Average Salary for Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters
SOC 47-5032 · Construction and Extraction Occupations · 2024 data
The median annual wage for Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters in the United States is $59,110 ($28.42/hr), based on 2024 BLS OEWS data. Wages range from $45,160 at the 10th percentile to $104,210 at the 90th percentile nationally. An estimated 5,680 people work in this occupation across the country. The national median wage has grown 11.4% since 2021.
Median Annual
$59,110
Mean Annual
$66,840
10th Pct
$45,160
75th Pct
$80,050
Employment
5,680
Salary Distribution
$45k
10th
$50k
25th
$59k
Median
$80k
75th
$104k
90th
Highest Paying Metro Areas
| Metro Area | Median Annual |
|---|---|
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $104,210 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $94,240 |
| Urban Honolulu, HI | $77,460 |
| Joplin, MO-KS | $64,650 |
| St. Louis, MO-IL | $64,110 |
| Kansas City, MO-KS | $63,970 |
| Anniston-Oxford, AL | $62,050 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | $61,730 |
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | $59,840 |
| Boise City, ID | $58,660 |
| Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | $58,160 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $50,910 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $46,830 |
Salary by State
| State | Median Annual |
|---|---|
| New York | $104,320 |
| Tennessee | $102,060 |
| Connecticut | $101,020 |
| Maryland | $93,550 |
| California | $87,110 |
| Wyoming | $86,740 |
| Florida | $84,520 |
| New Mexico | $84,050 |
| Illinois | $82,710 |
| Hawaii | $77,460 |
| Washington | $77,210 |
| North Carolina | $76,900 |
| Colorado | $69,740 |
| Montana | $69,330 |
| Ohio | $66,440 |
| Alabama | $65,190 |
| South Dakota | $63,470 |
| Arizona | $63,010 |
| Pennsylvania | $62,670 |
| Missouri | $62,500 |
| Virginia | $59,840 |
| Idaho | $58,180 |
| Nevada | $58,160 |
| West Virginia | $57,350 |
| Wisconsin | $56,440 |
| Oklahoma | $56,180 |
| Indiana | $55,660 |
| Kentucky | $54,200 |
| Arkansas | $52,120 |
| Texas | $50,930 |
| Georgia | $46,830 |
| Louisiana | $45,900 |
| Iowa | $41,930 |
| Michigan | $41,450 |
| Puerto Rico | $28,870 |
Salary by Industry
National median wage for Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters broken down by industry sector, 2024 data.
| Industry | Median Annual |
|---|---|
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | $93,550 |
| Engineering Services | $93,550 |
| Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services | $93,550 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | $93,550 |
| Chemical Manufacturing | $85,230 |
| Chemical Manufacturing (3251, 3252, 3253, and 3259 only) | $85,230 |
| Remediation and Other Waste Management Services | $84,550 |
| Waste Management and Remediation Services | $84,550 |
| Metal Ore Mining | $82,830 |
| Facilities Support Services | $80,770 |
| Coal Mining | $76,970 |
| Mining (except Oil and Gas) | $76,960 |
| State Government, including Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $73,040 |
| State Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $73,040 |
| Specialty Trade Contractors | $67,540 |
| Other Specialty Trade Contractors | $67,540 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | $66,260 |
| Nonmetallic Mineral Product Manufacturing | $62,500 |
| Nonmetallic Mineral Mining and Quarrying | $60,690 |
| Wholesale Trade | $60,410 |
| Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods (4242 and 4246 only) | $60,400 |
| Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods | $60,400 |
| Transportation Equipment Manufacturing | $59,830 |
| Federal, State, and Local Government, excluding State and Local Government Schools and Hospitals and the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) | $59,380 |
| Federal, State, and Local Government, excluding State and Local Government Schools and Hospitals and the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) | $59,380 |
| Federal, State, and Local Government, including State and Local Government Schools and Hospitals and the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) | $59,380 |
| Cross-industry, Private Ownership only | $59,080 |
| Federal Government, including the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) | $58,590 |
| Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) | $58,590 |
| Construction | $58,320 |
| Manufacturing | $57,990 |
| Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction | $57,150 |
| Support Activities for Mining | $54,020 |
| Support Activities for Mining | $54,020 |
| Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction | $52,900 |
| Utility System Construction | $52,900 |
| Administrative and Support Services | $50,580 |
| Coating, Engraving, Heat Treating, and Allied Activities | $49,300 |
| Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing (3323 and 3324 only) | $47,880 |
| Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing | $47,620 |
| Support Activities for Transportation | $46,290 |
| Transportation and Warehousing | $46,290 |
| Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing (3321, 3322, 3325, 3326, and 3329 only) | $43,240 |
| Employment Services | $31,200 |
| Temporary Help Services | $31,200 |
National Wage Trend
View data table
| Year | Median Annual |
|---|---|
| 2024 | $59,110 |
| 2023 | $61,590 |
| 2022 | $56,670 |
| 2021 | $53,040 |