Locksmiths and Safe Repairers Salary
Locksmiths and Safe Repairers in California make a median of $61,010 a year, or about $29.33 an hour. The range runs from $47K at the entry level to $93K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 106.14), so that salary is closer to $57,481 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,471/month, about 62% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across California. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $61K get you in California?
About locksmiths and safe repairers
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What this looks like in California
California sits well above the national pay line for locksmiths and safe repairers, local pay runs about 19% higher than the U.S. median of $51K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $2,471/month, which is 60.4% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost-of-living overall is 6% above the national average (BEA RPP 106.14), so groceries and services cost more too. The pay premium is real, but so are the offsets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, California
Entry-level locksmiths and safe repairers (10th percentile) start around $47K. Mid-career wages sit at $61K. Top earners bring in $93K or more, a $46K spread from bottom to top.
Locksmiths and Safe Repairers salary by metro in California
11 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara | $74K | +22% | 90 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont | $65K | +7% | 340 |
| Fresno | $64K | +5% | 50 |
| Stockton-Lodi | $63K | +3% | 30 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario | $63K | +3% | 170 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara | $62K | +2% | 30 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma | $60K | -2% | 30 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | $58K | -5% | 200 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $57K | -6% | 760 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura | $57K | -6% | 40 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom | $57K | -7% | 90 |
Showing 1–10 of 11 metros
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BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when California numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a locksmiths and safe repairer afford a 2BR apartment alone in California?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $61K, rent takes 60.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,471/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,200/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for locksmiths and safe repairers in California?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new locksmiths and safe repairers typically earn — is $47K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,821/month. At HUD’s $2,471/month FMR, rent would take 88% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is locksmiths and safe repairer a high-paying job in California?
Local pay is 19% above the national median — $61K here vs. $51K nationally. Keep in mind cost of living here is 6% above the national average, which offsets some of that premium.
How does California compare to the national average for locksmiths and safe repairers?
California pays $61K median vs. the U.S. average of $51K — that’s +19%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 106.14), the purchasing-power equivalent is $57K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do locksmiths and safe repairers make in California?
The median is $61,010 a year, that works out to about $29 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $47,020, and experienced locksmiths and safe repairers can clear $93,030. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $61K enough to live in California?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,090/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,471/month, which eats 60.4% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a locksmiths and safe repairers salary go in California?
California has a Regional Price Parity of 106.14 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median locksmiths and safe repairers salary is worth about $57,481 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do locksmiths and safe repairers get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.