A barber school in Sacramento can prepare you for California's barber license through classroom instruction and supervised practice. Compare the local courses below for training hours, published charges and class schedules, then confirm a seat before paying a deposit.
Minimum school training1,000 hours for the barber school route
Exam formatPSI written examination
Evening intakeFederico PM start: January 5, 2027
Paid alternativeApproved apprenticeship: OJT plus related classes
Barber training options around Sacramento
Compare Sacramento barbering courses and the Vacaville campus near the western boundary of this guide. Each check line links to the Board of Barbering and Cosmetology school list and shows when the listing was reviewed.
The program webpage says as little as 10 months, while the 2026 catalog gives a different duration. Confirm your contracted completion date, hybrid availability and campus attendance days.
The 2026 brochure lists November 2 and December 7 starts. Confirm your individual attendance hours and completion date; the program webpage and brochure give different calendar lengths.
November 16, 2026 night classes are listed. The licensing paragraph says 1,200 hours, conflicting with the 1,000-hour FAQ; request the current enrollment agreement.
The combined course prepares students to pursue cosmetologist and barber licenses. November 16, 2026 appears in its night start list; confirm course availability.
Next starts: November 9, 2026 night and November 16 day. The online catalog total is $16,800; the program page still shows $16,300. Confirm the night schedule and the 1,100-hour charge allowance.
Hybrid: day, afternoon or evening; 19 campus hours plus 11 asynchronous hours/week (2026 Vacaville catalog)
$15,898.75 tuition; $18,175 total (2026 Vacaville catalog, effective April 1)
Sacramento campuses first, then nearby cities. Details come from each school's website; costs and start dates change, so confirm with the school.
Barber schools near Sacramento: addresses and contacts
Federico Beauty Institute Sacramento, CA
Federico's barber curriculum includes straight razor shaving, chemical hair services and shop management, followed by supervised work with campus salon clients.
My-Le's teaches technical instruction and practical barbering operations at its Sacramento college on Florin Road, alongside other beauty training programs.
Campus's standalone barbering course teaches cutting, shaving, beard grooming and scalp care through classroom instruction and practice in its guest clinic.
Use the California BBC school roster to check the campus. Then ask for its current barbering course agreement and start date before making a payment.
2
Check examination eligibility early
The Board's eligibility page requires barber examination applicants to be at least 17 and to have completed tenth grade or its equivalent. Check the school's own admission requirements separately.
3
Complete barber training hours
A school-based barbering course must provide at least 1,000 hours under California curriculum requirements. Barber instruction includes shaving and beard work, as well as health, sanitation and hair services.
4
Send your examination application
Request the school's Proof of Training when you finish. The BBC applicant page lists the barber application, documentation and fee needed to apply for the written examination.
5
Take the licensing test
After application approval, use PSI's scheduling instructions supplied through the Board. The barber examination has 85 scored questions and 10 pretest questions, with 120 minutes allowed.
Barber pay: California figures and metro limits
The May 2025 BLS Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom table does not publish a separate barber estimate. Using the permitted statewide fallback, the California OEWS table for May 2025 reports 1,390 barber jobs (SOC 39-5011), a median hourly wage of $18.45 and median annual pay of $38,380. Those numbers describe California, not Sacramento alone.
The OEWS survey excludes self-employed workers. That matters when comparing employee jobs with plans to operate independently. A median also does not describe what a new graduate will be offered. Discuss hourly pay or commission, tips, working hours and the cost of supplies with each prospective employer before using these figures in your training budget.
What barber training costs locally
On the program pages checked in October 2026, Paul Mitchell Sacramento lists $14,000 tuition and $16,800 estimated total charges in its online catalog. Campus publishes the same tuition with a $17,836 total. MIXED's 2026 catalog lists $15,900 tuition and $19,010 for the entire barbering program. Ask how each total handles tools, books, missed hours and examination charges.
Federico's aid office describes Pell Grants and other FAFSA-based assistance for qualifying students. Its veterans benefits page explains how eligible students can start the education-benefit process. For WIOA-funded training, ask a Sacramento Works coach to check your eligibility and the specific course's provider-list status. Employer-paid training is possible through the Board's apprenticeship system: an approved establishment pays wages while you train, and sponsors may charge additional fees.
The school minimum is 1,000 hours, but calendar length depends on attendance. Federico lists 8.5 months full-time and 12.5 months part-time. My-Le's 2026 brochure gives 7.5 months full-time, while its webpage says approximately seven months. Ask for your contracted weekly hours and completion date when the school's sources differ.
Can I earn wages through a barber apprenticeship?
California offers a separate paid route through a sponsor approved by DAS and the BBC. The Board's apprenticeship guidance requires 3,200 on-the-job hours and at least 220 related training hours over two years. You need the apprentice license before working. Start by finding an approved sponsor and confirming the trainer and establishment arrangements.
Do barbers still take a practical licensing exam?
The Board's examination page says candidates only need to pass the written examination to become licensed. For barbers, it lists 85 scored questions, 10 pretest questions and a two-hour limit. You still must complete the applicable training and application steps; the exam format does not remove those requirements. Use the current Board instructions when you apply.
Can I add barbering after cosmetology training?
The Board's eligibility rules allow a barber crossover route after a California cosmetology license or completed cosmetology course. Campus also offers combined training. Federico's September 2026 catalog says it does not offer a Barber Crossover course, although it describes credit for prior cosmetology training. Ask how your records affect the course you would enter.
Is a public college barbering option listed in Sacramento?
Sacramento City College's catalog includes a Barbering certificate and A.S. degree, with BAR 100 required before the main sequence. Its admissions process uses a selection list. The Spring 2027 class search returned no BAR courses when checked October 27, 2026. The barbering options remain outside this table until a current intake can be verified.