level. But as soon as you gain more experience and knowledge, your salary will most likely increase as well.
Conclusion
We hope we have helped you understand the procedures and steps to become a barber yourself. The hours needed to finish the apprenticeship and program might take a while, but the knowledge that you will gain after will surely benefit you in your career as a barber.
