Birmingham, AL (population: 226,152) has thirty-four locksmith schools within a 500-mile radius of its city center. Tulane University of Louisiana, the highest ranked school in this group with a locksmith program, has a total student population of 11,464. It is the 60th highest ranked school in the USA and the highest in the state of Louisiana.
Locksmith students from Birmingham schools who go on to become locksmiths, certified master locksmiths, road service locksmiths, etc. have a good chance at finding employment. For example, there are 16,910 people working as locksmiths and safe repairers alone in the US, and their average annual salary is $37,550.
Birmingham lies in Jefferson county, which is one of the 67 counties in Alabama. Overall, the Birmingham-Hoover area has 494,530 total employed workers according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, with a 1% unemployment rate, $19/hr average worker wage, and a $40,060 average annual salary.
Of the 34 locksmith schools with a 500-mile radius of Birmingham, only 11 have a student population over 10k. After taking into account tuition, living expenses, and financial aid, Embry Riddle Aeronautical University-Daytona Beach comes out as the most expensive ($32,229/yr) for locksmith students, with Chattahoochee Valley Community College as the lowest, reported at only $1,438/yr.
| Name | State | Population | # of Schools | Avg School Rank | Total Programs | Distance from Birmingham |
| Tuscaloosa | AL | 93,932 | 3 | 20.4548 | 201 | 47.2 miles |
| Boaz | AL | - | 1 | 17.4406 | 20 | 59.0 miles |
| Alexander City | AL | - | 1 | 11.6004 | 38 | 63.6 miles |
| Selma | AL | - | 3 | 7.26701 | 32 | 78.7 miles |
| Huntsville | AL | 185,501 | 8 | 18.2034 | 320 | 82.2 miles |
| Montgomery | AL | 200,848 | 12 | 20.659 | 359 | 87.0 miles |
| Athens | AL | - | 7 | 24.5606 | 224 | 88.6 miles |
| Auburn University | AL | - | 1 | 74.9047 | 131 | 99.5 miles |