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

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If you’re figuring out how to become a barber in Mississippi, 2026 made it simpler: complete 1,500 hours at a board-approved barber school (or 3,000 hours as an apprentice), then pass a single written theory exam. The hands-on practical exam was dropped in February 2026, according to WDAM’s reporting, so confirm the current exam with the board. Full-time students typically finish school in about 13 months, often with a kit that starts with a workhorse clipper such as the Oster Classic 76.

Mississippi barber requirements at a glance

Mississippi now regulates barbers and cosmetologists through one agency, the Mississippi State Board of Cosmetology and Barbering (MSBCB), under Title 73, Chapter 7 of the Mississippi Code. The rules below come from that statute as amended by Senate Bill 2566, which the governor approved on April 1, 2026 and which took effect on passage.

Item	Mississippi rule
Training	1,500 hrs school or 3,000 hrs apprenticeship
Age / education	16+, 10th grade or college enrollment
Exam	Written theory exam
License fee	$50 (initial and each renewal)
Renewal	Every 2 years
Cosmetologist crossover	600 barber-school hours

Mississippi’s entry requirements are lower than many states’. You can sit for the barber exam at 16, and the 2026 law replaced the old “high school education or its equivalent” requirement with completing the tenth grade or being enrolled at a community college, state university or other college.

Barber school vs. apprenticeship

Under section 73-7-13.1, you qualify for the barber exam with either 1,500 hours at a board-approved barbering school or 3,000 hours of board-approved apprenticeship training. The apprenticeship takes twice the hours, but you’re working in a shop the whole time instead of paying tuition.

SB 2566 opened up who can mentor an apprentice. A mentor now has to hold an instructor license in barbering or be a barber with at least 15 years of experience. A mentor can train up to two apprentices at once, and a single licensed salon or barber shop can have no more than two apprentice mentors. If you know a veteran barber with 15-plus years behind the chair, the apprenticeship route is far more reachable than it used to be.

School still makes sense if you want a structured schedule, a clinic floor of real clients and federal aid. All three schools below are listed as federal-aid eligible on College Navigator. Our guide to choosing a barber school near you covers how to compare programs.

Cosmetologists switching to barbering

Mississippi has a defined crossover. A cosmetologist who completed at least 1,500 hours in a licensed cosmetology school and holds a current cosmetology license can take the barber exam after completing 600 hours in a licensed barber school. The same rule works in reverse for barbers who want a cosmetology license.

The exam: theory only now

Mississippi used to require both a written theory exam and a hands-on practical. According to reporting by WDAM (March 2026), the board voted to remove the practical skills test effective February 2, 2026. Candidates now pass only a written theory exam after completing their training hours. The board’s executive director, Catherine Bell, told the station the change cuts the cost of the initial licensing process and gets graduates working faster, and that students demonstrate their skills throughout their program before they can test.

The statute says the board contracts out exam administration (board members can’t run or monitor exams), and SB 2566 added that “examinations and all testing requirements shall be clear, objective and uniformly applied.” An exam application expires 90 days after you file it, so be ready to test once you apply. After you finish your hours and pay the fee, the board must issue you a temporary permit to practice until the next exam, for up to six months.

Exam scheduling and the exam fee are handled through the board’s process. Check the board’s exam page or call the board for the current steps and costs, since some school websites still describe the old practical exam and the former barber-only board.

Mississippi barber fees

From the fee schedule in section 73-7-29, as amended in 2026:

• Barber initial license or renewal: $50
• Delinquent renewal penalty: $50
• License by reciprocity: $55 application
• Duplicate license: $10
• Barber shop application and initial inspection: $85 (renewal $60)

Two exceptions are worth knowing. Licensees 70 or older pay no renewal fee. And the initial barber license fee is waived for applicants who document participation in Medicaid, TANF, SNAP or WIC. Military family applicants under the Military Family Freedom Act aren’t charged either. Exam fees are separate.

Step-by-step: how to get your Mississippi barber license

1. Enroll in a board-approved barber school, or find a qualified mentor (a barbering instructor or a barber with 15+ years) for a 3,000-hour apprenticeship.
2. Complete your hours. Cosmetologists need 600 barber-school hours.
3. Apply to the board for the exam and pay the required fee. The application is good for 90 days.
4. Practice on a temporary permit while you wait, if you need to (up to six months).
5. Pass the written theory exam and receive your two-year barber license. The board’s online licensing system handles practitioner licensing.

Renewal and continuing education

Mississippi barber licenses are valid for two years and renew for $50. There’s a 60-day grace period; after that you pay the $50 delinquent fee on top of renewal. Once a license has been expired for more than three years, you have to retake the exam.

SB 2566 added continuing education for the first time at renewal: for your initial renewal, and for any renewal after the law took effect, you must complete one course on human and labor trafficking and one on domestic violence.

The 2026 law also offers a second chance to long-time barbers. Through December 31, 2026, a barber with at least 10 years under their license whose license has been expired for no more than 10 years can renew without retaking the exam, by paying the renewal fee, any fines and completing the required continuing education. From January 1, 2027, that window narrows to licenses expired no more than five years, and a delinquent fee applies for each year expired.

Moving to Mississippi with a barber license

Under section 73-7-23, the board may license an out-of-state barber by reciprocity if you’re licensed in good standing in another state or U.S. territory, that state’s education requirements are similar to Mississippi’s, you’ve met the other requirements including passing a similar exam, and you pay the $55 reciprocity fee with two passport-style photos. If you never passed a comparable exam, you can qualify to take Mississippi’s. Military-trained applicants, military spouses and new residents are covered by Mississippi’s universal licensing provisions.

2026 changes at a glance

• Practical exam removed effective February 2, 2026 (board vote, per WDAM). Only the written theory exam remains; check with the board to confirm.
• Education requirement lowered to the tenth grade, or enrollment in a college, instead of a high school education.
• Apprenticeship mentors expanded to barbers with 15+ years of experience, with up to two apprentices per mentor.
• Temporary permits now must be issued (no longer at the board’s discretion) to students who finish their hours, for up to six months.
• New CE requirement: human/labor trafficking and domestic violence courses at renewal.
• Mobile shops: the board has to adopt rules for licensing mobile salon/barber shops by January 1, 2027.
• Sunset date: SB 2566 itself says it stands repealed on June 30, 2028, so check with the board for the rules in force when you apply.

What barbers earn in Mississippi

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (BLS OEWS, May 2025), barbers in Mississippi earned a mean of $38,840 a year ($18.68 an hour) and a median of $38,480 ($18.50 an hour). That median is almost exactly the national median of $38,210, although the national mean is higher at $47,070. BLS didn’t publish a Mississippi employment count.

OEWS counts only wage-and-salary employees, so booth renters, shop owners and other self-employed barbers, a large share of the trade, aren’t counted, and tips may be under-reported.

Barber schools in Mississippi

Here are three Mississippi barber colleges, with facts from the U.S. Department of Education’s College Navigator (latest IPEDS year, 2024–25) and the schools’ own sites, checked in October 2026. Confirm current tuition and start dates directly with each school, and see our list of the best barber schools for more ideas.

Mississippi Barber Academy (Jackson)

Mississippi Barber Academy, at 5420 I-55 Frontage Road N in Jackson, is accredited by NACCAS. Its Barber 1500 course runs 15 or 18 months of continuous training at a maximum of 26 or 24.5 hours a week. College Navigator lists tuition and fees of about $19,500 in 2024–25 plus about $1,200 for books and supplies, a 13-month average completion time, and eligibility for Pell Grants and other federal aid. Note that the school’s course page still describes the old practical exam and $100 fee from the former barber board.

C N K Barber College (Tupelo)

CNK Barber College, at 701 South Gloster Street in Tupelo, says it offers several schedules and payment plans. College Navigator lists its 1,500-clock-hour barbering program at about $18,500 in tuition and fees for 2024–25, with a 13-month average completion and federal aid eligibility.

Upper Kutz Barber & Style College (Greenville)

Upper Kutz Barber & Style College is at 813 Highway 1 South in Greenville, in the Delta. College Navigator lists tuition and fees of about $16,000 for 2024–25 plus about $1,600 for books and supplies, a 1,500-clock-hour program with a 13-month average completion, and federal aid eligibility.

Barber school kit: what students need

With the practical exam gone, your kit isn’t about passing a board test anymore. It’s about clinic floor hours and your first chair. College Navigator lists about $1,200 to $1,600 for books and supplies at two of the schools above, so it pays to know which tools are worth it. For a full rundown, see our guide to essential barber tools for beginners.

The Oster Classic 76 (about $160–190) is a heavy-duty corded clipper with detachable blades, built for all-day bulk cutting and a long working life.

Check Oster Classic 76 Price

If you want an adjustable-blade clipper for fades without swapping blades, the Andis 01815 Master Adjustable Blade Clipper (about $90–110) is a shop staple.

Check Andis 01815 Master Adjustable Blade Clipper Price

For edges, necklines and beard lines, the Andis 04780 T-Outliner (about $60–80) is a reliable outliner at a student price.

Check Andis 04780 T-Outliner Price

A foil shaver like the Andis TS-1 Pro Foil Shaver (about $45–60) finishes bald fades and smooth necklines quickly.

Check Andis TS-1 Pro Foil Shaver Price

Keep every blade cool, clean and lubricated between clients with Andis Cool Care Plus 5-in-1 Clipper Spray (about $10–15).

Check Andis Cool Care Plus 5-in-1 Clipper Spray Price

And because sanitation still matters on every clinic floor, a Barbicide Disinfecting Jar (37 oz) (about $25–35) at your station keeps combs and implements disinfected.

Check Barbicide Disinfecting Jar (37 oz) Price

How to choose a Mississippi barber school

• Check that it’s board-approved. Only hours at a barbering school approved by the board count toward the 1,500.
• Compare total cost. College Navigator’s 2024–25 tuition and fees for the three schools above range from about $16,000 to about $19,500, before supplies.
• Ask how they’ve adjusted to the theory-only exam. A good school should be drilling theory and Mississippi law now that the practical is gone.
• Ask about schedules. Mississippi Barber Academy’s 15- and 18-month tracks show how much the weekly hours change your finish date.
• Weigh the apprenticeship. With 15-year barbers now able to mentor, 3,000 shop hours may beat tuition if you have the right connection.

FAQ

Can you get a barber license without going to barber school in Mississippi?
Yes. Mississippi accepts 3,000 hours of board-approved apprenticeship training instead of 1,500 school hours. Your mentor must hold a barbering instructor license or be a barber with at least 15 years of experience.

How long does it take to get a barber license in Mississippi?
About 13 months for a typical full-time school program (College Navigator’s average for the schools above), then the written exam. Part-time schedules and the 3,000-hour apprenticeship take longer.

Does Mississippi still have a practical barber exam?
Not according to WDAM’s March 2026 report: the board removed the practical exam effective February 2, 2026, and candidates now take only the written theory exam. Confirm the current exam requirements with the board before you apply.

How much does a barber license cost in Mississippi?
The license fee is $50, and renewal is $50 every two years. The fee is waived for applicants on Medicaid, TANF, SNAP or WIC, and there’s no renewal fee at age 70 and up. Exam fees are separate.

Can I transfer my barber license to Mississippi?
Usually. With a license in good standing from a state with similar education requirements and a comparable exam, you can apply by reciprocity for $55.

Final take

Mississippi is now one of the more accessible states to become a barber: 16 years old, tenth grade, 1,500 school hours or a 3,000-hour apprenticeship, one written exam and a $50 license. Because there’s no practical to prepare for, put your energy into choosing a school (or mentor) that builds real skills, and invest in tools that will carry you into your first chair, starting with a workhorse like the Oster Classic 76 and an Andis T-Outliner.

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.