Barbering is a Diploma program offered by Urban Barber College in San Jose, CA. The program takes 29 weeks full time or 40 weeks part time to complete, with a total tuition of $14,950.
Program Overview
Urban Barber College's Barbering program trains students for entry-level work as licensed California barbers. It runs 1,000 clock hours, the course length California has allowed for barber licensure since Senate Bill 803 took effect in 2022, and blends classroom theory with practical training in the school's clinic, which offers barber services to the public.
The school's stated mission is to prepare every student to pass the California State Board barbering license exam, and to give them the professionalism and business ethics they need to succeed in the barber industry, taught in a safe and positive learning environment.
Two campuses on this page, a third with its own catalog. This page covers the main campus at 1809 Willow Pass Road in Concord and the additional location at 311 North Capitol Avenue in San Jose, which share one catalog, one price and one schedule (the weekend section runs in Concord only). Urban Barber College also runs a Modesto campus at 425 Maze Boulevard under a separate catalog; the school describes it as provisionally accredited by NACCAS, so it is not covered here.
What sets this Program apart
- A working clinic. Students cut and shave members of the public under licensed instructors, at 35 stations in Concord or 20 in San Jose.
- Days, evenings or weekends. Full-time days in 29 weeks, or part-time evenings or (in Concord) weekends in 40 weeks, with monthly starts.
- Everything in one price. Tuition, eBooks, the barber kit and registration total $16,905, with no STRF charge.
- 200 hours of exam preparation and professional development. A full unit on the State Board exam, job search and running a barbering business.
- Two Bay Area locations. Concord, near BART in the East Bay, and San Jose in the South Bay, on the same catalog and price.
Admission Requirements and Process
The enrollment process at Urban Barber College is simple. A personal interview with an Admissions Advisor ensures Urban Barber College fits your goals, needs, and answers all questions effectively. Once you have decided that Urban Barber College is the best school for you, all that is left is completing the Enrollment Agreement.
General Requirements
- Minimum Age 16Must be 16 years of age or older.
- Government-Issued Picture IDApplicant must provide a valid, government-issued picture ID, such as a California Driver’s license, other state issued ID, or Passport.
- Social Security Number or TINProvide their Social Security number or TIN.
- High School Diploma or EquivalentProvide a copy of his/her High School Diploma, or GED or their transcript showing high school completion or documentation proving completion of homeschooling at the secondary…
- Foreign Diploma EvaluationHave evidence that verification of a foreign student’s high school diploma has been performed by an outside agency that is qualified to translate documents into English and…
- Transfer Student TranscriptsTransfer students shall provide transcripts from prior instructional institution prior to enrollment. No more than 500 hours will be accepted for transfer.
- Mandatory OrientationOrientation is held on the first day of class and is a requirement for all students to attend.
Application Process
- 1Contact Admissions for an Admission ApplicationStop by an Urban Barber College campus location for an Admission Application, or contact our admissions team to get started.
- 2Interview with an Admissions AdvisorA personal interview with an Admissions Advisor ensures Urban Barber College fits your goals, needs, and answers all questions effectively.
- 3Apply for Financial Aid (FAFSA)Financial Aid is available to eligible students and awarded based on need, determined through FAFSA. Complete the FAFSA and include Urban Barber College so the school receives your application.FAFSA Code for San Jose: 042700Fill Out the FAFSA
- 4Complete the Enrollment AgreementOnce you have decided that Urban Barber College is the best school for you, all that is left is completing the Enrollment Agreement.
- 5Attend OrientationOrientation is held on the first day of class. At orientation students review institutional policy and procedures, clock in and out procedures and participate in an emergency evacuation drill.
Program Schedule
Full time, days: Monday to Friday, 9:00am to 5:00pm with a one-hour unpaid lunch — 35 clock hours a week, 29 weeks. Concord and San Jose.
Part time, evenings: Monday to Friday, 5:00pm to 10:00pm — 25 clock hours a week, 40 weeks. Concord and San Jose.
Part time, weekends: Saturday and Sunday, 9:00am to 8:00pm, plus Monday 5:00pm to 10:00pm — 25 clock hours a week, 40 weeks. Concord only.
Classes begin monthly; the school sets the exact start dates, and its catalog asks students to check them with the campus. The website's FAQ puts completion at around 6 to 7 months full time and 10 to 11 months part time. Orientation on the first day counts for five clock hours.
Campus Location
Why Accreditation Is Important
When you attend an accredited institution, you attend a school that has been independently evaluated for educational quality.
Urban Barber College's Concord campus is accredited by the National Accrediting Commission of Career Arts & Sciences (NACCAS), and San Jose is accredited as its additional location; the school reports both renewed to 2029. It is approved to operate by the California Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education (BPPE).
- A reliable indicator of quality
- Approved program of study
- Qualified instructors
- Recognition by employers nationwide
Accreditations
Cost of Attendance and Financial Aid Information
| Charge | Amount |
|---|---|
| Tuition (1,000 clock hours) | $14,950 |
| eBooks | $350 |
| Kit | $1,505 |
| Registration | $100 |
| Student Tuition Recovery Fund (STRF) | $0 |
| Estimated total charges for the program | $16,905 |
What the charges cover. Books (as eBooks), the barber kit and registration are included in the $16,905; students receive their kit in the first cycle. The registration fee, eBooks and kit are non-refundable once the cancellation period ends. The catalog puts the charges for the first period of attendance at $7,662.25.
Outside the total: the $125 California Board of Barbering and Cosmetology licensing fee, paid by the student when applying for the state exam. Hours beyond 50 scheduled hours past the contract end date are billed at $10 an hour, and re-entering after a withdrawal costs $200.
Federal aid. Urban Barber College takes part in Title IV programs: Pell Grants, Direct student loans and Parent PLUS loans. Aid is awarded by need through the FAFSA; list Federal School Code 042700. The school's Net Price Calculator page was empty when checked on 12 September 2026, so no calculator link is shown here.
Veterans. Both the Concord and San Jose campuses are approved for veterans' training in the Barbering program under Title 38.
Paying. Cash, money order, cashier's check, personal check or PayPal (with a 3.5% service charge), plus federal aid and veterans' benefits.
Refunds. Cancel by the first class session or the seventh day after enrolling, whichever is later, and the school refunds everything paid except a registration or application fee of up to $250. After that, tuition is refunded pro rata on scheduled hours until 60% of the enrollment period has passed, and not after; refunds are paid within 45 days of the withdrawal date.
Curriculum
The Barbering course outline printed in the 2025-2026 catalog for both campuses: six units totalling 1,000 clock hours. The catalog gives hours per unit but no theory and practical split. The school's Barbering web page describes the same 1,000 hours differently, as 150 hours of barbering theory, 800 hours of practical application on clients and 50 hours of State Board exam preparation; the catalog's units are shown here. Textbook: Milady's Standard Barbering, 6th edition.
The required courses below are from Urban Barber College's published catalog.
Required Courses
| Name | Total |
|---|---|
| Health and Safety | 100 |
| Disinfection and Sanitation | 100 |
| Chemical Hair Services | 200 |
| Hairstyling Services | 200 |
| Shaving and Trimming of the Beard | 200 |
| Exam Preparation and Professional Development | 200 |
| Totals | 1,000 |
Required Courses
| Name |
|---|
Career Outcomes
Getting licensed in California. To sit the Board of Barbering and Cosmetology exam, graduates need a Board-approved course (this 1,000-hour program), the school's proof of training, to be at least 17 years old, to have completed the 10th grade or its equivalent, and no disqualifying convictions under Business and Professions Code section 480. The Board charges a $125 non-refundable initial license fee. Applicants with criminal convictions are encouraged to contact the Board before enrolling.
Career help. The school keeps a job board, invites shop owners and managers in to talk about openings, and teaches professional image, resume writing, interviewing, shop ownership and building a clientele. It does not guarantee placement. Graduates work as barbers, barber stylists, texture specialists, educators, platform artists, shop managers and shop owners; the occupation code is SOC 39-5011, Barbers.
Reported outcomes. The school's most recent published School Performance Fact Sheet (calendar years 2022 and 2023, published December 1, 2024) reports, for 2023: at Concord, 44 of 100 students finished on time (44 percent), 49 of 70 graduates were employed in the field (70 percent) and 42 of 43 who took the licensing exam passed on the first try (97 percent); at San Jose, 19 of 66 finished on time (28 percent), 16 of 53 graduates were employed in the field (30 percent) and 24 of 24 exam takers passed (100 percent).
What to expect as a Urban Barber College student
The Concord main campus fills 6,500 square feet in the Park and Shop Plaza: 35 barber stations, two 40-seat classrooms, two shampoo bowls, a State Board prep area and a break room. The San Jose location, in a shopping centre on Capitol Avenue near McKee Road, has 3,300 square feet with 20 barber stations, two shampoo bowls, a classroom, a State Board prep area and a break room. At both, theory is taught by lecture, demonstration and video from Milady's Standard Barbering (6th edition), and practical work happens on the clinic floor, where students serve members of the public under licensed instructors, with at least one instructor for every 30 students.
Progress is checked at 450 and 900 actual hours. Students need a cumulative grade average of at least 70% and cumulative attendance of at least 67%, and must finish within 150% of the program length. To graduate with a diploma, students pass a final comprehensive written and practical exam with at least 75%, complete the exit paperwork and interview, and clear their account; the school then issues the proof of training needed to sit the California licensing exam. Instruction is in English only.