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What You Need to Know About Locksmith or Safe Repairer
Career Description Repair and open locks; make keys; change locks and safe combinations; and install and repair safes.
Life As a Locksmith or Safe Repairer
- Disassemble mechanical or electrical locking devices, and repair or replace worn tumblers, springs, and other parts, using hand tools.
- Open safe locks by drilling.
- Move picklocks in cylinders to open door locks without keys.
- Install safes, vault doors, and deposit boxes according to blueprints, using equipment such as power drills, taps, dies, truck cranes, and dollies.
- Cut new or duplicate keys, using key cutting machines.
- Cut new or duplicate keys, using impressions or code key machines.
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Locksmith or Safe Repairer Required Skills
These are the skills Locksmiths and Safe Repairers say are the most useful in their careers:
Repairing: Repairing machines or systems using the needed tools.
Time Management: Managing one’s own time and the time of others.
Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Operation Monitoring: Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
Types of Locksmith or Safe Repairer
- Safe Expert
- Lock Technician
- Locksmith Apprentice
- Key Maker
- Certified Master Safe Technician (CMST)
Is There Job Demand for Locksmiths and Safe Repairers?
In the United States, there were 28,700 jobs for Locksmith or Safe Repairer in 2016. There is little to no growth in job opportunities for Locksmith or Safe Repairer. There will be an estimated 2,500 positions for Locksmith or Safe Repairer per year.
The states with the most job growth for Locksmith or Safe Repairer are Utah, Maryland, and North Dakota. Watch out if you plan on working in South Dakota, Vermont, or Wisconsin. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
Average Locksmiths and Safe Repairers Salary
Locksmiths and Safe Repairers make between $24,270 and $65,870 a year.
Locksmiths and Safe Repairers who work in Alaska, District of Columbia, or Connecticut, make the highest salaries.
Below is a list of the median annual salaries for Locksmiths and Safe Repairers in different U.S. states.
| State | Annual Mean Salary |
|---|---|
| Alabama | $31,780 |
| Alaska | $68,260 |
| Arizona | $36,960 |
| Arkansas | $35,830 |
| California | $50,620 |
| Colorado | $44,880 |
| Connecticut | $60,010 |
| Delaware | $44,820 |
| District of Columbia | $62,600 |
| Florida | $40,900 |
| Georgia | $37,530 |
| Hawaii | $46,760 |
| Idaho | $33,480 |
| Illinois | $51,080 |
| Indiana | $41,940 |
| Iowa | $40,320 |
| Kansas | $51,990 |
| Kentucky | $34,490 |
| Louisiana | $40,120 |
| Maine | $45,410 |
| Maryland | $48,070 |
| Massachusetts | $51,660 |
| Michigan | $35,980 |
| Minnesota | $43,920 |
| Mississippi | $43,650 |
| Missouri | $44,740 |
| Montana | $39,420 |
| Nebraska | $39,800 |
| Nevada | $45,650 |
| New Hampshire | $44,260 |
| New Jersey | $46,550 |
| New Mexico | $31,710 |
| New York | $54,230 |
| North Carolina | $34,880 |
| North Dakota | $50,690 |
| Ohio | $39,760 |
| Oklahoma | $35,160 |
| Oregon | $37,810 |
| Pennsylvania | $49,410 |
| Rhode Island | $42,490 |
| South Carolina | $38,980 |
| Tennessee | $35,650 |
| Texas | $40,640 |
| Utah | $44,520 |
| Virginia | $46,430 |
| Washington | $37,740 |
| West Virginia | $34,260 |
| Wisconsin | $39,660 |
Tools & Technologies Used by Locksmiths and Safe Repairers
Below is a list of the types of tools and technologies that Locksmiths and Safe Repairers may use on a daily basis:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft Office
- Intuit QuickBooks
- Scheduling software
- Inventory tracking software
- Mapping software
- dESCO ESC
How to Become a Locksmith or Safe Repairer
Are there Locksmiths and Safe Repairers education requirements?
How Long Does it Take to Become a Locksmith or Safe Repairer?
Where Locksmiths and Safe Repairers Are Employed
The table below shows the approximate number of Locksmiths and Safe Repairers employed by various industries.
References:
Image Credit: Phasmatisnox via CC BY 3.0
More about our data sources and methodologies.