Locksmiths are absolutely still needed. While the trade is shifting away from purely mechanical locks toward digital technology, skilled professionals are essential. People will always lose keys, lock themselves out, and require physical security installations for homes, cars, and businesses.
Yes, there is a shortage of Locksmiths because the pay is abysmal, and to say that it's easier on the body than other trades is not accurate at all. Matthew feel free to get in contact with us to discuss if you would like more information.
High Demand & Great Salaries – Companies need more digital locksmiths every day, and with high demand come strong job prospects and competitive pay. You'll find plenty of opportunities to advance and earn a great living.
If you were looking to pull in these kinds of £60-100K salaries, you would need to work tens of hours per week. Our estimates suggest you would need to work around 80+ hours per week to bring in that kind of income if your skills top out at what we teach during a 3-to-5-day training course for locksmiths.
Being a locksmith isn't necessarily hard if you have a mechanical mind, but it requires patience, excellent hand-eye coordination, and continuous learning. While basic key-cutting is easy to learn, mastering complex electronic security, automotive transponders, and safe manipulation takes years of hands-on training.
The average age of locksmiths in the Us is around 46 years of age, leaving plenty of room for newcomers to the industry.
Standard labor rates range from $50 to $100 per hour, with service fees from $35 to $100. Labor rates can increase based on job complexity, provider experience, and licensing. After-hours or emergency calls cost more, as do jobs involving drilling or advanced security systems.
Locksmithing is a recession-resistant profession that offers ongoing opportunity.
Locksmiths, unlocking your home, must carry a security card on them at all times.
High Demand Trade Jobs That Will Always Be Needed
Cost: Locksmiths are often much more affordable than dealerships when it comes to replacement keys. You can expect to pay significantly less for a replacement key and programming.
The locksmith profession offers a clear path for growth, whether you want to specialize in security, offer mobile services, or run your own business. While job titles may vary, locksmiths follow a progression that builds both technical expertise and career independence.
How much does a Locksmith make in Los Angeles, California? As of May 13, 2026, the average annual pay for a Locksmith in Los Angeles is $60,274 a year. Just in case you need a simple salary calculator, that works out to be approximately $28.98 an hour. This is the equivalent of $1,159/week or $5,022/month.
The average retirement age for mechanics and automotive technicians is 65 years old. However, due to the physical toll of the trade, many transition into less demanding roles (like service management, teaching, or mobile consulting) or retire entirely between 40 and 55.
Becoming a locksmith is highly worth it if you enjoy hands-on problem solving, value flexible hours, and want to avoid heavy student debt. It offers strong income potential—ranging from $45,000 to over $100,000 for experienced business owners—with very low startup and training costs.
The 3 DAY locksmith course costs £895.00 including VAT, which includes full training, 24/7 helpline, certificate, drill point manual, course notes, lock supplies, all locks and materials used on third day and refreshments throughout the 3 days.
One frequent lock picking mistake is applying the wrong amount of tension. Applying too much tension can make manipulating the pins difficult, and applying too little tension will not effectively set the driver pins. Just enough tension needs to be applied to set each driver pin when it reaches the shear line.
Lockpicking is generally legal in the US as a hobby or profession, but possession of lockpicks can become illegal if you have criminal intent or cannot prove lawful purpose. It is legal to own tools and practice on your own locks, but carrying them in public, particularly in a car, can be classified as possession of "burglary tools".
A lock installed by a handyman will only work with the new keys that come with that lock. A locksmith can cut additional keys and can even provide a service to reduce down the amount of keys required by having one key that operates all locks.
Home Depot generally charges about $𝟓 to $𝟐𝟎 per lock cylinder to rekey a lock. However, pricing and availability are determined on a store-by-store basis. Many locations perform the service entirely for free if you buy the new lock in-store.
Due to the extremely low price of the key pins in the locks, rekeying is almost always much cheaper than getting your locks changed. When rekeying your locks, you are only being charged for the labor, whereas when you get your locks changed, you're paying both for labor and parts.