SOC 47-5032 · Construction and Extraction Occupations
Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters wages by metro
National median annual wage
$61,390
- 10th percentile
- $40,480
- 25th percentile
- $49,630
- Median
- $61,390
- 75th percentile
- $80,370
- 90th percentile
- $99,360
- Mean
- $66,640
Annual wage from the May 2025 OEWS estimates.
National employment in May 2025: 5,100.
That median is 20.4% higher than the all-occupations national median of $50,980.
The metro and state figures below are the same May 2025 release. A blank wage means BLS did not publish it. See when a wage is not published.
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Highest published medians
| Occupation | Employment | 10th | Median | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 120 | $83,200 | $100,520 | $123,160 |
| Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ | Not available | $80,450 | $97,910 | $97,910 |
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | 60 | $80,370 | $92,290 | $121,040 |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | 60 | $64,990 | $86,900 | $102,190 |
| Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | 50 | $26,630 | $83,750 | $132,910 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | 80 | $61,390 | $70,200 | $77,180 |
| Urban Honolulu, HI | 80 | $57,880 | $66,850 | $95,870 |
| Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | 50 | $47,570 | $64,880 | $73,090 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | Not available | $49,330 | $63,920 | $106,890 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | 50 | $55,640 | $62,610 | $84,160 |
| Kansas City, MO-KS | 30 | $50,130 | $62,140 | $88,380 |
| Anniston-Oxford, AL | 50 | $49,650 | $62,070 | $70,820 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | 180 | $36,650 | $55,830 | $86,250 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 90 | $32,000 | $45,180 | $89,140 |
| Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | 60 | $27,400 | $27,400 | $68,710 |
Where employment is largest
| Occupation | Employment | 10th | Median | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | 180 | $36,650 | $55,830 | $86,250 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 120 | $83,200 | $100,520 | $123,160 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 90 | $32,000 | $45,180 | $89,140 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | 80 | $61,390 | $70,200 | $77,180 |
| Urban Honolulu, HI | 80 | $57,880 | $66,850 | $95,870 |
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | 60 | $80,370 | $92,290 | $121,040 |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | 60 | $64,990 | $86,900 | $102,190 |
| Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | 60 | $27,400 | $27,400 | $68,710 |
| Anniston-Oxford, AL | 50 | $49,650 | $62,070 | $70,820 |
| Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | 50 | $26,630 | $83,750 | $132,910 |
| Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | 50 | $47,570 | $64,880 | $73,090 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | 50 | $55,640 | $62,610 | $84,160 |
| Kansas City, MO-KS | 30 | $50,130 | $62,140 | $88,380 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | 30 | Not available | Not available | Not available |
States and territories
| Occupation | Employment | 10th | Median | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Jersey | Not available | $83,200 | $100,520 | $113,070 |
| New York | Not available | $72,650 | $96,940 | $123,160 |
| North Carolina | 160 | $60,950 | $85,630 | $104,280 |
| Wyoming | 60 | $59,790 | $85,070 | $88,000 |
| Pennsylvania | Not available | $58,070 | $84,400 | $102,730 |
| California | 220 | $34,320 | $80,370 | $125,930 |
| New Mexico | 80 | $37,300 | $78,960 | $87,360 |
| Tennessee | 70 | $37,400 | $74,190 | $122,450 |
| Florida | 90 | $50,120 | $69,780 | $143,260 |
| Colorado | 140 | $54,870 | $69,640 | $91,550 |
| Utah | 50 | $47,570 | $67,910 | $99,340 |
| Hawaii | 110 | $58,850 | $64,560 | $96,720 |
| Missouri | 150 | $52,040 | $64,040 | $82,140 |
| Virginia | 80 | $51,900 | $63,920 | $80,260 |
| Georgia | 70 | $45,430 | $61,480 | $99,040 |
| Illinois | 110 | $52,420 | $60,520 | $93,180 |
| Nevada | 260 | $50,740 | $60,500 | $90,520 |
| Idaho | Not available | $56,110 | $60,360 | $124,090 |
| Alabama | 100 | $51,700 | $59,820 | $87,560 |
| Maryland | Not available | $45,810 | $59,720 | $106,890 |
| Indiana | 330 | $48,510 | $59,110 | $72,510 |
| South Dakota | Not available | $52,870 | $56,780 | $87,060 |
| Texas | 460 | $36,620 | $56,600 | $83,690 |
| Oklahoma | 330 | $44,300 | $55,180 | $69,280 |
| Arkansas | 90 | $42,080 | $53,120 | $66,270 |
| Wisconsin | 60 | $43,690 | $52,400 | $82,190 |
| Kentucky | 380 | $24,640 | $50,360 | $75,270 |
| West Virginia | 50 | $46,370 | $49,630 | $65,630 |
| Mississippi | 40 | $37,480 | $47,060 | $66,190 |
| Ohio | 120 | $42,700 | $46,630 | $77,320 |
| Louisiana | 130 | $35,030 | $39,900 | $51,680 |
| Iowa | 90 | $37,170 | $39,520 | $55,190 |
Other construction and extraction occupations
- Construction Laborers
- First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers
- Electricians
- Carpenters
- Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators
- Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters
- Painters, Construction and Maintenance
- Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers
Questions this page answers
What is the national median wage for Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters?
In the May 2025 OEWS estimates, the national median annual wage for Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters is $61,390. Employment is 5,100.
How does Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters pay compare with all occupations?
The national median for Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters is 20.4% higher than the all-occupations median of $50,980.
Which metro has the highest published median for Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters?
Among metros with a published annual median in the May 2025 tables, New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ is highest on this page's list at $100,520.