Automotive Glass Installers and Repairers vs Locksmiths and Safe Repairers: $48K vs $51K Median Pay

Automotive Glass Installers and Repairers vs Locksmiths and Safe Repairers: what changes?

Consider Automotive Glass Installers and Repairers if you want to replace or repair broken windshields and window glass in motor vehicles. Consider Locksmiths and Safe Repairers if you would rather repair and open locks, make keys, change locks and safe combinations, and install and repair safes. Both list high school diploma or equivalent; compare training and prior experience separately.

Try this next: Compare three local entry-level postings for Automotive Glass Installers and Repairers and Locksmiths and Safe Repairers. List the duties, credentials, prior experience, and paid training each employer actually asks for. Try a supervised class or sample project from each field before choosing a program.

BLS 2025 wages and 2025–2035 projections. National medians are not starting offers. Occupation size is not a count of vacancies. View the BLS data.

Compare the practical differences

Automotive Glass Installers and Repairers

National median pay (2025): $47,630
Route into the job: High school diploma or equivalent; More than one month and up to 12 months of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing
Prior related experience: No prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.
Training and licensing: More than one month and up to 12 months of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing.
Work to investigate: Prime all scratches on pinchwelds with primer and allow to dry.
Annual openings (2025–2035): 1,300

Know before you choose

This is a small national occupation (22,600 jobs in 2025), so location and employer concentration can matter more than the national median suggests.

See the full Automotive Glass Installers and Repairers brief

Locksmiths and Safe Repairers

National median pay (2025): $51,320
Route into the job: High school diploma or equivalent; More than 12 months of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing
Prior related experience: No prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.
Training and licensing: More than 12 months of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing.
Work to investigate: Cut new or duplicate keys, using impressions or code key machines.
Annual openings (2025–2035): 1,200

Know before you choose

BLS projects employment to shrink 11.7% from 2025 to 2035. Openings can still occur when existing workers leave.

See the full Locksmiths and Safe Repairers brief

How the national numbers differ

Automotive Glass Installers and Repairers has the edge on projected growth

Automotive Glass Installers and Repairers is at 5.7% projected growth, compared with -11.7% projected growth for Locksmiths and Safe Repairers.

Locksmiths and Safe Repairers has the edge on median pay

Locksmiths and Safe Repairers is at $51,320, compared with $47,630 for Automotive Glass Installers and Repairers.

Automotive Glass Installers and Repairers has the edge on annual openings

Automotive Glass Installers and Repairers is at 1,300 annual openings, compared with 1,200 annual openings for Locksmiths and Safe Repairers.

45.8/ 100

Automotive Glass Installers and Repairers

30.6/ 100

Locksmiths and Safe Repairers

Each available metric is ranked from 0 to 100 against the careers on ChooseField. The weighted average uses this profile: pay 30%, growth 25%, openings 30%, preparation level 15%. Missing values are not scored as zero; their weights are redistributed across available metrics. Occupation size has zero weight: employment is not accessible vacancies. Preparation categories do not measure admission difficulty or years without earnings. The score summarizes national measures; local opportunities and personal fit still need separate consideration.

Detailed evidence

Automotive Glass Installers and Repairers vs Locksmiths and Safe Repairers

Dimension	Automotive Glass Installers and Repairers	Locksmiths and Safe Repairers
Median pay (2025)	$47,630	$51,320
Pay percentile	25.1 percentile	35.5 percentile
Projected growth (2025–2035)	5.7%	-11.7%
Annual openings (2025–2035)	1,300	1,200
2025 employment	22,600	18,700
How you qualify	High school diploma or equivalent; More than one month and up to 12 months of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing	High school diploma or equivalent; More than 12 months of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing
O*NET preparation group	Job Zone 2	Job Zone 2
Related work experience	No prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.	No prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.
On-the-job training	More than one month and up to 12 months of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing.	More than 12 months of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing.

The table reports national benchmarks and reviewed work descriptions. It does not rate personal suitability, job security, or physical safety.

Read Automotive Glass Installers and Repairers brief Read Locksmiths and Safe Repairers brief

Automotive Glass Installers and Repairers vs Locksmiths and Safe Repairers: what changes?

The facts most likely to affect your decision

Automotive Glass Installers and Repairers

Locksmiths and Safe Repairers

How the national numbers differ

Automotive Glass Installers and Repairers has the edge on projected growth

Locksmiths and Safe Repairers has the edge on median pay

Automotive Glass Installers and Repairers has the edge on annual openings

Automotive Glass Installers and Repairers vs Locksmiths and Safe Repairers

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