SalariesWhat the occupation covers
Place and detonate explosives to demolish structures or to loosen, remove, or displace earth, rock, or other materials. May perform specialized handling, storage, and accounting procedures.
Official definition from the Standard Occupational Classification, code 47-5032.
The pay range
Pay differs a lot inside one occupation, with experience, employer and place. The table shows where the lines fall.
| Share of workers | A year | A month* | A week* | An hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lowest 10% earn less than | $40,480 | $3,373 | $778 | $19.46 |
| Lowest 25% earn less than | $49,630 | $4,136 | $954 | $23.86 |
| Median (half earn less, half more) | $61,390 | $5,116 | $1,181 | $29.51 |
| Top 25% earn more than | $80,370 | $6,698 | $1,546 | $38.64 |
| Top 10% earn more than | $99,360 | $8,280 | $1,911 | $47.77 |
* Month and week are the yearly figure divided by 12 and by 52, worked out here for convenience. BLS publishes the yearly and hourly figures.
How it compares
The median for all occupations in the United States was $50,980 a year. The median for Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters is $61,390, which is 20% higher. Among the 60 occupations of the field Construction and Extraction, it ranks number 19 by median pay. With 5,100 jobs, it makes up about 0.3 of every 10,000 jobs in the country.
Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters pay by state
The highest median pay was in New Jersey ($100,520), New York ($96,940) and North Carolina ($85,630). The lowest was in Iowa ($39,520), Louisiana ($39,900) and Ohio ($46,630). The most jobs were in Texas (460), Kentucky (380) and Indiana (330). The occupation is most concentrated in Wyoming, where its share of all jobs is 6.3 times the national share.
No state matches.
| State | Jobs | Median a year | Average a year | Median an hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Jersey | not published | $100,520 | $98,880 | $48.33 |
| New York | not published | $96,940 | $99,420 | $46.61 |
| North Carolina | 160 | $85,630 | $85,330 | $41.17 |
| Wyoming | 60 | $85,070 | $81,720 | $40.90 |
| Pennsylvania | not published | $84,400 | $83,060 | $40.58 |
| California | 220 | $80,370 | $75,140 | $38.64 |
| New Mexico | 80 | $78,960 | $68,700 | $37.96 |
| Tennessee | 70 | $74,190 | $72,550 | $35.67 |
| Florida | 90 | $69,780 | $82,930 | $33.55 |
| Colorado | 140 | $69,640 | $70,670 | $33.48 |
| Utah | 50 | $67,910 | $69,450 | $32.65 |
| Hawaii | 110 | $64,560 | $72,750 | $31.04 |
| Missouri | 150 | $64,040 | $66,140 | $30.79 |
| Virginia | 80 | $63,920 | $67,710 | $30.73 |
| Georgia | 70 | $61,480 | $69,000 | $29.56 |
| Illinois | 110 | $60,520 | $71,080 | $29.10 |
| Nevada | 260 | $60,500 | $68,160 | $29.09 |
| Idaho | not published | $60,360 | $74,000 | $29.02 |
| Alabama | 100 | $59,820 | $63,980 | $28.76 |
| Maryland | not published | $59,720 | $70,420 | $28.71 |
| Indiana | 330 | $59,110 | $59,670 | $28.42 |
| South Dakota | not published | $56,780 | $63,670 | $27.30 |
| Texas | 460 | $56,600 | $58,910 | $27.21 |
| Oklahoma | 330 | $55,180 | $56,020 | $26.53 |
| Arkansas | 90 | $53,120 | $56,390 | $25.54 |
| Wisconsin | 60 | $52,400 | $58,040 | $25.19 |
| Kentucky | 380 | $50,360 | $50,570 | $24.21 |
| West Virginia | 50 | $49,630 | $53,890 | $23.86 |
| Mississippi | 40 | $47,060 | $49,970 | $22.63 |
| Ohio | 120 | $46,630 | $57,890 | $22.42 |
| Louisiana | 130 | $39,900 | $43,530 | $19.18 |
| Iowa | 90 | $39,520 | $43,280 | $19.00 |
Sorted by median pay, highest first. "Not published" means BLS did not release that figure for the state, usually because too few employers were surveyed. "$239,200 or more" is the highest value BLS reports in the state tables.
Similar occupations by pay
- Brickmasons and Blockmasons$62,120 a year
- Continuous Mining Machine Operators$61,810 a year
- Sheet Metal Workers$61,800 a year
- Carpenters$60,580 a year
- Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas$60,190 a year
- Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators$59,850 a year
Common questions
How much do Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters earn in the United States?
The median pay was $61,390 a year in May 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $40,480 and the highest-paid 10% more than $99,360.
How many people work as Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters?
About 5,100 jobs in the United States in May 2025, not counting the self-employed.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Checked in November 2026. Figures are for employees, before tax, and leave out overtime pay and benefits. They are official statistics, not advice or a pay offer; see bls.gov/oes for the original tables.