47 Series · SOC 47-5032

Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters Salary

National pay, percentile range, growth outlook, and state-by-state detail from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (May 2025).

$61,390
Median / year
$99,360
Top 10% earn
-0.9%
Growth '23–'33
5,100
US workers

Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters earn a median of $61,390 per year.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the median annual wage is $61,390, based on the most recent survey of employers. Reported pay ranges from $40,480 (10th percentile) to $99,360 (90th percentile) nationally, across roughly 5,100 US workers. New Jersey pays the most ($100,520), since pay varies by state and metro area.

47 Series · Source: BLS OEWS Compare with another job →
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The pay verdict

Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters earn a median of $61,390, putting them above the typical US occupation and higher than 50% of the 825 occupations with a published BLS median. Within Construction and Extraction, it ranks #19 of 60 by median pay. Employment is projected to fall 0.9% by 2033.

$61,390
Median annual wage
Top 50%
of 825 US occupations with published wages
#19 of 60
in Construction and Extraction
2.5×
90th-to-10th pay spread

Highest-paying state: New Jersey at $100,520. Typical entry-level education: High school diploma or equivalent.

Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters (SOC 47-5032) pays a national median of $61,390 per year according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey released in May 2025. Full-range compensation stretches from $40,480 at the 10th percentile to $99,360 at the 90th, with a mean of $66,640 indicating a right-skew where top earners pull the average above the midpoint. An estimated 5,100 Americans work in this occupation across 32 reporting states and 22 metro areas.

BLS Employment Projections forecast a -0.9% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which the agency classifies as declining relative to the 5% all-occupations baseline. About 500 openings are projected per year, combining new positions with replacement needs from retirements and occupation-switchers. Typical entry-level preparation is High school diploma or equivalent, with less than 5 years of prior experience generally required and long-term on-the-job training of on-the-job training. The BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) and Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII) produce a workplace-safety grade of B for this role, with a fatality rate of 12.4 per 100,000 and injury rate of 3.5 per 100.

Geographic variation matters as much as the headline median. New Jersey pays the highest state median at $100,520, which is +64% above the national figure. The top metro is New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ at $100,520 - metro premiums typically reflect higher cost of living, industry concentration, or specialized employer demand. When using this page for negotiation or career planning, pair the national median with the state and metro rows below, remember that BLS wages exclude benefits, bonuses, and overtime, and revisit after each May OEWS release since percentiles shift with cost-of-living cycles and industry demand. See our methodology for exactly how these figures are sourced, computed, and verified.

BLS OEWS May 2025 5,100 jobs Median $61,390/yr

Median Salary

$61,390

per year

Median Hourly

$29.51/hr

per hour

Mean Salary

$66,640

average

Employment

5,100

jobs nationwide

How does this pay compare nationally?

Where Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters pay sits nationally

Median annual wage vs. 825 detailed BLS occupations with a published median

$61,390 Top 50% higher than 50% of 825 US occupations

$0–$20,000: 0 US occupations (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 98 US occupations (12%). Below this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 298 US occupations (36%). Below this entry. $60,000–$80,000: 209 US occupations (25%). This entry sits in this band. $80,000–$100,000: 82 US occupations (10%). Above this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 58 US occupations (7%). Above this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 32 US occupations (4%). Above this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 14 US occupations (2%). Above this entry. $160,000–$180,000: 9 US occupations (1%). Above this entry. $180,000–$200,000: 25 US occupations (3%). Above this entry. This job $0 $200,000 every BLS occupation, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US occupations. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS · May 2025

Does this job pay well and grow?

Each dot is a 47-series occupation, placed by projected 2024–2034 growth and median pay. The highlighted dot is Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters; the upper-right quadrant is the sweet spot (high pay + fast growth).

Among 25 47-series occupations with growth data, Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters sits on the slower-growing side at -0.9% growth and $61,390 median pay.

Among 25 47-series occupations with growth data, Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters sits on the slower-growing side at -0.9% growth and $61,390 median pay. Scatter plot of 25 data points. $40000$50000$60000$70000$80000$90000 -5%0%5%10%15% Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) Median annual wage
Among 25 47-series occupations with growth data, Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters sits on the slower-growing side at -0.9% growth and $61,390 median pay.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (wages, May 2025) and Employment Projections (2024–2034).

Job Outlook (2024–2034)

Projected Growth

-0.9%

Declining

Annual Openings

500

per year (projected)

Typical Education

High school diploma or equivalent

Work Experience

Less than 5 years

On-the-Job Training

Long-term on-the-job training

Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034

Workplace Safety

All safety ratings →
B

Safe

Safety Grade (BLS 2023)

Fatality Rate

12.4/100K

Injury Rate

3.5/100

Danger Index

20.2/100

Source: BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) & Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII), 2023

Career Intelligence

Skills, knowledge, and tasks most important for Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.

Top Skills

Active Listening 3.9
Monitoring 3.8
Critical Thinking 3.6
Judgment and Decision Making 3.6
Operations Monitoring 3.5
Operation and Control 3.5
Speaking 3.4
Complex Problem Solving 3.4
Time Management 3.4
Reading Comprehension 3.1

Knowledge Areas

Public Safety and Security 4.1
Law and Government 4.0
Mathematics 3.7
Engineering and Technology 3.3
Administration and Management 3.2
Customer and Personal Service 3.2
Transportation 3.2
English Language 3.1
Production and Processing 3.0
Mechanical 3.0

Key Tasks

  • ▸ Examine blast areas to determine amounts and kinds of explosive charges needed and to ensure that safety laws are observed.
  • ▸ Tie specified lengths of delaying fuses into patterns in order to time sequences of explosions.
  • ▸ Place safety cones around blast areas to alert other workers of danger zones, and signal workers as necessary to ensure that they clear blast sites prior to explosions.
  • ▸ Place explosive charges in holes or other spots; then detonate explosives to demolish structures or to loosen, remove, or displace earth, rock, or other materials.
  • ▸ Insert, pack, and pour explosives, such as dynamite, ammonium nitrate, black powder, or slurries into blast holes; then shovel drill cuttings, admit water into boreholes, and tamp material to compact charges.
  • ▸ Mark patterns, locations, and depths of charge holes for drilling, and issue drilling instructions.
  • ▸ Compile and keep gun and explosives records in compliance with local and federal laws.
  • ▸ Measure depths of drilled blast holes, using weighted tape measures.
  • ▸ Connect electrical wire to primers, and cover charges or fill blast holes with clay, drill chips, sand, or other material.
  • ▸ Lay primacord between rows of charged blast holes, and tie cord into main lines to form blast patterns.

Source: O*NET Online, National Center for O*NET Development. Data represents typical importance ratings for this occupation.

Salary Range

Annual Salary Distribution

$40,480$49,630$61,390$80,370$99,360
10th pct25thMedian75th90th pct

Hourly Rate Distribution

$19.46$23.86$29.51$38.64$47.77
10th pct25thMedian75th90th pct

10th Percentile

$40,480

25th Percentile

$49,630

Median

$61,390

75th Percentile

$80,370

90th Percentile

$99,360

Salary by State

Highest Paying States

1. New Jersey $100,520 2. New York $96,940 3. North Carolina $85,630 4. Wyoming $85,070 5. Pennsylvania $84,400

Lowest Paying States

28. Iowa $39,520 29. Louisiana $39,900 30. Ohio $46,630 31. Mississippi $47,060 32. West Virginia $49,630
View all 32 states →
# State Median Salary vs National
1 New Jersey $100,520 +64% above national
2 New York $96,940 +58% above national
3 North Carolina $85,630 +39% above national
4 Wyoming $85,070 +39% above national
5 Pennsylvania $84,400 +37% above national
6 California $80,370 +31% above national
7 New Mexico $78,960 +29% above national
8 Tennessee $74,190 +21% above national
9 Florida $69,780 +14% above national
10 Colorado $69,640 +13% above national
11 Utah $67,910 +11% above national
12 Hawaii $64,560 +5% above national
13 Missouri $64,040 +4% above national
14 Virginia $63,920 +4% above national
15 Georgia $61,480 same as national
16 Illinois $60,520 1% below national
17 Nevada $60,500 1% below national
18 Idaho $60,360 2% below national
19 Alabama $59,820 3% below national
20 Maryland $59,720 3% below national
21 Indiana $59,110 4% below national
22 South Dakota $56,780 8% below national
23 Texas $56,600 8% below national
24 Oklahoma $55,180 10% below national
25 Arkansas $53,120 13% below national
26 Wisconsin $52,400 15% below national
27 Kentucky $50,360 18% below national
28 West Virginia $49,630 19% below national
29 Mississippi $47,060 23% below national
30 Ohio $46,630 24% below national
31 Louisiana $39,900 35% below national
32 Iowa $39,520 36% below national

Salary by Metro Area

Highest Paying Metros

1. New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ $100,520 2. Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ $97,910 3. Bakersfield-Delano, CA $92,290 4. Balance of Nevada nonmetropolitan area $88,920 5. Eastern Wyoming nonmetropolitan area $88,000

Lowest Paying Metros

18. Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN $27,400 19. Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX $45,180 20. South Arkansas nonmetropolitan area $53,120 21. Central Kentucky nonmetropolitan area $54,200 22. Southern Indiana nonmetropolitan area $54,370
View all 22 metro areas →
# Metro Area Median Salary vs National
1 New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ $100,520 +64% above national
2 Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ $97,910 +59% above national
3 Bakersfield-Delano, CA $92,290 +50% above national
4 Balance of Nevada nonmetropolitan area $88,920 +45% above national
5 Eastern Wyoming nonmetropolitan area $88,000 +43% above national
6 Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC $86,900 +42% above national
7 Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN $83,750 +36% above national
8 Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO $70,200 +14% above national
9 Urban Honolulu, HI $66,850 +9% above national
10 Salt Lake City-Murray, UT $64,880 +6% above national
11 Southeast Missouri nonmetropolitan area $64,040 +4% above national
12 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV $63,920 +4% above national
13 San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX $62,610 +2% above national
14 Kansas City, MO-KS $62,140 +1% above national
15 Anniston-Oxford, AL $62,070 +1% above national
16 Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX $55,830 9% below national
17 Southeast Oklahoma nonmetropolitan area $55,180 10% below national
18 Southern Indiana nonmetropolitan area $54,370 11% below national
19 Central Kentucky nonmetropolitan area $54,200 12% below national
20 South Arkansas nonmetropolitan area $53,120 13% below national
21 Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX $45,180 26% below national
22 Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN $27,400 55% below national

Similar Occupations in the Same Category

Other roles in SOC major group 47 (construction and extraction) with comparable pay and career paths.

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SOC 47-2011

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SOC 47-2031

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Compare Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters side-by-side with another occupation →

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does a Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters make? ▼
The median annual salary for Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters is $61,390 ($29.51/hour). The salary range spans from $40,480 at the 10th percentile to $99,360 at the 90th percentile.
What state pays Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters the most? ▼
New Jersey pays the highest median salary for Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters at $100,520/year, which is +64% above the national median.
What education do you need to become a Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters? ▼
The typical entry-level education for Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters is High school diploma or equivalent. Less than 5 years of related work experience is also typically required. On-the-job training: Long-term on-the-job training.
How dangerous is being a Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters? ▼
Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters has a safety grade of B (Safe) based on BLS data. The fatality rate is 12.4 per 100,000 workers and the injury rate is 3.5 per 100 workers.
Is Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters a good career? ▼
Employment for Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters is projected to decline 0.9% from 2024 to 2034, which is declining. About 500 openings are projected each year.
How does Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters pay vary by state? ▼
Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters salaries vary significantly by state. The highest-paying state is New Jersey at $100,520/year, while West Virginia pays the least at $49,630/year. BLS data covers 32 states and territories.
Which metro areas pay the most for Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters? ▼
The highest-paying metro area for Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters is New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ at $100,520/year. BLS reports wage data for 22 metro areas for this occupation, with pay varying based on local demand and cost of living.

What to do with this data

How to use Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters pay figures in a real decision

  • For an experienced offer, anchor on the 75th percentile (about $80,370/year), not the median. The median marks the middle worker; the upper quartile is the realistic target with strong experience. Salary calculator
  • Location moves pay significantly: New Jersey leads at $100,520/year for this role. Weigh state pay against local cost of living before relocating or negotiating remote. Pay by state
  • Compare this occupation against similar roles before you decide, so you are reading the pay band in context rather than in isolation. Compare jobs

These are BLS survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. Your pay depends on experience, employer, exact role, and location.

Data as of May 2025. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 annual release. Employment projections from BLS Employment Projections program, 2024–2034. Data reflects cross-industry estimates for all ownership types.

These are survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. See how to use them.

Every figure on WageDex is rendered directly from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, no number is typed in by an editor. This occupation's figures are computed directly from the BLS OEWS and Employment Projections datasets, nothing is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of May 2025.

This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or career advice. Actual pay for a specific role, employer, or offer may differ from these national/state figures, consult a qualified career counselor, recruiter, or financial advisor before making decisions based on this data.