National Average Prices: What Do They Mean?

Locksmith Ledger annually polls subscribers to determine the average charges for specific locksmith services. Our price survey is only an indicator of pricing trends and is not a scientific poll. Dollar amounts listed in this survey should not be used directly as the price you should be charging for various jobs. Other factors, such as your regional cost of living, typical distance traveled for a service call, and the charges of your local competitors, should be taken into consideration before setting your individual price schedule. A few locksmiths even report charging higher fees after hours or when they must drive long distances.
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Click here to download a pdf of the National Average Price Survey results.

When compared to the 2007 National Average Price Survey, this year’s survey shows some increases in most common locksmithing charges. However, in our unscientific results, the increases seem well within the range of inflation. Locksmiths are facing higher costs for products, fuel and for wages and benefits for their employees, and some of these costs of doing business affect pricing. The average service call is up to $64, compared to $60 for the past two years. The low was $25 and the high was $115.A year ago, it increased $4 to the $56 mark. The most common prices stated for a service call were $45, $65 and $85.  The average hourly rate was determined to be $46 in this year's survey. A year ago, auto-opening calls jumped approximately $15 from $53 in 2006 to more than $68 in 2007. In 2008, the average auto-opening call went down $2 to $66. Most likely, these increases and fluctuations were the result of a sharp increase in fuel costs, though they are now dropping again. The National Average Price Survey contains many of the popular services a locksmith may perform. Check each listing and determine the percentage of difference between our average and your specific charge. If the percentage of difference is approximately the same for most items, then your charges are in line with the national average. If one of your charges is extremely low as compared to the survey results, then make a study of the amount of time it takes to do that particular job. You may be losing money without knowing it. Conversely, if one of your charges is extremely high when compared to the national average, you could be losing jobs to the competition because of your pricing structure