How Much Does a Locksmith Make? (2024)
Specialty · SOC Code 49-9094 · 4-year apprenticeship
The average locksmith earns $52,024 per year ($25/hour) as of 2024, according to BLS data. Yearly income ranges from $37,110 to $75,780 depending on city, with entry-level workers earning about $47,680 and top earners making $101,420+.
Yes — top-decile locksmiths clear $100K in 4 of 30 metros
The 90th-percentile locksmith in San Francisco, CA earns $101,420 per year ($49/hour). Reaching that tier typically takes journeyman-to-master progression plus union membership, specialization, or running a small contracting business. Median locksmith pay nationally is $52,024 — the $100K mark is the high-earner ceiling, not the middle.
National Salary Range
Locksmith salaries range from $37,110 to $75,780 median across cities, depending on location, union membership, and experience level.
Locksmith Salary by City
| City | Median | Range (10th-90th) | COL-Adjusted | Grade | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco, CA | $75,780 | $47,680 – $101,420 | $39,884 | D | 290 |
| Atlanta, GA | $63,120 | $39,710 – $74,240 | $59,547 | C | 210 |
| Milwaukee, WI | $62,960 | $38,480 – $80,870 | $65,583 | C | 50 |
| Boston, MA | $62,670 | $47,650 – $102,280 | $41,230 | D | 360 |
| Minneapolis, MN | $61,420 | $39,040 – $75,000 | $57,943 | C | 100 |
| Los Angeles, CA | $61,310 | $47,250 – $88,950 | $36,934 | D | 800 |
| Detroit, MI | $60,100 | $37,080 – $74,520 | $67,528 | C | 110 |
| New York, NY | $59,880 | $37,770 – $90,800 | $32,021 | F | 1,290 |
| Philadelphia, PA | $59,800 | $42,120 – $83,740 | $52,000 | D | 250 |
| Seattle, WA | $58,800 | $39,850 – $78,280 | $39,463 | D | 190 |
| Las Vegas, NV | $54,330 | $36,830 – $69,310 | $52,240 | D | 100 |
| Kansas City, MO | $52,520 | $30,630 – $76,750 | $55,872 | C | 90 |
| Indianapolis, IN | $52,440 | $34,650 – $65,620 | $57,626 | C | 80 |
| Miami, FL | $50,490 | $30,690 – $90,040 | $41,385 | D | 440 |
| Salt Lake City, UT | $49,910 | $16,500 – $72,530 | $47,990 | D | 70 |
| Portland, OR | $49,300 | $37,150 – $69,440 | $37,923 | D | 140 |
| Pittsburgh, PA | $47,980 | $35,570 – $76,480 | $52,152 | D | 100 |
| Tampa, FL | $47,480 | $30,270 – $72,960 | $47,010 | D | 240 |
| Denver, CO | $47,250 | $35,700 – $73,080 | $36,914 | D | 170 |
| St. Louis, MO | $47,210 | $30,620 – $83,850 | $52,456 | D | 90 |
| Nashville, TN | $46,750 | $31,630 – $158,910 | $45,388 | D | 90 |
| Charlotte, NC | $45,990 | $29,840 – $75,940 | $46,929 | D | 150 |
| Columbus, OH | $45,850 | $38,590 – $65,460 | $49,301 | D | 70 |
| Chicago, IL | $45,600 | $36,440 – $74,500 | $42,617 | D | 420 |
| Dallas, TX | $45,370 | $34,320 – $63,270 | $44,480 | D | 410 |
| Houston, TX | $44,970 | $30,420 – $59,700 | $46,844 | D | 230 |
| Phoenix, AZ | $43,330 | $35,810 – $83,220 | $42,068 | D | 240 |
| New Orleans, LA | $43,240 | $21,860 – $102,390 | $45,516 | D | 60 |
| Raleigh, NC | $37,770 | $30,420 – $60,890 | $37,770 | D | 80 |
| San Antonio, TX | $37,110 | $29,220 – $58,840 | $41,233 | D | 100 |
About Locksmith Pay
Locksmiths earn a national median salary of $52,024 based on 2024 BLS occupational wage data. The highest-paying city for this trade is San Francisco at $75,780 median, while San Antonio offers the lowest at $37,110.
Becoming a locksmith typically requires a 4-year apprenticeship program. Entry-level workers (10th percentile) can expect around $47,680, while master-level tradespeople (90th percentile) earn $101,420 or more. With 7% wage growth over the past 5 years, this trade is growing at a steady pace.
See how this compares to other trades on our highest paying trades ranking, or browse the best cities for trade workers.
Thinking about becoming a locksmith?
Step-by-step path: 4-year apprenticeship, certifications, state licensing, and apprentice-to-master pay timeline.
Related Specialty Trades
Frequently Asked Questions
The average locksmith salary is $52,024 per year ($25/hour) based on 2024 BLS OEWS data. Average yearly income ranges from $37,110 to $75,780 depending on city, experience, and union status.
Locksmiths earn an average hourly wage of $25/hour based on a 2,080-hour work year. Entry-level (10th percentile) hourly pay is about $23/hour, while top earners (90th percentile) make $49/hour or more.
San Francisco offers the highest median pay for locksmiths at $75,780. However, cost of living matters, the COL-adjusted pay may tell a different story. Check our city-by-city breakdown above.
With a Trade Pay Score of D and 7% wage growth over 5 years, locksmith offers steady career prospects. There are approximately 7,020 jobs nationwide across 30 metro areas.
Becoming a locksmith typically requires a 4-year apprenticeship program combining on-the-job training with classroom instruction. Entry-level pay starts around $47,680 (10th percentile).
Wage data from BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) 2024. Trade Pay Scores are a composite of median wage vs. metro income, wage growth, job demand, and COL-adjusted pay.
this entity is one of the data points covered by this site’s U.S. skilled-trade wage data dataset. The detail above comes directly from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey; the context that follows situates the headline numbers against the broader distribution across U.S. trades, cities, and states.
The methodology behind every numeric value on this page is publicly documented on the the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey portal and described in detail on this site’s methodology page. Refresh cadence varies by underlying series; the page surfaces the as-of date for each number so readers can trace any figure back to the source release.
Practical use of this page is in combination with the comparison and ranking pages elsewhere on the site, which surface the same data for this entity’s peers within U.S. trades, cities, and states. A single-entity reading without peer context can be misleading when an entity is an outlier on one axis but typical on another.