Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Occupations
BLS May 2025 wages Peer-group outlier SOC 49-9094

Locksmiths and Safe Repairers

Median pay sits 31% below the mid peer in Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Occupations (neighbors include Signal and Track Switch Repairers, Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines, Telecommunications Line Installers and Repairers, First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers).

Full salary details → About this data

Same-major-group titles next to Locksmiths and Safe Repairers: Signal and Track Switch Repairers ($92K) , Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines ($66K) , Telecommunications Line Installers and Repairers ($74K) , First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers ($80K) . Hash-ordered per card so residual SOC siblings do not share an identical peer sentence.

What Locksmiths and Safe Repairers publish as work

O*NET task statements for SOC 49-9094 - occupation-level descriptions, not every employer's posting. Sibling cards diverge here because the task set is entity-keyed.

  1. 1. Cut new or duplicate keys, using impressions or code key machines
  2. 2. Insert new or repaired tumblers into locks to change combinations
  3. 3. Move picklocks in cylinders to open door locks without keys
  4. 4. Cut new or duplicate keys, using key cutting machines
  5. 5. Open safe locks by drilling
  6. 6. Set up and maintain master key systems
  7. 7. Install door hardware, such as locks and closers
  8. 8. Keep records of company locks and keys
  9. 9. Disassemble mechanical or electrical locking devices, and repair or replace worn tumblers, springs, and other parts, using hand tools
  10. 10. Repair and adjust safes, vault doors, and vault components, using hand tools, lathes, drill presses, and welding and acetylene cutting ap…
  11. 11. Install alarm and electronic access systems
  12. 12. Install safes, vault doors, and deposit boxes according to blueprints, using equipment such as power drills, taps, dies, truck cranes, an…

Locksmiths and Safe Repairers: O*NET ranks Repairing first

Importance-ranked O*NET profile for SOC 49-9094 - lead skill Repairing at 3.5 ; lead knowledge Mechanical. Sibling cards diverge here even when peer titles overlap.

Top skills

  1. 1. Repairing 3.5
  2. 2. Critical Thinking 3.4
  3. 3. Time Management 3.3
  4. 4. Active Listening 3.1
  5. 5. Speaking 3.1
  6. 6. Service Orientation 3.1
  7. 7. Quality Control Analysis 3.1
  8. 8. Reading Comprehension 3.0

Knowledge areas

  1. 1. Mechanical 4.2
  2. 2. Customer and Personal Service 4.0
  3. 3. Public Safety and Security 3.8
  4. 4. English Language 3.5
  5. 5. Administration and Management 3.5
  6. 6. Law and Government 3.4
Pay vs Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Occupations peers
-31%
vs mid peer median $74,340
This role $51,320/yr
$51K
National median
↓ -8%
Growth 2024-2034
1,700
Annual openings
15,040
Estimated US jobs
Signal and Track Switch Repairers
Highest-pay peer · $92K

Typical Entry and Preparation Assignments

Entry education High school diploma or equivalent

Top Paying States for Locksmiths and Safe Repairers

1. New York $61,830
2. Delaware $63,640
3. Massachusetts $59,420
4. Hawaii $64,490
5. District of Columbia $76,740
6. Minnesota $59,070
7. Alaska $58,390
8. Connecticut $69,280
9. California $61,010
10. Maryland $60,330

Other Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Occupations titles

  1. 1. Telecommunications Line Installers and Repairers $74,330
  2. 2. First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers $79,860
  3. 3. Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines $65,510
  4. 4. Signal and Track Switch Repairers $92,460
  5. 5. Commercial Divers $72,990
  6. 6. Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians $79,870

Among Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Occupations peers on this card, Locksmiths and Safe Repairers sits 31% below the mid peer median ($74,340). Its own median is $51,320.

Employment Projections expect -8% change between 2024 and 2034 (declining vs baseline 3.1%). About 1,700 annual openings are projected. BLS assigns High school diploma or equivalent as typical education needed for entry. These are occupation-level assignments, not universal requirements. BLS does not publish a separate occupation-specific safety rate for this role; its broad SOC-group rate is excluded from this career card's grade.

Highest published state median in this ranking: New York at $61,830. The table records differences without proving causes. Highest-pay peer shown here: Signal and Track Switch Repairers at $92,460. Compare the same statistic in the relevant local wage area before treating the national median as a personal benchmark; OEWS excludes employer benefits.

Locksmiths and Safe Repairers pay-rank #36 in Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Occupations

On the Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Occupations median table (51 detailed occupations with OEWS medians), Locksmiths and Safe Repairers lands at #36, in the lower third. That rank is a table position, not a statement about individual workers.

Other lower-third titles · closest medians

Full Salary Details Compare this role

Data from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025. Projections from BLS Employment Projections program, 2024-2034.

SOC 49-9094 · national median $51,320 · lower third of Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Occupations (#36/51). Open the full OEWS map or a named state before treating the card median as a local ask.

Locksmiths and Safe Repairers salary map

State, metro, and percentile for SOC 49-9094

New York · top state for Locksmiths and Safe Repairers

$62K published median

Delaware · #2 state pay

$64K · behind New York

Signal and Track Switch Repairers

Highest-pay peer vs Locksmiths and Safe Repairers · $92K

Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines

Lower-pay peer beside Locksmiths and Safe Repairers · $66K

Compare Locksmiths and Safe Repairers

Head-to-head OEWS medians with another SOC
Compare Locksmiths and Safe Repairers with another occupation →

Peer-comparison next reads

Compare Locksmiths and Safe Repairers

Against another occupation

Signal and Track Switch Repairers card

Top peer in this major group

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does Locksmiths and Safe Repairers land on the Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Occupations median table? ▼
Locksmiths and Safe Repairers is pay-rank #36 of 51 in this major group, lower third of the median table. Closest lower-third titles: Home Appliance Repairers ($51K), Recreational Vehicle Service Technicians ($52K), Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics ($51K), Maintenance and Repair Workers, General ($50K). That position is a table rank, not a worker percentile.
What do locksmiths and safe repairers do day to day? ▼
O*NET lists published task statements for Locksmiths and Safe Repairers. Leading ones include: Cut new or duplicate keys, using impressions or code key machines; Insert new or repaired tumblers into locks to change combinations; Move picklocks in cylinders to open door locks without keys; Cut new or duplicate keys, using key cutting machines. These are occupation-level task descriptions, not every employer's job description.
Which O*NET skills rank highest for locksmiths and safe repairers? ▼
For SOC 49-9094, O*NET importance scores lead with Repairing (3.5), Critical Thinking (3.4), Time Management (3.3), Active Listening (3.1). Knowledge areas emphasize Mechanical, Customer and Personal Service, Public Safety and Security. These are occupation-level profiles, not a hiring checklist for every employer.
What is the OEWS national median for Locksmiths and Safe Repairers? ▼
May 2025 OEWS reports $51,320 as the national median for Locksmiths and Safe Repairers. The published 10th-90th range is $35,530 to $79,400. Beside Signal and Track Switch Repairers ($92,460), this is the occupation-level national figure, not a local offer.
What employment change does BLS publish for Locksmiths and Safe Repairers? ▼
The 2024-2034 projection for Locksmiths and Safe Repairers is -8%. Projected annual openings: about 1,700. Relative to the current all-occupations baseline of 3.1%: declining.
What typical entry education does BLS assign to Locksmiths and Safe Repairers? ▼
BLS assigns High school diploma or equivalent as the typical-education-needed-for-entry category for Locksmiths and Safe Repairers. These are occupation-level labels, not every employer's hiring rule.
Which three states show the highest OEWS medians for Locksmiths and Safe Repairers? ▼
New York ($61,830), Delaware ($63,640), Massachusetts ($59,420) lead this ranking. The table does not identify why those state estimates differ.

Source data and WageDex calculations are identified in context on this page. Wage and state figures use BLS OEWS May 2025; growth and education use BLS Employment Projections for 2024-2034; safety fields cite BLS CFOI/SOII; task statements cite O*NET where shown. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.

Disclaimer: Wage and outlook figures on this page are provided for informational purposes only and do not constitute career, financial, or salary-negotiation advice. Actual pay varies by employer, experience, and local conditions; consult a career counselor or the hiring employer for guidance specific to your situation.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OES Occupational wage estimates by area and industry · 2025

Federal sources on this Locksmiths and Safe Repairers card
  • BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS / OES) - national median and percentiles for SOC 49-9094. bls.gov/oes
  • O*NET OnLine - task and skill statements for Locksmiths and Safe Repairers. onetcenter.org
  • BLS Employment Projections - 2024-2034 change and openings for this occupation. bls.gov/emp
  • U.S. Census Bureau ACS - demographic and labor-force context for state and metro geography. census.gov/programs-surveys/acs
  • IRS Statistics of Income (SOI) - payroll-tax aggregate context for wage comparisons. irs.gov/statistics