Class A Barber is a Certificate program (Hybrid) offered by Wade Gordon Hairdressing Academy in Amarillo, TX. The program takes 1,000 clock hours, about 7 months full time to complete, with a total tuition of $14,783.
Program Overview
Class A Barber, 1,000 hours. Wade Gordon Hairdressing Academy's Class A Barber course teaches every part of barber styling: haircutting, styling, shaving, massage, facial treatments and trimming facial hair. It prepares students for the exam required by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation and for work in a barbershop, salon or as a platform artist.
A real barbershop setting. The classroom is set up like a working barbershop, and students gain hands-on experience with clients under experienced professionals. Practical assignments cover infection control, client protection, shaving, hair services, chemical reformation, hair coloring, scalp treatments, client communication and business administration.
What sets this Program apart
- Straight-razor skills. A 300-hour specialty block covers shaving with every razor type, mustache and beard care and advanced men's haircutting.
- A barber floor of its own. The Amarillo campus has a separate barber salon floor and a foundation classroom for new barber students.
- Beauty as a Business. Students learn Instagram marketing, smartphone photography and personal branding to build a book of clients.
- A hybrid choice. Students can take up to half of the course as online theory.
Admission Requirements and Process
Admission requirements. Applicants must be at least 17, shown by a driver's license, birth certificate or passport. They also need proof of high school completion: a diploma, GED certificate or transcript showing completion, a college transcript or degree, a home-school completion credential, or a foreign diploma verified by a qualified agency. The admissions page also asks for a government-issued photo ID and proof of citizenship or legal residency. The academy does not offer or accept ability-to-benefit testing, and classes and exams are in English.
Enrolling. Every applicant tours the campus and receives a pre-enrollment package before enrolling, and the administration office enrolls students any weekday for upcoming start dates. Students complete the school's admission forms and sign an enrollment agreement. The registration fee is collected after signing and before the first day, and orientation is held on or before the first day of class.
Transfer students. Transfer students from other cosmetology, barber and esthetics schools are accepted case by case under the same requirements, with proof of training and a record of withdrawal from the previous school. Hours earned in another state need a letter from the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation showing the credit given.
School Information
Campus Location
Why Accreditation Is Important
When you attend an accredited institution, you attend a school that has been independently evaluated for educational quality.
Wade Gordon Hairdressing Academy is accredited by the National Accrediting Commission of Career Arts & Sciences (NACCAS), which lists Amarillo as its main campus and Lubbock as an additional location, and it is licensed by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation.
- A reliable indicator of quality
- Approved program of study
- Qualified instructors
- Recognition by employers nationwide
Accreditations
General Requirements
- Minimum ageAt least 17 years old, shown by a driver's license, birth certificate or passport.
- High school completionA diploma, GED certificate, completion transcript, college degree or home-school credential.
- Photo ID and residencyA government-issued photo ID and proof of citizenship or legal residency.
- Campus tourA tour of the campus and the pre-enrollment package before enrolling.
- Enrollment agreementCompleted admission forms, a signed enrollment agreement and the registration fee.
Application Process
- 1Request informationFill out the Request Information form on the Wade Gordon Hairdressing Academy website and choose a campus.
- 2Tour the campusVisit your chosen campus with the admissions team and receive the pre-enrollment package.
- 3Plan your fundingFile the FAFSA if you plan to use aid and meet with the financial aid office.
- 4EnrollComplete the admission forms, sign the enrollment agreement and pay the registration fee.
- 5Start classAttend orientation and begin on the next monthly start date.
Program Schedule
Three day schedules. Students choose Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (35 hours a week, about 7 months), Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. (30 hours, about 8 months), or Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (22.5 hours, about 10 months), with a 30-minute lunch break.
Hybrid option. The Texas campuses also offer this course with distance education for up to half of its length, used only for theory. Hybrid students need a laptop, iPad or phone with reliable high-speed internet and use Milady CIMA, Google Classroom and video conferencing. They take an on-campus assessment of their online work at least once a month and pass a comprehensive written and practical final exam on campus.
Start dates. The 2026 calendar lists new classes at the Amarillo and Lubbock campuses on October 5, November 2 and December 7, 2026.
Attendance and leaves. Students must attend at least 67% of their scheduled hours and cannot clock in after 9:00 a.m., and a student absent 14 consecutive days is withdrawn. A written leave of absence may be approved for medical reasons or a death in the family, for up to 180 days in any 12 months. The 2026 calendar closes the school for spring break (March 16-20), Good Friday, Memorial Day, Labor Day, the week of Thanksgiving and December 21 through January 1.
Curriculum
Three phases. In phase 1 (the first 150 hours) students learn the underlying theory and basic client-service skills and set short- and long-term career goals. In phase 2 (through 300 hours) they build confidence on mannequins and finish with a graded hands-on test on a live person. In phase 3 they refine their skills on clients and learn the business systems professionals use to attract and keep customers. Teaching uses the Milady textbooks, interactive lectures, demonstrations, guest speakers, field trips and hands-on practice.
Grading and progress. Theory and practical work is graded Exemplary (90-100%), Excellent (80-89%), Good (75-79%), Satisfactory (70-74%) or Unsatisfactory (below 70%). Practical work counts only when rated satisfactory. Students keep a 70% theory average and 67% attendance at each progress evaluation, and must finish within 150% of the program's length.
Graduation and licensing. Graduates complete every subject with no grade under 70% and pass the school's final written and practical exams with at least 70%. Once tuition and fees are paid, they receive a certificate of completion and can sit for the Texas state board written and practical exams ($52 and $74), paid by the student.
Required Courses
| Name | Total |
|---|---|
| Theory and Related Practice | 700 |
| Specialty Practice and Related Theory | 300 |
| Totals | 1,000 |
Cost of Attendance and Financial Aid Information
| Charge | Amount |
|---|---|
| Tuition (1,000 hours) | $14,783 |
| Registration fee | $75 |
| Student permit fee | $25 |
| Books | $400 |
| School kit (tax included) | $2,567 |
| State board kit (tax included) | $150 |
| Total | $18,000 |
Financial aid. Wade Gordon Hairdressing Academy participates in Federal Pell Grants and Federal Direct Subsidized, Unsubsidized and Parent PLUS loans for students who qualify, and veterans may be eligible for GI Bill education benefits. Its FAFSA school code is 042052. The academy has no institutional scholarship program, though a need-based scholarship may be available.
Paying for school. Students can pay in full at enrollment or use a payment plan from the academy. It accepts Title IV aid, cash, personal checks, money orders and cashier's checks, and card payments carry a processing fee. A $10 late fee applies each business day once a payment is five days late, and all fees are due before graduation. Re-enrolling more than 180 days after the last day of attendance costs $75, and a $150 withdrawal fee applies to students who leave before finishing.
Cancellation and refunds. Refunds follow the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation's policy and are based on scheduled hours. For a course of 12 months or less, a student who withdraws or is terminated before the last half of the course gets back 90% of any outstanding tuition in the first week or first tenth of the course, whichever is shorter. That falls to 80% through the first three weeks, 75% through the first quarter and 50% through the first half, and after that the school may keep all tuition and fees. Refunds are paid within 30 days, and a $150 drop fee applies.
Career Outcomes
Careers. The catalog lists careers including hair stylist, color technician, manicurist, school supervisor, platform artist, state board examiner, salon manager, salon owner, wig stylist, facialist and beauty counselor.
Job search help. After graduates pass the state exam, the academy helps them identify job openings through field trips to salons, recruiting classes and a job lead bulletin board. Guest speakers, salon owners and stylists visit the campus several times a year. Instructors coach each student individually and teach customer service, self-marketing and salon management, but the academy cannot guarantee employment or earnings.
What to expect as a Wade Gordon student
The Texas campuses. The Amarillo campus on Paramount Boulevard covers about 10,000 square feet, with separate cosmetology and barber salon floors, each with a shampoo area and a facial waxing station. It also has a dispensary, theory classrooms, a foundation classroom for new barber students and a student break room. The Lubbock campus on University Avenue covers about 6,612 square feet, with cosmetology and barber salon floors, theory classrooms and a student break room. Both have student-run salons open to the public and parking on site.
Student life. Students arrive groomed and in dress code with their kit and books, clock in and out with a QR code at the front desk, and take a 30-minute lunch off the clock on days of six hours or more. Phones stay put away on the salon floor, and every student has a monthly cleaning duty. Students can receive personal services Monday through Thursday with an instructor's approval. The academy is wheelchair accessible and does not offer housing.
School Information
Campus Location
Why Accreditation Is Important
When you attend an accredited institution, you attend a school that has been independently evaluated for educational quality.
Wade Gordon Hairdressing Academy is accredited by the National Accrediting Commission of Career Arts & Sciences (NACCAS), which lists Amarillo as its main campus and Lubbock as an additional location, and it is licensed by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation.
- A reliable indicator of quality
- Approved program of study
- Qualified instructors
- Recognition by employers nationwide