Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters Salary
Construction and Extraction Occupations · 5.1K employed in the U.S.
Median annual
$61,390
Median hourly
$30
Average annual
$66,640
Typical range
$40,480–$99,360
Pay distribution
10th to 90th percentile, with the median marked.
What this role pays
The median annual salary for Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters is $61,390 as of May 2025, based on the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey. That works out to about $30 an hour at a full-time schedule.
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..
Most earn between $40,480 and $99,360 a year. There are roughly 5.1K people employed as explosives workers, ordnance handling experts, and blasters in the United States. Use the state and metro pages below to see how pay changes by location, and the calculator to convert any hourly or annual figure.
Salary calculator
Convert your pay and see where it lands for Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters.
- Hourly
- $29.51
- Daily
- $236
- Weekly
- $1,181
- Bi-weekly
- $2,361
- Monthly
- $5,116
- Annual
- $61,390
$61,390 a year is around the 50th percentile for Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasterss. The median is $61,390.
Highest-paying states
Median annual wage by state.
- 1New Jersey$100,520
- 2New York$96,940
- 3North Carolina$85,630
- 4Wyoming$85,070
- 5Pennsylvania$84,400
- 6California$80,370
- 7New Mexico$78,960
- 8Tennessee$74,190
- 9Florida$69,780
- 10Colorado$69,640
- 11Utah$67,910
- 12Hawaii$64,560
Top-paying metro areas
Median annual wage by metro area.
- 1New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ$100,520
- 2Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ$97,910
- 3Bakersfield-Delano, CA$92,290
- 4Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC$86,900
- 5Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN$83,750
- 6Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO$70,200
- 7Urban Honolulu, HI$66,850
- 8Salt Lake City-Murray, UT$64,880
- 9Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV$63,920
- 10San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX$62,610
- 11Kansas City, MO-KS$62,140
- 12Anniston-Oxford, AL$62,070
Related job titles
Employers advertise Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters roles under these titles.
- Aircraft Ordnance Technician
- Ammunition and Explosives Handler
- Blast Setter
- Blast Technician
- Blasting Clay Miner
- Blasting Coal Miner
- Blasting Contract Man
- Blasting Contract Miner
- Blasting Entry Specialist
- Blasting Entryman
- Blasting Gang Miner
- Blasting Miner
- Bomb Technician
- Charge Entry Specialist
- Charge Specialist
- Coal Shooter
Related occupations
- Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas$60,190
- Helpers--Extraction Workers$47,730
- Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas$67,890
- Continuous Mining Machine Operators$61,810
- Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining$57,430
- Pile Driver Operators$73,300
- Roof Bolters, Mining$78,540
- Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators$59,850
What a Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters does
- Examine blast areas to determine amounts and kinds of explosive charges needed and to ensure that safety laws are observed.
- Connect electrical wire to primers, and cover charges or fill blast holes with clay, drill chips, sand, or other material.
- Assemble and position equipment, explosives, and blasting caps in holes at specified depths, or load perforating guns or torpedoes with explosives.
- Verify detonation of charges by observing control panels, or by listening for the sounds of blasts.
- Move and store inventories of explosives, loaded perforating guns, and other materials, according to established safety procedures.
- Drive trucks to transport explosives and blasting equipment to blasting sites.
- Maintain inventory levels, ordering new supplies as necessary.
- Repair and service blasting, shooting, and automotive equipment, and electrical wiring and instruments, using hand tools.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters make?
- The median annual wage for Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters is $61,390 ($30 per hour). Pay ranges from about $40,480 at the 10th percentile to $99,360 at the 90th percentile.
- What is the average salary for a Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters?
- The average (mean) annual salary is $66,640, which is higher than the median because a small number of high earners pull the average up.
- Which state pays Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasterss the most?
- New Jersey has the highest median annual wage for this occupation at $100,520.
- Is Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters a growing occupation?
- BLS employment data for May 2025 counts about 5.1K people in this occupation. Projected growth is published separately in the BLS Employment Projections program.
- What does a Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters do?
- Examine blast areas to determine amounts and kinds of explosive charges needed and to ensure that safety laws are observed.; Connect electrical wire to primers, and cover charges or fill blast holes with clay, drill chips, sand, or other material.; Assemble and position equipment, explosives, and blasting caps in holes at specified depths, or load perforating guns or torpedoes with explosives..