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Blasting

What Blasting Majors Need to Know

Coursework for Blasting build a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Blasting graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

According to O*NET, a major in Blasting emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• Customer and Personal Service — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.
• Administration and Management — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.
• Building and Construction — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.
• Public Safety and Security — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 3.7 / 7.
• Mechanical — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.

^{Importance is rated 1–5; level is 1–7. Source: ONET Online — weighted across related occupations.*}

Skills

Skills developed in a Blasting program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Active Listening — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 3.5 / 7.
• Monitoring — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 3.6 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 3.5 / 7.
• Speaking — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 3.5 / 7.
• Coordination — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 3.7 / 7.

Abilities

The cognitive and physical abilities most relevant to Blasting careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Oral Comprehension — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.
• Problem Sensitivity — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 3.6 / 7.
• Oral Expression — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 3.8 / 7.
• Near Vision — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 3.7 / 7.
• Information Ordering — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 3.6 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Blasting graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	4.3 / 7
Getting Information	4.3 / 7
Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials	4.2 / 7
Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards	4.1 / 7
Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings	4.0 / 7
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events	4.0 / 7
Handling and Moving Objects	4.0 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	4.0 / 7
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work	4.0 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	4.0 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Blasting professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	—
Microsoft Outlook	Electronic mail software	—
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	—
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	✓
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	—
Autodesk AutoCAD	Computer aided design CAD software	—
Prolog	Development environment software	—
Inventory tracking software	Inventory management software	—
Procore software	Analytical or scientific software	—
Oracle Primavera Systems	Project management software	—
Oracle Primavera Enterprise Project Portfolio Management	Project management software	—
Microsoft Project	Project management software	—

^{Source: ONET Online technology skills, weighted across related occupations.*}

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Blasting graduates include:

• Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technician
• Nitro Man
• Hydraulic Blasting Miner
• Ammunition and Explosives Handler
• Shotblaster
• Demolition Expert
• Gun Perforator Loader
• Dynamite Shooter
• Oil Well Shooter
• Muck Blasting Miner
• Shot Firer
• Shaft Sinker
• Driftman
• Blast Hole Driller
• Tunnel Man

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to Blasting graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:

Education Level	Share of Workers
High school diploma or equivalent	45.7%
Postsecondary certificate	18.5%
Less than a high school diploma	13.9%
Some college courses	8.6%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	8.1%
Bachelor’s degree	5.2%

^{Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*}

How Much Do Blasting Graduates Earn?

Federal data tracks median earnings of Blasting graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Wages typically rise steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$38,651
4 years	$39,033
5 years	$45,465

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $45,465 — roughly 18% above the 1-year mark.

^{Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.}

Is a Degree in Blasting Worth It?

Looking purely at the federal earnings tracker, Blasting graduates earn a median of $39,033 four years after completion — roughly 3% above the national median for workers with only a high school diploma (~$38,000).

^{ROI estimate compares the program’s 4-yr median earnings against the 2023 BLS CPS median earnings for high-school-only workers. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + BLS Current Population Survey.}

Related Programs

You may also be interested in these closely related fields of study:

Program	CIP Code
Plumbing and Related Water Supply Services	46.05
Pipefitting/Pipefitter and Sprinkler Fitter	46.0502
Plumbing and Related Water Supply Services, Other	46.0599
Plumbing Technology/Plumber	46.0503
Well Drilling/Driller	46.0504
Building Construction Technology/Technician	46.0415
Building/Construction Site Management/Manager	46.0412
Building/Home/Construction Inspection/Inspector	46.0403
Building/Property Maintenance	46.0401
Carpentry/Carpenter	46.0201
Carpet, Floor, and Tile Worker	46.0413
Concrete Finishing/Concrete Finisher	46.0402

References

The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students and international students. This number is then divided by the total number of students to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard

More about our data sources and methodologies.