Average Salary for Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters
SOC 47-5031 · Construction and Extraction Occupations · 2018 data
The median annual wage for Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters in the United States is $49,860 ($23.97/hr), based on 2018 BLS OEWS data. Wages range from $34,500 at the 10th percentile to $76,070 at the 90th percentile nationally. An estimated 5,640 people work in this occupation across the country. The national median wage has declined 4.4% since 2014.
Median Annual
$49,860
Mean Annual
$52,780
10th Pct
$34,500
75th Pct
$62,050
Employment
5,640
Salary Distribution
$35k
10th
$41k
25th
$50k
Median
$62k
75th
$76k
90th
Highest Paying Metro Areas
| Metro Area | Median Annual |
|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $79,520 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $71,370 |
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | $68,560 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $60,160 |
| Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL | $57,440 |
| Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | $52,190 |
| Appleton, WI | $52,050 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $48,790 |
| Jacksonville, FL | $48,520 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | $44,650 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $42,610 |
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | $39,920 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $32,600 |
Salary by State
| State | Median Annual |
|---|---|
| Nevada | $70,620 |
| New York | $70,470 |
| New Mexico | $68,670 |
| California | $68,610 |
| Wyoming | $68,000 |
| Montana | $67,400 |
| Wisconsin | $63,460 |
| Alaska | $63,330 |
| Maryland | $62,250 |
| Massachusetts | $60,670 |
| Pennsylvania | $60,620 |
| Colorado | $60,350 |
| Illinois | $60,170 |
| North Carolina | $59,960 |
| Hawaii | $58,410 |
| Arizona | $56,670 |
| Florida | $54,100 |
| Utah | $52,190 |
| Alabama | $51,620 |
| Louisiana | $48,880 |
| Georgia | $48,650 |
| Ohio | $47,490 |
| Missouri | $46,810 |
| West Virginia | $46,500 |
| Kentucky | $45,690 |
| Indiana | $44,760 |
| Oklahoma | $41,760 |
| Arkansas | $40,930 |
| Texas | $40,100 |
| Tennessee | $39,360 |
Salary by Industry
National median wage for Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters broken down by industry sector, 2018 data.
| Industry | Median Annual |
|---|---|
| Other Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction | $75,740 |
| Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction | $70,280 |
| Scientific Research and Development Services | $69,040 |
| Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences | $69,040 |
| Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services | $68,080 |
| Coal Mining | $66,850 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | $63,100 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | $63,100 |
| Metal Ore Mining | $62,400 |
| Remediation and Other Waste Management Services | $62,330 |
| Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services | $61,770 |
| Engineering Services | $61,770 |
| Mining (except Oil and Gas) | $60,920 |
| State Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OES Designation) | $60,070 |
| Waste Management and Remediation Services | $59,980 |
| Highway, Street, and Bridge Construction | $57,680 |
| State government, including schools and hospitals | $57,360 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | $56,990 |
| Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods | $56,030 |
| Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods (4242 and 4246 only) | $56,030 |
| Wholesale Trade | $55,970 |
| Cross-industry, private ownership only | $52,810 |
| Other Specialty Trade Contractors | $51,330 |
| Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction | $51,220 |
| Construction | $50,990 |
| Nonmetallic Mineral Mining and Quarrying | $50,730 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | $50,370 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | $50,370 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | $50,370 |
| Specialty Trade Contractors | $48,930 |
| Building Equipment Contractors | $46,770 |
| Chemical Manufacturing | $46,340 |
| Chemical Manufacturing (3251, 3252, 3253, and 3259 only) | $46,340 |
| Federal, State, and Local Government, excluding state and local schools and hospitals and the U.S. Postal Service (OES Designation) | $45,990 |
| Federal, State, and Local Government, excluding state and local schools and hospitals and the U.S. Postal Service (OES Designation) | $45,990 |
| Federal, state, and local government, including government owned schools and hospitals, and the US Postal Service | $45,970 |
| Federal Executive Branch (OES Designation) | $45,230 |
| Federal government, including the US Postal Service | $45,230 |
| Manufacturing | $43,120 |
| Support Activities for Mining | $43,020 |
| Support Activities for Mining | $43,020 |
| Machinery Manufacturing | $42,390 |
| Machinery Manufacturing (3331, 3332, 3334, and 3339 only) | $42,340 |
| Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing | $36,970 |
| Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing (3321, 3322, 3325, 3326, and 3329 only) | $36,810 |
| Construction of Buildings | $31,700 |
| Nonresidential Building Construction | $31,700 |
National Wage Trend
View data table
| Year | Median Annual |
|---|---|
| 2018 | $49,860 |
| 2017 | $49,650 |
| 2016 | $52,170 |
| 2015 | $50,210 |
| 2014 | $52,140 |