How to Become a Barber in Georgia: Hours, Cost & Schools

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To become a barber in Georgia, you first pick a license level. A Master Barber license takes 1,500 hours of school (at least nine months), and a Barber II license takes 1,140 hours (at least seven months). Both require passing a PSI written exam and a practical exam with 70% on each. Most full-time students are licensed in 10 to 12 months. Georgia’s board rules even spell out what goes in a student kit, which is why many students budget for a solid adjustable clipper like the Andis Master Adjustable Blade Clipper (01815) early on.

Master Barber vs. Barber II

Georgia is one of the few states with two barber license levels, and the difference is chemical services. Under the Georgia Code (O.C.G.A. § 43-10-1), a Barber II can shave and trim beards, cut and dress hair, and give facial and scalp massages and treatments. A Master Barber can do all of that, plus singe and shampoo hair, color or dye it, and perm, relax or straighten it.

The Barber II route is shorter and cheaper. If you only plan to cut and shave, it can make sense. But many shops and clients expect a barber to handle color and texture services, and moving up later means more training. Most students who are serious about a long career choose Master Barber from the start. The Georgia State Board of Cosmetology and Barbers, under the Secretary of State’s Professional Licensing Boards Division, regulates both (board how-to guide).

School hours and online theory

The board’s school rules set the hours (Rule 240-14):

• Master Barber: at least nine months and 1,500 hours. The first 280 hours are theory, completed before you work on live clients.
• Barber II: at least seven months and 1,140 hours (190 curriculum hours plus 950 practical hours). The first 190 hours come before clinic work.

Those minimum-month rules mean that no matter how many hours a week you train, a Master Barber course can’t finish in under nine months. At 35 to 40 hours a week, most full-time students take nine to ten months. Part-time students take well over a year.

Georgia allows part of the theory to be done online. Under Rule 240-13, Master Barber students can earn up to 250 hours of Level I credit and up to 200 hours of Level II credit online, for the theory portion only. Barber II students can earn up to 190 Level I hours and 200 Level II hours. Ask any school whether it uses online theory and how that changes your weekly schedule.

Under § 43-10-9, both barber levels require you to be at least 16 and to have a high school diploma, a state-approved high school equivalency diploma, or a postsecondary degree (O.C.G.A. § 43-10-9).

The apprenticeship route

Georgia offers a real apprenticeship. Under Rule 240-5, a Master Barber apprenticeship runs 18 months and 3,000 hours, and a Barber II apprenticeship runs 14 months and 2,280 hours. You must be at least 16 and train under the direct supervision of a Georgia-licensed master who has been licensed for at least 18 months, if the master is a barber. A master can take only one apprentice at a time.

A few rules catch people out. Apprentice and school hours can’t be combined. The apprentice license lasts four years and can’t be renewed. And since July 1, 2019, an apprentice must take the theory portion of the state exam within the first 12 months of being licensed. That deadline forces you to study early rather than leave it to the end.

Already a cosmetologist?

We didn’t find a board rule that sets a reduced hour count for licensed cosmetologists, so check with the board before you assume a shortcut. Several schools run cosmetologist-to-barber programs. Tapers Barber Academy lists a 450-hour crossover for Georgia cosmetologists. Atlanta Technical College offers a “Barbering for Cosmetologists” certificate for students who already hold a current Master Cosmetology license: 21 credit hours over two terms, with an estimated program cost of about $4,200 in its 2024–25 catalog. Gwinnett Technical College lists a similar certificate.

PSI exams

Georgia uses PSI for both the written (theory) exam and the practical exam. Under Rule 240-6, you need at least 70% on each part, and if you fail one part you retake only that part. All exams are given in English. The board’s FAQ points candidates to PSI for exam fees, dates, locations and content, and PSI publishes separate national candidate bulletins for Master Barber and Barber II.

PSI changed its Georgia process in 2026. Since January 16, 2026, it only accepts online applications, with no more mail, fax or email. Since February 3, 2026, students should apply to PSI only after their school has completed PSI’s new verification step (PSI Georgia page). If your school is slow with that step, your test date slips, so ask how quickly the school processes it.

Fees and the application

You apply through the state’s GOALS online licensing portal, with a completed application and the fee. The board’s current fee schedule is a PDF linked from its how-to guide, and PSI sets the exam fees separately. Georgia fees change from time to time, so check the board’s fee schedule and the PSI bulletin for current amounts rather than a figure you saw on a blog.

Renewal and continuing education

Master Barber and Barber II licenses expire on December 31 of even-numbered years, and late renewal runs January 1 to 31. Each renewal requires 5 hours of continuing education: 3 hours in a health and safety course and 2 hours in a board-registered course. Completion is tracked through CE Broker (board CE page). Instructors need 15 hours.

Licensed in another state?

“The state of Georgia does not reciprocate with any other state,” says the board FAQ, but an active license in good standing elsewhere qualifies you to apply for licensure by endorsement. Under Rule 240-11, you’ll need:

• proof that you passed a written and a practical exam in English;
• proof that you’re at least 17;
• a high school diploma or GED;
• verification of an active license at the matching level.

No minimum years of experience are listed. If you can’t show English-language exams, the board can make you eligible to test instead, with a maximum of three attempts.

What barbers earn in Georgia

BLS’s May 2025 survey put Georgia’s roughly 550 payroll barbers at a median of $14.79 an hour, or $30,750 a year, and a mean of $46,110 a year (BLS OEWS 39-5011, May 2025). The wide gap between median and mean shows how much a strong book of clients pays off. Self-employed barbers and booth renters, who are common around Atlanta, aren’t included.

Georgia barber schools

Here’s one school from our research list, plus two public options we checked on College Navigator and the schools’ catalogs. For a national view, see our guide to the best barber schools.

Tapers Barber Academy (Morrow)

Tapers Barber Academy at 1000 Southlake Cir in Morrow, south of Atlanta, lists three programs:

• a 1,500-hour Master Barber program, which its About page says gets you licensed “in 9 months”;
• a 450-hour crossover for Georgia cosmetologists;
• a 750-hour Barber Instructor program.

Tapers doesn’t post a standing tuition figure. A summer 2026 promotion on its blog advertised the Master Barber program at about $7,000 ($500 down, then $300 a month), plus a $50 enrollment fee, so ask for the current price. It isn’t listed on College Navigator for federal aid, and it offers an in-house monthly payment plan (program page, checked Oct 2026).

Tapers rates 4.9 on Google (17 reviews, Oct 2026). Students praise the lead instructor as a mentor, and clients describe a clean, affordable clinic with a master barber supervising. Most of the reviews were posted about ten months ago.

“he taught me a lot and gave me the confidence I need to keep cutting hair”

— Santerra F., Google reviewer, about Dec 2025

“Students are cutting your hair, so keep that in mind. Affordable, clean and a master barber was helping to instruct.”

— Mack M., Google reviewer, about Sep 2026

Atlanta Technical College (Atlanta)

Atlanta Technical College is a public school in the Technical College System of Georgia. Its Master Barber License (Barbering Diploma) is 56 credit hours over at least four terms, with an estimated program cost of about $9,100 in the 2024–25 catalog. It also offers a Barber II certificate, the cosmetologist crossover and instructor training. College Navigator lists Pell Grants and federal loans (2024–25 catalog; College Navigator).

Profile Institute of Barber-Styling (Atlanta)

College Navigator lists Profile Institute’s barbering program at 1,500 clock hours over 16 months. Tuition and fees are about $19,300 for 2024–25, plus about $1,300 for books and supplies. Eligible students may receive Pell Grants and federal loans (College Navigator, checked Oct 2026). The school’s own site didn’t load when we checked, so confirm schedules directly.

The spread is big: about $7,000 in a private promotion, about $9,100 at a public technical college, and about $19,300 at a private Title IV school. Compare what you’d pay after aid. Our barber school near me guide lists the questions to ask.

Barber school kit: what students need

Georgia is unusual: the board’s school rule (240-14-.01) lists what every Master Barber and Barber II student’s kit must contain. The list includes combs and brushes, shears and thinning shears, a straight razor, clippers with guards and trimmers, a dusting brush, neck strips, a hair cloth, a blow dryer and a shampoo cape. Your school will supply a kit, but here are the upgrades students make most often.

Start with clippers. The corded Andis Master Adjustable Blade Clipper (01815) has an adjustable blade and a metal housing that holds up to daily clinic use. Pair it with a Wahl Professional color-coded guards #1–#8 set so you’re never short a length.

The trimmer on the list is your line-up tool. The Andis T-Outliner (04780) is the long-time barbershop standard, and the cordless Wahl 5 Star Cordless Detailer is a good step up.

For the shears and thinning shears on the list, the Equinox Razor Edge 6.5-inch shears and matching Equinox thinning shears are inexpensive and sharp enough for school.

Don’t skimp on the hygiene items the rule names. A Diane Neck Duster Brush and a box of Graham Sanek Neck Strips get used on every client.

Prices above are recent Amazon ranges and can move. Our barber starter kit guide compares full kits by budget.

FAQ

How many hours do you need for a barber license in Georgia?
1,500 hours over at least nine months for a Master Barber, or 1,140 hours over at least seven months for a Barber II. The apprenticeship alternatives are 3,000 hours over 18 months and 2,280 hours over 14 months.

What’s the difference between a Master Barber and a Barber II in Georgia?
Chemical services. A Master Barber can color, perm, relax and straighten hair, and a Barber II can’t. Both can cut, shave and do beard work.

How old do you have to be to be a barber in Georgia?
16 for both barber licenses and for apprentices. You also need a high school diploma, an HSE or a college degree. Endorsement applicants must be 17.

Can you get a barber license in Georgia without going to school?
Yes, through a board-licensed apprenticeship under a master with at least 18 months of experience. Apprentices must take the theory exam within their first 12 months.

Does Georgia have reciprocity for barbers?
No. But if you hold an active license in good standing from another state, you can apply for licensure by endorsement with proof of written and practical exams taken in English.

How much CE do Georgia barbers need?
5 hours every two-year renewal: 3 in health and safety and 2 in a board-registered course.

Licensing rules, fees and hours can change. This guide is general information, not legal advice. Always confirm current requirements with your state barber board before you enroll or apply.