SalariesWhat the occupation covers
Repair and open locks, make keys, change locks and safe combinations, and install and repair safes.
Official definition from the Standard Occupational Classification, code 49-9094.
The pay range
Pay differs a lot inside one occupation, with experience, employer and place. The table shows where the lines fall.
| Share of workers | A year | A month* | A week* | An hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lowest 10% earn less than | $35,530 | $2,961 | $683 | $17.08 |
| Lowest 25% earn less than | $43,160 | $3,597 | $830 | $20.75 |
| Median (half earn less, half more) | $51,320 | $4,277 | $987 | $24.68 |
| Top 25% earn more than | $64,560 | $5,380 | $1,242 | $31.04 |
| Top 10% earn more than | $79,400 | $6,617 | $1,527 | $38.17 |
* Month and week are the yearly figure divided by 12 and by 52, worked out here for convenience. BLS publishes the yearly and hourly figures.
How it compares
The median for all occupations in the United States was $50,980 a year. The median for Locksmiths and Safe Repairers is $51,320, which is about the same. Among the 51 occupations of the field Installation, Maintenance, and Repair, it ranks number 36 by median pay. With 15,040 jobs, it makes up about 1.0 of every 10,000 jobs in the country.
Locksmiths and Safe Repairers pay by state
The highest median pay was in District of Columbia ($76,740), Connecticut ($69,280) and Hawaii ($64,490). The lowest was in Puerto Rico ($27,220), Arkansas ($35,770) and Oklahoma ($38,680). The most jobs were in California (2,060), Florida (1,440) and Texas (1,420). The occupation is most concentrated in Alaska, where its share of all jobs is 2.6 times the national share.
No state matches.
| State | Jobs | Median a year | Average a year | Median an hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | not published | $76,740 | $78,310 | $36.89 |
| Connecticut | 120 | $69,280 | $69,750 | $33.31 |
| Hawaii | 50 | $64,490 | $56,080 | $31.00 |
| Delaware | 50 | $63,640 | $65,090 | $30.60 |
| New York | 960 | $61,830 | $62,420 | $29.73 |
| California | 2,060 | $61,010 | $67,180 | $29.33 |
| Maryland | 270 | $60,330 | $62,050 | $29.01 |
| Massachusetts | 300 | $59,420 | $67,510 | $28.57 |
| Minnesota | 220 | $59,070 | $58,230 | $28.40 |
| Alaska | 80 | $58,390 | $66,550 | $28.07 |
| Illinois | 430 | $58,110 | $57,810 | $27.94 |
| Washington | 380 | $58,010 | $59,580 | $27.89 |
| Rhode Island | 80 | $57,360 | $61,550 | $27.58 |
| New Jersey | 480 | $57,000 | $59,420 | $27.41 |
| West Virginia | 50 | $56,690 | $63,930 | $27.25 |
| New Hampshire | 40 | $56,510 | $52,360 | $27.17 |
| Montana | 110 | $56,200 | $55,920 | $27.02 |
| Utah | 180 | $55,520 | $54,610 | $26.69 |
| Michigan | 230 | $54,120 | $51,540 | $26.02 |
| Georgia | 330 | $54,050 | $52,940 | $25.99 |
| Virginia | 430 | $53,590 | $56,140 | $25.76 |
| Kansas | 110 | $52,930 | $52,550 | $25.45 |
| Maine | 140 | $52,670 | $54,560 | $25.32 |
| Pennsylvania | 530 | $52,160 | $57,280 | $25.08 |
| Kentucky | 120 | $51,120 | $52,950 | $24.58 |
| Oregon | 250 | $50,450 | $59,010 | $24.25 |
| Tennessee | 340 | $50,250 | $53,430 | $24.16 |
| Missouri | 220 | $50,140 | $55,580 | $24.11 |
| Florida | 1,440 | $49,120 | $56,110 | $23.61 |
| Nebraska | 50 | $49,070 | $50,090 | $23.59 |
| Wisconsin | 130 | $48,360 | $52,970 | $23.25 |
| Ohio | 400 | $47,760 | $48,080 | $22.96 |
| Indiana | 250 | $47,640 | $47,430 | $22.91 |
| Colorado | 380 | $47,500 | $50,460 | $22.84 |
| Nevada | 170 | $47,450 | $52,010 | $22.81 |
| South Carolina | 140 | $46,560 | $51,230 | $22.39 |
| Louisiana | 190 | $46,550 | $51,740 | $22.38 |
| Iowa | 120 | $46,360 | $49,210 | $22.29 |
| North Carolina | 480 | $45,900 | $45,950 | $22.07 |
| Arizona | 260 | $44,460 | $49,170 | $21.37 |
| North Dakota | 70 | $44,310 | $47,470 | $21.30 |
| Texas | 1,420 | $43,860 | $42,200 | $21.09 |
| Idaho | 150 | $43,460 | $44,230 | $20.90 |
| Alabama | 200 | $43,340 | $43,730 | $20.84 |
| Mississippi | 80 | $42,940 | $43,400 | $20.64 |
| New Mexico | 140 | $41,920 | $43,980 | $20.15 |
| Oklahoma | 180 | $38,680 | $43,340 | $18.59 |
| Arkansas | 100 | $35,770 | $38,730 | $17.20 |
| Puerto Rico | 40 | $27,220 | $28,390 | $13.09 |
Sorted by median pay, highest first. "Not published" means BLS did not release that figure for the state, usually because too few employers were surveyed. "$239,200 or more" is the highest value BLS reports in the state tables.
Similar occupations by pay
- Camera and Photographic Equipment Repairers$52,720 a year
- Audiovisual Equipment Installers and Repairers$52,600 a year
- Recreational Vehicle Service Technicians$52,000 a year
- Home Appliance Repairers$50,990 a year
- Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics$50,620 a year
- Maintenance and Repair Workers, General$49,590 a year
Common questions
How much do Locksmiths and Safe Repairers earn in the United States?
The median pay was $51,320 a year in May 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $35,530 and the highest-paid 10% more than $79,400.
How many people work as Locksmiths and Safe Repairers?
About 15,040 jobs in the United States in May 2025, not counting the self-employed.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Checked in November 2026. Figures are for employees, before tax, and leave out overtime pay and benefits. They are official statistics, not advice or a pay offer; see bls.gov/oes for the original tables.