Explore national salary, projected growth, education requirements, and career opportunities across the United States.
A concise view of this occupation’s national scale, compensation, and projected demand.
National median annual wage for this occupation.
Estimated jobs currently supported nationwide.
Projected employment change through 2034.
Estimated openings created each year.
The typical education, prior experience, and on-the-job training associated with entry into this career.
High school diploma or equivalent
Less than 5 years
Long-term on-the-job training
These are the highest-rated capabilities associated with success in this occupation. Scores are derived from occupational skill analysis and are measured on a 100-point scale.
Based on skills, knowledge, and work activities, these occupations are the closest match to your current career.
Explore the states and metropolitan areas offering the strongest combination of salary, employment, demand, and long-term opportunity.
Discover metro markets where compensation, hiring demand, and long-term momentum align.
Understand the salary, outlook, education, and geographic opportunities shaping this career.
Explosives workers, ordnance handling experts, and blasters work in a specialized field that combines physical capability, mechanical understanding, and careful attention to detail. Nationally, about 6,000 people are employed in this occupation, with a national median annual salary of $59,110. Typical entry into this career is based on a high school diploma or equivalent, paired with key skills such as problem solving and decision making, mechanical aptitude, and strong physical strength and stamina. Success in this field also relies on being detail oriented and adaptable, as well as having fine motor skills and leadership capabilities. Science and mathematics skills contribute to handling the technical aspects of the work. While projected national employment growth is slightly negative, there are states and metro areas with higher opportunity scores, salaries, or employment levels that may be more attractive for individuals considering this path. For some, this career can also serve as a reference point when exploring related roles such as carpenters, ship engineers, millwrights, captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels, or lighting technicians.
This occupation offers a national median annual salary of $59,110, but earnings vary significantly by location. Among the top states by opportunity score, California stands out with a median salary of $80,370, followed by Hawaii at $64,560, Virginia at $63,920, Colorado at $69,640, and Texas at $56,600. At the metro level, salary differences are even more pronounced. The New York-Newark-Jersey City metro offers a notably high median salary of $100,520. Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia also shows a relatively high median salary of $86,900. In contrast, Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington reports a median of $45,180, and Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands comes in at $55,830, while Denver-Aurora-Centennial is at $70,200. These variations highlight how choice of state or metro can significantly influence earning potential for explosives workers, ordnance handling experts, and blasters.
National employment for explosives workers, ordnance handling experts, and blasters is about 6,000, with projected employment growth of -0.9%. The projection indicates a slight decline rather than expansion. Annual openings are listed as 0, signaling limited expectations for new positions nationally over the projection period. This does not provide detail on turnover or replacement needs, but it does suggest that job seekers may encounter a relatively tight market and should be prepared for potentially competitive hiring processes. The same projected growth rate of -0.9% appears across the top states and metro areas listed, indicating that the modest decline is consistent in those highlighted regions. For individuals exploring this field, the overall outlook data emphasizes the importance of carefully considering location, opportunity scores, and how their skills align with employer needs when evaluating long-term prospects in this occupation.
Location plays a major role in the opportunity profile for explosives workers, ordnance handling experts, and blasters. Among states, California has the highest opportunity score at 67.38, with a median salary of $80,370 and employment of 220. Texas has the largest employment among the highlighted states at 460, with a median salary of $56,600 and an opportunity score of 51.57. Colorado, Virginia, and Hawaii each show moderate employment (140, 80, and 110 respectively) and mid-range opportunity scores from 46.92 to 56.97, with median salaries between $63,920 and $69,640. At the metro level, New York-Newark-Jersey City stands out with an opportunity score of 77.27, a median salary of $100,520, and employment of 120. Denver-Aurora-Centennial, Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, and Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia all present different combinations of salary, employment levels, and opportunity scores, giving job seekers multiple regional options with distinct tradeoffs.
The typical education requirement for explosives workers, ordnance handling experts, and blasters is a high school diploma or equivalent. Within that educational framework, the occupation relies heavily on a well-defined skill set rather than advanced formal schooling. Core skills include being detail oriented and having strong problem solving and decision making abilities, which support careful and accurate work. Physical strength and stamina, along with fine motor skills, are also important for handling the physical and precise aspects of the role. Mechanical skills contribute to understanding and working with equipment, while project management and leadership skills help coordinate tasks and people. Adaptability is valuable for adjusting to changing conditions. Science and mathematics skills provide a foundation for the technical and quantitative aspects of the work. Together, these skills allow individuals with a high school education to build a career in this specialized field when they develop the competencies employers seek.
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