Explosives Worker, Ordnance Handling Expert, and Blaster Salary in the U.S.
Median annual pay in the U.S.
$61,390
$29.51/hour
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Wages: BLS OEWS, May 2025.
Pay
| Annual | Hourly | |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $40,480 | $19.46 |
| 25th percentile | $49,630 | $23.86 |
| Median | $61,390 | $29.51 |
| 75th percentile | $80,370 | $38.64 |
| 90th percentile | $99,360 | $47.77 |
Employment
- Employment in the U.S.
- 5,100
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Comparison
Wages: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Cost of living: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
| Rank | Median annual pay | Adjusted for cost of living (annual) |
|---|---|---|
| New Jersey | ||
| 1st | $100,520 | $92,385 1st |
| New York | ||
| 2nd | $96,940 | $89,825 4th |
| North Carolina | ||
| 3rd | $85,630 | $90,781 3rd |
| Wyoming | ||
| 4th | $85,070 | $91,778 2nd |
| Pennsylvania | ||
| 5th | $84,400 | $86,500 5th |
| California | ||
| 6th | $80,370 | $72,589 8th |
| New Mexico | ||
| 7th | $78,960 | $85,629 6th |
| Tennessee | ||
| 8th | $74,190 | $80,755 7th |
| Florida | ||
| 9th | $69,780 | $67,476 12th |
| Colorado | ||
| 10th | $69,640 | $67,578 11th |
| Utah | ||
| 11th | $67,910 | $68,690 10th |
| Hawaii | ||
| 12th | $64,560 | $58,717 23rd |
| Missouri | ||
| 13th | $64,040 | $70,515 9th |
| Virginia | ||
| 14th | $63,920 | $63,222 17th |
| Georgia | ||
| 15th | $61,480 | $63,847 15th |
| Illinois | ||
| 16th | $60,520 | $60,545 21st |
| Nevada | ||
| 17th | $60,500 | $60,513 22nd |
| Idaho | ||
| 18th | $60,360 | $63,208 18th |
| Alabama | ||
| 19th | $59,820 | $67,347 13th |
| Maryland | ||
| 20th | $59,720 | $56,898 25th |
| Indiana | ||
| 21st | $59,110 | $63,335 16th |
| South Dakota | ||
| 22nd | $56,780 | $64,096 14th |
| Texas | ||
| 23rd | $56,600 | $58,316 24th |
| Oklahoma | ||
| 24th | $55,180 | $62,817 19th |
| Arkansas | ||
| 25th | $53,120 | $61,102 20th |
| Wisconsin | ||
| 26th | $52,400 | $55,688 27th |
| Kentucky | ||
| 27th | $50,360 | $55,857 26th |
| West Virginia | ||
| 28th | $49,630 | $55,454 28th |
| Mississippi | ||
| 29th | $47,060 | $54,121 29th |
| Ohio | ||
| 30th | $46,630 | $50,262 30th |
| Louisiana | ||
| 31st | $39,900 | $45,235 31st |
| Iowa | ||
| 32nd | $39,520 | $45,031 32nd |
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Outlook
- Projected employment change, 2025–35 (U.S.)
- 0.0%
- Typical education needed for entry (U.S.)
- High school diploma or equivalent
BLS Employment Projections, 2025–35
Sources and update
- Wages and employment: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025.
- Cost of living: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
- Related occupations: O*NET® 31.0 Database, CC BY 4.0. Attributions
- Employment projections and typical education: BLS Employment Projections, 2025–35.
Last updated