When you first plant your hedge in well prepared and well fertilised soil, and water it regularly, it can grow quite fast once established. Subsequent growth can be slower when benign neglect and ruthless pruning sets in.

This is a useful resource. (I have no experience of them as a supplier, it just looks to be a good compendium of information).
Hedging Plant Index - Hedging Plants by Latin Name (Buckingham Nurseries Online Catalogue)
Most Berberis, it says, grow only 1 foot per year, but it would seem that B stenophylla is more vigorous and would give you about 18" per year. On the other hand, they say that laurel grows only 6"-12" per year, so these must be fairly conservative estimates, at least for initial establishment, because I've watched a near neighbour grow a 6' laurel hedge in 2-3 years.

These people sell a hybrid B ottowensis x Auricoma that they claim grows about 2 foot per year. Hedges & Garden Hedging Plants Online - Hedges Direct UK Sounds like a triffid.

And if you are really in a hurry, these people will sell you 1m high Berberis plants that they say will give you a 2m hedge with a season.
RHS Hedging Plants | Bare Root Hedging | Instant Hedge | Hedge Nursery

With hedges like laurel (or beech, etc) you will get quite fat trunks in the interior of your hedge after a few years, and you need enough width in the hedge to to have branches coming off those. With Berberis, the main stems are much thinner, so the hedge can be thinner. An interesting thing about Berberis, at least my Berberis darwinii, which you discover when you prune it or snip a root, is that the wood and interior of the roots is bright orangey yellow.