How to become a Locksmiths and Safe Repairer

Official title: Locksmiths and Safe Repairers

Also called: Certified Professional Safe Technician (CPS), CML (Certified Master Locksmith), CMS (Certified Master Safecracker), Forensic Locksmith, Lock Technician (Lock Tech), Locksmith, Road Service Locksmith, RST (Registered Safe Technician), Safe Technician (Safe Tech), Vault Technician (Vault Tech)

Repair and open locks, make keys, change locks and safe combinations, and install and repair safes.

Main tasks

• 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.
• Open safe locks by drilling.
• Set up and maintain master key systems.
• Install door hardware, such as locks and closers.
• Keep records of company locks and keys.

How to become one

Typical education to start: High school diploma or equivalent

Ways in

• Apprenticeship: Locksmith.
• Apprenticeship: Safe & Vault Service Mechanic.
• Licence: A licence is required in 10 states.

Pay · Outlook · AI and this job

• Median pay: $51,320 a year The middle half earn $43,160 to $64,560.
• About 18,700 people work in this job now, and about 16,500 are projected by 2035. (-11.7%)
• People use generative AI for relatively little of this work so far. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as low.

Related jobs

• Coin, Vending, and Amusement Machine Servicers and Repairers
• Commercial Divers
• Manufactured Building and Mobile Home Installers
• Riggers
• Signal and Track Switch Repairers
• Helpers--Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers

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Questions people ask

How do I become a Locksmiths and Safe Repairer?

Ways in include: Locksmith.

How much does a Locksmiths and Safe Repairer earn in the US?

Median full-time pay is $51,320 a year (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). The middle half earn $43,160 to $64,560.

Is a Locksmiths and Safe Repairer a growing career in the US?

Employment is projected to fall 12% by 2035, from about 18,700 to about 16,500 people (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics).

Do you need a degree to become a Locksmiths and Safe Repairer?

Usually not. Only 11% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher. Ways in include: Locksmith.

Will AI change the work of a Locksmiths and Safe Repairer?

People use generative AI for relatively little of this work so far. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as low.

Sources

• Microsoft Research: Working with AI: AI applicability by occupation (2025-12-22 (built on O*NET 29.0)), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Employment Projections (2025-35 (released 2026-08-27)), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03

Updated 2026-10-03

This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.