Change careers and become a licensed barber in New York in as little as 4 months — hands-on, at our Manhattan & Bronx campuses.
Real Transformations
Hover the player to hear an ABI graduate describe the leap into barbering — direct, unscripted, unfiltered.
The Numbers Behind the Chair
No four-year degree. No crushing debt. New York asks for 500 hours of training — and ABI turns those hours into a career you can build the rest of your life on.
Why Barbering · Why Now
Most people don't leave a job because they hate the work. They leave because the work leads nowhere. Barbering is different: it's a licensed, recession-resistant trade where the skill lives in your hands, the income scales with your reputation, and the ceiling is a chair you own. In New York City — where fresh fades, beard sculpting and straight-razor lineups are in demand on every block — a Master Barber license is a passport to real, portable earning power.
At ABI you go from complete beginner to board-ready in as little as four months. You train on real clients from your first weeks, learn the fades and razor work that fill a barber's book, and walk out with a credential New York State recognizes — not a certificate that expires the moment the trend does. Whether you're switching careers at 30, restarting at 50, or chasing a dream you've carried for years, the door is the same width for everyone.
Programs
One flagship program takes career-changers from zero to a New York Master Barber license. Two shorter programs help licensed and returning barbers stay current and compliant.
Flagship · 500 Hours
The complete path to licensure. Fades, tapers, shears, beard work, straight-razor shaving, sanitation and full NY State Board Exam prep — hands-on, on real clients, in about 4 months full-time or 6–7 months on weekends.
For Returning Barbers · 50 Hours
Been out of the chair for a while, or licensed elsewhere and re-entering the New York market? Sharpen your technique, refresh sanitation and modern fade trends, and get back to work with confidence.
Compliance · Required
The infection-control and public-health training New York requires of working barbers. Fast, focused, and taught by instructors who run a live clinic floor every day.
Your Path
You don't have to have it all figured out to start. Here's exactly how a career-changer goes from "I'm thinking about it" to standing behind their own chair.
Read our free licensing guides, work through the honest "is this right for me?" self-check, and book a campus tour so you can watch the clinic floor before you commit to anything.
Talk with an Admissions Advisor about the schedule and funding that fit your life — morning, afternoon or weekend, plus weekly payment plans, GI Bill® or ACCES-VR.
Start on the first Monday of the month, train hands-on with mentors who have decades behind the chair, pass the NY State Board Exam, and step into your new career with job-placement help.
Proof · Student Outcomes
"The level of knowledge and training is superb. King David will show you everything there is to know about barbering — 100% commitment from this school."
Jerrick Matthews · ABI student, Manhattan campus
ABI holds a 4.6★ rating across 100+ Google reviews. Students consistently praise the professional instructors, the welcoming floor, and how affordable the path to licensure really is. Many arrive as complete beginners and leave running their own book of clients.
Find Us
48 West 39th Street, New York, NY 10018 — a few blocks from Bryant Park, Times Square and Penn Station.
Tuition & Funding
Every plan includes NY State Board Exam prep, hands-on training and job-placement support — and every plan lets you pay weekly while you attend. Funding options can lower the cost even further.
Plan A · Morning
Mon–Fri, 8:00 AM–2:00 PM · 30 hrs/week · ~4 months. $500 down (incl. $100 registration) plus 17 weekly payments of $300.
Plan B · Afternoon · Most Popular
Mon–Fri, 2:00 PM–8:00 PM · 30 hrs/week · ~4 months. $500 down (incl. $100 registration), 16 weekly payments of $250 and a final $100.
Plan C · Weekend
Sat & Sun, 9:00 AM–7:00 PM · 18 hrs/week · ~6–7 months. $550 down (incl. $100 registration) plus 27 weekly payments of $150.
Books and tools are extra. ACCES-VR can cover tuition, tools and books for qualified New Yorkers with disabilities, and Post-9/11 GI Bill® / VA benefits are accepted for those who qualify.
Two NYC Campuses
Study in the heart of Midtown Manhattan or in the Bronx at Westchester Square — both campuses run a live clinic floor, share the same 500-hour curriculum, and start new classes the first Monday of every month.
Manhattan Campus
New York, NY 10018 — steps from Bryant Park and the heart of Midtown. Morning, afternoon and weekend tracks, taught in English and Spanish.
Bronx Campus
Bronx, NY 10461 — a neighborhood campus serving the Bronx, Westchester and beyond, with the same hands-on clinic training and licensing path.
FAQs
The questions career-changers ask us most about becoming a licensed barber in New York.
New York requires 500 hours of state-approved training, then passing the NY State Board Exam to earn your Master Barber license. At ABI you complete those hours hands-on in about 4 months full-time or 6–7 months on weekends, with full board-exam prep and job-placement support. Our complete NY roadmap walks through every step.
New York State requires 500 hours of training. Full-time at ABI takes about 4 months (17 weeks at 30 hours per week); the weekend schedule takes about 6–7 months (27 weeks). See schedules & flexibility for the full breakdown.
ABI's 500-hour Master Barber program is $5,600 for the morning plan (Plan A) or $4,600 for the afternoon (Plan B) and weekend (Plan C) plans. Every plan uses weekly payments while you train. Books and tools are extra. ACCES-VR funding and Post-9/11 GI Bill® / VA benefits are accepted. See tuition & funding.
No experience is needed. ABI trains you from the fundamentals to a licensed professional — many students arrive as complete beginners or career-changers with no background in barbering. Read the honest case on why barbering.
Yes. ABI offers morning (8:00 AM–2:00 PM) and afternoon (2:00 PM–8:00 PM) full-time tracks Monday–Friday, plus a weekend track on Saturdays and Sundays for people who work during the week. Explore the full range on schedules & flexibility.
Barbering rewards the hours you put in and the clientele you build — entry-level barbers typically start out building a book, and established barbers, booth renters and shop owners can earn substantially more over time through service pricing, tips and ownership. Income varies by effort, hours, location and market. See our NYC barber salary guide for the ranges and the data behind them.
Yes — ACCES-VR can cover tuition, tools and books for qualified New Yorkers with disabilities; Post-9/11 GI Bill® and VA benefits are accepted (see veterans); and every plan includes weekly payments while you train.
New classes begin the first Monday of every month at both the Manhattan and Bronx campuses. Call (212) 290-2289 to reserve your seat or book a tour — seats fill fast.
Classes begin the first Monday of each month
You've read the path. The only thing left is the first step. Book a campus tour, talk it through with admissions in English or Spanish, and see the floor for yourself before you decide.
Classes begin the first Monday of each month
Next class starts soon. Seats fill fast — start your barber school enrollment, request a call, or speak with admissions in English or Spanish.
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