Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters · Illinois

Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters Salary in Illinois

Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters in Illinois earn a median annual wage of $60,520 —1.4% below the national median of $61,390. That ranks IL #16 of 32 covered states and territories for this occupation.

Median annual
$60,520
Median hourly
$29.10
Entry level (P10)
$52,420
10th percentile
Top 10% (P90)
$93,180
90th percentile
Employment
110
0.0 per 1,000 jobs
vs U.S. median
-1.4%
U.S. $61,390

Wage distribution

How earnings are spread across workers in this occupation, from the 10th to the 90th percentile.

10th percentile90th percentile
$52,420
$57,620
$60,520
$84,760
$52,420$60,520$93,180
Annual wage distribution. Highlighted segment contains the median of $60,520.

Employment is only 0.56× as concentrated as the national average — this occupation is relatively scarce in Illinois.

Highest-paying states for explosives workers, ordnance handling experts, and blasters

All 32 states ranked by median annual wage. Illinois is highlighted.

#StateMedian annual Median hourlyEmploymentLocation quotient
1New Jersey$100,520$48.33——
2New York$96,940$46.61——
3North Carolina$85,630$41.171600.96
4Wyoming$85,070$40.90606.27
5Pennsylvania$84,400$40.58——
6California$80,370$38.642200.37
7New Mexico$78,960$37.96802.97
8Tennessee$74,190$35.67700.65
9Florida$69,780$33.55900.27
10Colorado$69,640$33.481401.44

Related occupations in Illinois

Occupations in the same job family, compared within Illinois.

Frequently asked questions

How much do explosives workers, ordnance handling experts, and blasters make in Illinois?

The median annual wage for explosives workers, ordnance handling experts, and blasters in Illinois is $60,520, or $29.10 per hour. That is 1.4% below the national median of $61,390.

What is the entry-level explosives workers, ordnance handling experts, and blasters salary in Illinois?

Workers at the 10th percentile earn $52,420 per year ($25.20/hour). The 25th percentile is $57,620.

How many people work as explosives workers, ordnance handling experts, and blasters in Illinois?

About 110 people work in this occupation in Illinois, or 0.0 per 1,000 jobs statewide.

Is Illinois a good state for explosives workers, ordnance handling experts, and blasters?

Illinois ranks #16 of 32 states by median wage for this occupation. Employment is only 0.56x as concentrated as the national average, so this occupation is relatively scarce in Illinois.

Which state pays explosives workers, ordnance handling experts, and blasters the most?

New Jersey has the highest median wage at $100,520 per year, followed by New York ($96,940) and North Carolina ($85,630).

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025. Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, cross-industry estimates. Retrieved 2026-10-26. Figures are rounded by BLS to the nearest dollar (annual) and cent (hourly). Percentile wages describe the distribution of workers, not the pay range for a single job posting. bls.gov/oes