500 Hours
Starting From Scratch
~4 mo full-time · ~6–7 mo weekend
The complete route for career-changers with no prior license: full State-Board training, real-client practice and exam prep, built from the ground up.
$4,600–5,600
Programs / Compare Your Options
Which Path to a New York Barber License Fits You?
There isn't one way to become a licensed barber in New York — there are three, and the right one depends entirely on where you're starting from. Complete beginners take the 500-hour route. Already-licensed pros can take a 50-hour refresher. And everyone applying or renewing needs the Contagious Diseases course. Find yours below in under a minute.
NYS-Licensed 3 Paths Monthly Starts Payment Plans
The Three Paths
Pick the Route That Matches Your Situation
Start where you are. Each path leads to the same destination — sitting for the New York State Board exam and earning a Master Barber license — but the distance depends on what you're bringing to the chair.
50 Hours
Already Licensed
~2 weeks · Manhattan campus
A fast refresher for licensed cosmetologists, hairdressers and apprentices who want to add a NY Master Barber credential and sit for the exam.
$1,500
3 Hours
Applying or Renewing
Home study · by mail
The Contagious Diseases course required for every new NY barber application and renewal. Complete it from home; get two certificates by mail.
$100
Common Ground
What Every Path Has in Common
Whichever route you take, the essentials line up: New York licensing, monthly starts, and one shared finish line.
3
Paths to the same Master Barber license
500
Hours required for beginners in New York
1
New cohort every first Monday of the month
30+
Years training New York barbers
Compare at a Glance
The Three Paths, Side by Side
Not sure which column you belong in? Compare by experience, time and cost — then follow the link to the path that fits.
By Experience
500-hour = no prior license. 50-hour = already licensed in cosmetology or hairdressing, or a barber apprentice. 3-hour = a requirement everyone applying or renewing must meet.
By Time
Roughly 4 months full-time or 6–7 on weekends for the 500 hours; about two weeks for the refresher; three self-paced hours by mail for the diseases course.
By Cost
500-hour tuition runs $4,600–$5,600 with $500–$550 down plus weekly payments; the refresher is $1,500; the Contagious Diseases course is $100.
Same Destination
Every path leads to the same place: sitting for the New York State Board exam and earning a Master Barber license you can build a career on.
Monthly Starts
New 500-hour and refresher cohorts begin the first Monday of each month, so you're rarely waiting long to begin. Next start soon.
Funding Exists
Veterans may use the GI Bill® and eligible career-changers may qualify for ACCES-VR toward the 500-hour route.
Still Deciding?
“You don't have to know which path is right before you talk to us. Tell us where you're starting from, and the route picks itself.”
Barbering is one of the fastest, most accessible skilled trades to enter in New York — low entry requirements, a credential in months, and income that scales with your skill. If you're weighing whether the move makes sense at all, walk through why barbering and the career paths a license opens, then come back and pick your path.
Paying for It
Funding the Path You Choose
The 500-hour route is where most funding applies. Between payment plans, veterans' benefits and vocational-rehabilitation support, cost is rarely the reason someone can't start.
Weekly Payment Plans
$500–$550 down, then weekly payments while you train. Full details on the tuition & funding page.
Veterans & GI Bill®
Eligible veterans may apply GI Bill® benefits toward barber training. Start on the veterans page.
ACCES-VR
New Yorkers with a documented disability may qualify for tuition, tools and books. See the ACCES-VR page.
Common Questions
Choosing a Program, Answered
Which barber program do I need if I've never cut hair professionally?
The 500-hour Master Barber program. It's the complete route for beginners and career-changers, and it's the number of hours New York requires before you can sit for the licensing exam.
I'm already a licensed cosmetologist — do I have to do all 500 hours?
No. Licensed cosmetologists, hairdressers and barber apprentices can take the 50-hour refresher instead — about two weeks — then sit for the barber exam.
What is the Contagious Diseases course and who needs it?
It's a short NY-required home-study course on the transmission of contagious diseases, needed for every new barber application and every renewal. Details on the Contagious Diseases page.
Do all three paths lead to the same license?
The 500-hour and 50-hour paths both prepare you for the same New York State Board barber exam and Master Barber license. The Contagious Diseases course is an additional licensing requirement layered on top — not a substitute for training.
When can I start?
New 500-hour and refresher cohorts begin the first Monday of every month, so you rarely wait more than a few weeks. Next start soon.
Your Next Step
Found Your Path? Let's Get You Started.
Whether you're starting from scratch, refreshing an existing license or checking a renewal box, admissions can point you to the right route in one conversation — in English or Spanish.