Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters: Career Overview
Place and detonate explosives to demolish structures or to loosen, remove, or displace earth, rock, or other materials. May perform specialized handling, storage, and accounting procedures.
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What Do Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters Take On?
The core tasks performed by explosives workers, ordnance handling experts, and blasters cover:
- Examine blast areas to determine amounts and kinds of explosive charges needed and to ensure that safety laws are observed.
- Tie specified lengths of delaying fuses into patterns in order to time sequences of explosions.
- Place safety cones around blast areas to alert other workers of danger zones, and signal workers as necessary to ensure that they clear blast sites prior to explosions.
- Place explosive charges in holes or other spots; then detonate explosives to demolish structures or to loosen, remove, or displace earth, rock, or other materials.
- Insert, pack, and pour explosives, such as dynamite, ammonium nitrate, black powder, or slurries into blast holes; then shovel drill cuttings, admit water into boreholes, and tamp material to compact charges.
- Mark patterns, locations, and depths of charge holes for drilling, and issue drilling instructions.
- Compile and keep gun and explosives records in compliance with local and federal laws.
- Measure depths of drilled blast holes, using weighted tape measures.
What Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters Need to Know
Top explosives workers, ordnance handling experts, and blasters rely on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Key Skills
The abilities most central to this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Knowledge Areas
Related Job Titles
People in this occupation may also be known by titles such as:
- Aircraft Ordnance Technician
- Ammunition and Explosives Handler
- Blast Driller
- Blast Hole Driller
- Blast Setter
- Blast Technician
- Blaster
- Blasting Clay Miner
How Many Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters Are There?
The U.S. employs around 731,332 explosives workers, ordnance handling experts, and blasters working in the United States today. This occupation is expected to grow by +2.7% over the projection horizon.
Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters Pay
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $44,277 |
| Hourly median | $21.29 |
| 10th percentile | $25,018 |
| 25th percentile | $34,648 |
| 75th percentile | $53,907 |
| 90th percentile | $63,537 |
Wages vary widely based on experience, location, and industry.
How Much Do Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters Make in Different U.S. States?
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| 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 |
Pay by U.S. Region
Pay for explosives workers, ordnance handling experts, and blasters differ across the country. These regions lead on median pay:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Middle Atlantic | $91,231 | 20.4% | 6.41 |
| Rocky Mountains | $72,436 | 4.0% | 1.99 |
| Far Western US | $69,282 | 13.1% | 3.98 |
| Southeast | $62,241 | 27.3% | 1.63 |
| Southwest | $61,590 | 10.0% | 4.58 |
| Great Lakes | $60,371 | 16.9% | 2.19 |
| Plains States | $56,450 | 7.6% | 2.09 |
| Other U.S. Territories | $28,870 | 0.7% | 0.98 |
Where the Jobs Cluster
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | DC | $104,210 | 600 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | CA | $94,240 | 60 |
| Urban Honolulu, HI | HI | $77,460 | 70 |
| Joplin, MO-KS | MO | $64,650 | 30 |
| St. Louis, MO-IL | MO | $64,110 | 60 |
| Kansas City, MO-KS | MO | $63,970 | 50 |
| Anniston-Oxford, AL | AL | $62,050 | 40 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | TX | $61,730 | 50 |
Which Industries Hire Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters
The bulk of explosives workers, ordnance handling experts, and blasters are concentrated in the following sectors:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction | 1,200 | $57,150 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 880 | $93,550 |
| Construction | 620 | $58,320 |
| Wholesale Trade | 580 | $60,410 |
| Manufacturing | 470 | $57,990 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 230 | $66,260 |
| Transportation and Warehousing | 130 | $46,290 |
Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters work in the following industries:
Tech Stack
- Computer aided design CAD software: Autodesk AutoCAD (hot technology)
- Geographic information system: ESRI ArcGIS software (hot technology)
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Electronic mail software: Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Presentation software: Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
What the Workplace Is Like
The work environment for explosives workers, ordnance handling experts, and blasters tends to involve the following characteristics:
- Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets
- Outdoors, Exposed to All Weather Conditions
- Exposed to Hazardous Conditions
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Health and Safety of Other Workers
Education and Training
Entry-level explosives workers, ordnance handling experts, and blasters positions require a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education. The role falls in Some Preparation Needed (Job Zone 2), reflecting the level of preparation typically expected.
Other Careers to Consider
Similar Occupations
- Construction Laborers (Primary-Long)
- Pile Driver Operators (Primary-Long)
- Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators (Primary-Short)
- Hazardous Materials Removal Workers (Supplemental)
- Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas (Primary-Short)
- Service Unit Operators, Oil and Gas (Supplemental)
- Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining (Primary-Long)
- Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas (Primary-Short)
Degree Programs
Students preparing for explosives workers, ordnance handling experts, and blasters typically earn programs in:
Construction Trades
2 programs across 1 majors
Transportation and Materials Moving
1 programs across 1 majors
References
This profile draws on the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 47-5032.00 (Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters).
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