Locksmith Salary by State: What Locksmiths Earn in All 50 States

If you are thinking about getting into this trade, pay is probably one of your first questions. Fair enough. I have been doing this work for more than 10 years, and the honest answer is that locksmith pay depends a lot on where you work, what you work on, and whether you work for someone else or run your own shop.

Below are the real government numbers for every state, straight from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The latest release is the May 2025 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey for occupation 49-9094, Locksmiths and Safe Repairers. Nationally, the median locksmith wage is $51,320 a year (about $24.68 an hour), and the middle of the field runs from roughly $35,530 at the 10th percentile to $79,400 at the 90th percentile. BLS counts about 15,040 locksmiths working as employees nationwide.

What these salary numbers actually measure

Before you look at the state table, it helps to know what the numbers do and do not include. That way you will not be disappointed, or fooled, by them.

• Employees only. OEWS surveys employers about wage-and-salary workers. Self-employed locksmiths and shop owners are not in these numbers. A lot of locksmiths are owner-operators, so the data does not show what a successful business owner takes home.
• Median, not average. The median is the middle wage: half of locksmith employees earn more and half earn less. The national mean (average) is a little higher, at $55,470, because a few high earners pull it up.
• 10th to 90th percentile. The range in the table shows where most people land. The 10th percentile is a rough picture of entry-level pay, and the 90th percentile shows what experienced employees can reach.
• Data year matters. All figures here are from the May 2025 survey, which BLS published in 2026. Wages change every year, so check the BLS page for newer data before you make a big decision.

Highest-paying states for locksmiths

These are the ten states with the highest median annual wage for locksmiths and safe repairers in the May 2025 data:

• Connecticut: $69,280 median ($45,520 to $98,620)
• Hawaii: $64,490 median ($30,720 to $82,280)
• Delaware: $63,640 median ($45,710 to $93,450)
• New York: $61,830 median ($36,950 to $88,890)
• California: $61,010 median ($47,020 to $93,030)
• Maryland: $60,330 median ($47,720 to $81,290)
• Massachusetts: $59,420 median ($49,230 to $100,340)
• Minnesota: $59,070 median ($40,040 to $74,740)
• Alaska: $58,390 median ($44,050 to $114,440)
• Illinois: $58,110 median ($35,960 to $88,790)

Washington, D.C. is higher still, with a median of $76,740, but it is a small, city-only market. Notice the pattern: higher pay mostly tracks higher cost of living. A $69,000 median in Connecticut does not go as far as the same paycheck would in Arkansas.

Lowest-paying states for locksmiths

These ten states have the lowest median wages in the same survey:

• Arkansas: $35,770 median ($28,360 to $59,120)
• Oklahoma: $38,680 median ($27,740 to $62,600)
• New Mexico: $41,920 median ($28,670 to $62,540)
• Mississippi: $42,940 median ($30,440 to $63,310)
• Alabama: $43,340 median ($29,690 to $57,880)
• Idaho: $43,460 median ($29,140 to $57,860)
• Texas: $43,860 median ($18,230 to $59,280)
• North Dakota: $44,310 median ($37,700 to $67,010)
• Arizona: $44,460 median ($37,120 to $73,220)
• North Carolina: $45,900 median ($29,020 to $71,040)

A lower median does not make a state a bad place to be a locksmith. Texas, for example, has one of the biggest locksmith workforces in the country. Lower wages there partly reflect lower living costs, and a big market leaves more room to build your own customer base.

Where the locksmith jobs are

Pay is one side of it. The number of jobs is the other. These states employ the most locksmiths as wage-and-salary workers:

• California: about 2,060 locksmith employees, $61,010 median
• Florida: about 1,440 locksmith employees, $49,120 median
• Texas: about 1,420 locksmith employees, $43,860 median
• New York: about 960 locksmith employees, $61,830 median
• Pennsylvania: about 530 locksmith employees, $52,160 median
• New Jersey: about 480 locksmith employees, $57,000 median

For big-city numbers, BLS also publishes metro-area data. In May 2025, the median was $61,830 in the New York City metro area, $58,110 in the Chicago metro area, and $57,320 in the Los Angeles metro area. If you are looking at one of those cities, our locksmith apprenticeship guide covers what starting out there really looks like.

Locksmith salary by state: full table (May 2025)

State	Median annual wage	10th to 90th percentile	Locksmith employees
Alabama	$43,340	$29,690 to $57,880	200
Alaska	$58,390	$44,050 to $114,440	80
Arizona	$44,460	$37,120 to $73,220	260
Arkansas	$35,770	$28,360 to $59,120	100
California	$61,010	$47,020 to $93,030	2,060
Colorado	$47,500	$35,530 to $70,840	380
Connecticut	$69,280	$45,520 to $98,620	120
Delaware	$63,640	$45,710 to $93,450	50
Florida	$49,120	$36,060 to $77,830	1,440
Georgia	$54,050	$26,900 to $75,530	330
Hawaii	$64,490	$30,720 to $82,280	50
Idaho	$43,460	$29,140 to $57,860	150
Illinois	$58,110	$35,960 to $88,790	430
Indiana	$47,640	$28,900 to $61,610	250
Iowa	$46,360	$34,030 to $68,970	120
Kansas	$52,930	$37,010 to $70,740	110
Kentucky	$51,120	$40,410 to $65,060	120
Louisiana	$46,550	$24,460 to $76,740	190
Maine	$52,670	$43,010 to $66,390	140
Maryland	$60,330	$47,720 to $81,290	270
Massachusetts	$59,420	$49,230 to $100,340	300
Michigan	$54,120	$27,100 to $72,370	230
Minnesota	$59,070	$40,040 to $74,740	220
Mississippi	$42,940	$30,440 to $63,310	80
Missouri	$50,140	$31,870 to $81,220	220
Montana	$56,200	$39,730 to $74,990	110
Nebraska	$49,070	$34,110 to $69,620	50
Nevada	$47,450	$37,630 to $67,700	170
New Hampshire	$56,510	$31,970 to $72,500	40
New Jersey	$57,000	$46,220 to $79,770	480
New Mexico	$41,920	$28,670 to $62,540	140
New York	$61,830	$36,950 to $88,890	960
North Carolina	$45,900	$29,020 to $71,040	480
North Dakota	$44,310	$37,700 to $67,010	70
Ohio	$47,760	$34,560 to $65,000	400
Oklahoma	$38,680	$27,740 to $62,600	180
Oregon	$50,450	$38,480 to $75,130	250
Pennsylvania	$52,160	$35,980 to $82,380	530
Rhode Island	$57,360	$41,600 to $86,030	80
South Carolina	$46,560	$25,570 to $79,910	140
South Dakota	Not published	Not published	Not published
Tennessee	$50,250	$34,630 to $72,330	340
Texas	$43,860	$18,230 to $59,280	1,420
Utah	$55,520	$34,770 to $74,320	180
Vermont	Not published	Not published	Not published
Virginia	$53,590	$34,870 to $76,200	430
Washington	$58,010	$46,240 to $79,580	380
West Virginia	$56,690	$31,970 to $98,160	50
Wisconsin	$48,360	$37,960 to $74,310	130
Wyoming	Not published	Not published	Not published

BLS did not publish locksmith wage estimates for South Dakota, Vermont or Wyoming in this release. That usually happens when too few employers report the job to produce a reliable estimate. It does not mean nobody works as a locksmith there. It just means the survey sample was too small.

Why your locksmith pay may be different

Two locksmiths in the same town can earn very different money. From what I have seen in the trade, these are the things that move the needle most:

• What you work on. Basic residential lockouts and rekeys pay differently than automotive keys and programming, safe work, commercial hardware, master key systems or access control.
• Who you work for. A hospital, university or large property company with an in-house locksmith often pays steady wages and benefits. A small shop may pay less to start but teach you more, faster.
• Emergency and after-hours work. Being willing to take night and weekend calls can add income, whether you are an employee or own the business.
• Licensing and paperwork. Some states require a license or registration. That adds steps, but it can also keep out some of the low-quality competition. Licensing alone does not guarantee higher pay, though. Texas, Oklahoma and Alabama all license locksmiths, and all three have medians below the national figure.
• Experience and reputation. Customers and employers pay more for someone who shows up, fixes it right the first time, and does not damage the door.

Employee pay vs. owning your own locksmith business

Remember that the BLS numbers leave out business owners. Owning a shop is where the biggest income range is, on both ends. Some owners struggle to cover the van, insurance, tools and advertising. Others build a strong local business. In my 10+ years in the trade, I have personally known locksmiths earning around $150,000 a year. Those are typically established business owners with years of experience. That is my firsthand observation, not a typical or promised result.

If you are weighing that path, read how much locksmiths make for how gross revenue, costs and take-home pay fit together, and is locksmithing profitable for the costs most people forget. Running a business also brings insurance and bonding requirements, which we cover in locksmith insurance and bonding.

How to earn more as a locksmith

• Learn the fundamentals well first, then add one specialty at a time. Automotive, safes and commercial hardware are common next steps.
• Get properly licensed or registered if your state requires it. Check your state’s rules on the locksmith license requirements by state page.
• Keep records of your work and certifications. They help when you ask for a raise, apply to an institutional job, or price your own services.
• Build a toolkit that matches the work you actually do. See what tools locksmiths use and locksmith tools for beginners before you spend big.

Frequently asked questions

What is the average locksmith salary in the U.S.?

According to BLS OEWS data for May 2025, the median annual wage for locksmiths and safe repairers is $51,320 (about $24.68 an hour), and the mean is $55,470. Those numbers cover employees only, not self-employed owners.

Which state pays locksmiths the most?

In the May 2025 data, Connecticut has the highest state median at $69,280, followed by Hawaii ($64,490), Delaware ($63,640), New York ($61,830) and California ($61,010). Washington, D.C. is higher at $76,740.

Which state pays locksmiths the least?

Arkansas has the lowest state median in the May 2025 data at $35,770, followed by Oklahoma ($38,680) and New Mexico ($41,920). Living costs are also lower in those states.

How much do beginner locksmiths make?

BLS does not report apprentice pay separately. The 10th percentile is a rough guide to entry-level pay. Nationally that is $35,530 a year, and it varies a lot by state. Many beginners start near that level and move up as they add skills.

Do self-employed locksmiths make more?

Sometimes, but not always. BLS wage data excludes the self-employed, so there is no official median for owners. Owner income depends on pricing, call volume, specialties and business costs like insurance, vehicle and advertising.

Why is there no salary data for South Dakota, Vermont or Wyoming?

BLS did not publish locksmith estimates for those states in the May 2025 release, usually because the sample was too small to give a reliable number.

Your next step

Thinking about the trade? Start with the basics

Pay grows with skill, so the first step is learning the fundamentals the right way. Our free starting point walks you through what to learn first and how to check your state’s rules.

Start your locksmith journeyRead the national guide

Sources

• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025: Locksmiths and Safe Repairers (49-9094)
• State, national and metro figures retrieved October 19, 2026 from the BLS public data API (OEWS series for occupation 499094, data year 2025).