You kinda need to look at three different things.
In no particular order of importance:
1) How is the rifling cut. Your options are cold hammer forged (CHF), cut rifling, and button rifling (there are others but they aren't common). CHF is usually a premium option with longer life (think machine gun/military sniper/etc). Cut rifling might have the highest accuracy potential. Button rifling is cheaper and faster. You can get good barrels (or bad ones) with any process.
2) Barrel material. Your options are carbon barrels like 4140, 4150, chrome-moly vanadium (CMV), and 4150 CMV. 4150 CMV is probably the best bet. Then you have the stainless barrels like 410, 416, 416R or even 17-4 PH. Many consider the stainless barrels to be more accurate.
3) Barrel finishes. Your options are Parkerized, Chrome lined, and Nitride coated. Parkerized is the standard military finish. It holds oil well. Chrome lined barrels typically last longer and have good durability in adverse conditions but aren't considered as accurate (and it covers only the inside of the barrel). Nitride is probably the most common. It is tough but can be damaged by excessive heat. It might represent the sweet spot of toughest, lowest cost, and best looks.
In the end you need to look at the total package and resist the urge to focus on a particular aspect. At each price point there are a few names that seem to be considered the best bang for the buck. There are some general guidelines, like if you want a duty service gun, go with a CHF chrome lined barrel but that generally doesn't apply to the public. If money is no object Krieger. If it is an object, Faxon. Inbetween, maybe FN, Daniel Defense, BCM, or Geissele. There tons of other worthy names.
