Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for explosives workers, ordnance handling experts, and blasters is $61,390, or $29.51 per hour. About 5,100 people work in this occupation nationwide. Wages vary substantially by state — from $100,520 in New Jersey to $39,520 in Iowa.
Wage distribution nationwide
Earnings spread across all U.S. workers in this occupation.
Salary by state
All 32 states with published data, ranked by median annual wage.
| # | State | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Jersey | $100,520 | $48.33 | — | — |
| 2 | New York | $96,940 | $46.61 | — | — |
| 3 | North Carolina | $85,630 | $41.17 | 160 | 0.96 |
| 4 | Wyoming | $85,070 | $40.90 | 60 | 6.27 |
| 5 | Pennsylvania | $84,400 | $40.58 | — | — |
| 6 | California | $80,370 | $38.64 | 220 | 0.37 |
| 7 | New Mexico | $78,960 | $37.96 | 80 | 2.97 |
| 8 | Tennessee | $74,190 | $35.67 | 70 | 0.65 |
| 9 | Florida | $69,780 | $33.55 | 90 | 0.27 |
| 10 | Colorado | $69,640 | $33.48 | 140 | 1.44 |
| 11 | Utah | $67,910 | $32.65 | 50 | 0.96 |
| 12 | Hawaii | $64,560 | $31.04 | 110 | 5.12 |
| 13 | Missouri | $64,040 | $30.79 | 150 | 1.53 |
| 14 | Virginia | $63,920 | $30.73 | 80 | 0.58 |
| 15 | Georgia | $61,480 | $29.56 | 70 | 0.45 |
| 16 | Illinois | $60,520 | $29.10 | 110 | 0.56 |
| 17 | Nevada | $60,500 | $29.09 | 260 | 5.19 |
| 18 | Idaho | $60,360 | $29.02 | — | — |
| 19 | Alabama | $59,820 | $28.76 | 100 | 1.40 |
| 20 | Maryland | $59,720 | $28.71 | — | — |
| 21 | Indiana | $59,110 | $28.42 | 330 | 3.18 |
| 22 | South Dakota | $56,780 | $27.30 | — | — |
| 23 | Texas | $56,600 | $27.21 | 460 | 0.99 |
| 24 | Oklahoma | $55,180 | $26.53 | 330 | 5.98 |
| 25 | Arkansas | $53,120 | $25.54 | 90 | 2.20 |
| 26 | Wisconsin | $52,400 | $25.19 | 60 | 0.65 |
| 27 | Kentucky | $50,360 | $24.21 | 380 | 5.83 |
| 28 | West Virginia | $49,630 | $23.86 | 50 | 2.31 |
| 29 | Mississippi | $47,060 | $22.63 | 40 | 1.16 |
| 30 | Ohio | $46,630 | $22.42 | 120 | 0.67 |
| 31 | Louisiana | $39,900 | $19.18 | 130 | 2.01 |
| 32 | Iowa | $39,520 | $19.00 | 90 | 1.78 |
Related occupations
Same job family, ranked by national employment.
Frequently asked questions
How much do explosives workers, ordnance handling experts, and blasters make?
The median annual wage for explosives workers, ordnance handling experts, and blasters in the United States is $61,390, or $29.51 per hour. Entry-level workers (10th percentile) earn $40,480, and the top 10% earn $99,360.
How many explosives workers, ordnance handling experts, and blasters are employed in the U.S.?
About 5,100 people work as explosives workers, ordnance handling experts, and blasters nationwide.
Which state pays explosives workers, ordnance handling experts, and blasters the most?
New Jersey pays the most at a median of $100,520, followed by New York ($96,940) and North Carolina ($85,630).
Which state pays explosives workers, ordnance handling experts, and blasters the least?
Iowa has the lowest median at $39,520.
Where are explosives workers, ordnance handling experts, and blasters jobs most concentrated?
The location quotient measures employment concentration relative to the national average. The highest is Wyoming at 6.27×.