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Blaster: pay, job outlook and how to become one

Updated October 28, 2026. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET data. Published by Humblebee.

$61,390median pay per year, or $29.51 an hour, May 2025[1]
  1. $40,480lowest 10% earn less
  2. $49,63025th percentile
  3. $61,390median
  4. $80,37075th percentile
  5. $99,360top 10% earn more
Middle half of workers in the inner band[4]Median for all US jobs, $50,980[2]

Blasters earned a median of $61,390 a year, above the $50,980 median for all US occupations[1][2]. The job is small, and BLS projects employment to stay about the same through 2035[3].

Job growth, 2025–35
+0%[3]
Openings per year
400[5]
Typical entry education
High school diploma or equivalent[6]

How much do blasters make?

The official BLS category is Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters. Its median pay was $61,390 a year, or $29.51 an hour, in May 2025[1]. Half of the workers earned more and half earned less[1]. For comparison, the median for all US occupations was $50,980[2]. The mean (average) was $66,640 a year, or $32.04 an hour[7].

Percentile Annual Hourly
10th[4][8] $40,480 $19.46
25th[4][8] $49,630 $23.86
50th (median)[1] $61,390 $29.51
75th[4][8] $80,370 $38.64
90th[4][8] $99,360 $47.77

The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $40,480 a year, and the top 10% earned more than $99,360[4]. A percentile is a boundary line. BLS publishes percentile wages, not a starting salary[9].

About 5,100 people held these wage and salary jobs[10]. The figures leave out the self-employed, and they do not include nonproduction bonuses or what employers pay for benefits such as health insurance[11].

Pay by state and city

BLS published state medians for 32 states[12]. New Jersey was listed first at $100,520, followed by New York ($96,940), North Carolina ($85,630), Wyoming ($85,070) and Pennsylvania ($84,400)[12]. At the other end of the list, Louisiana had a median of $39,900 and Iowa had $39,520[12].

The most jobs were in Texas (460), Kentucky (380), Indiana (330), Oklahoma (330) and Nevada (260)[13].

BLS lists only two metro areas with at least 100 of these jobs in its top-pay ranking[14]. New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ had a median of $100,520, and Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX had $55,830[14]. Houston had the most jobs of any metro area, 180, followed by New York with 120 and Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX with 90[15].

Show median pay in 32 states
StateMedian per yearJobs
New Jersey[12]$100,520n/a
New York$96,940n/a
North Carolina$85,630160
Wyoming$85,07060
Pennsylvania$84,400n/a
California$80,370220
New Mexico$78,96080
Tennessee$74,19070
Florida$69,78090
Colorado$69,640140
Utah$67,91050
Hawaii$64,560110
Missouri$64,040150
Virginia$63,92080
Georgia$61,48070
Illinois$60,520110
Nevada$60,500260
Idaho$60,360n/a
Alabama$59,820100
Maryland$59,720n/a
Indiana$59,110330
South Dakota$56,780n/a
Texas$56,600460
Oklahoma$55,180330
Arkansas$53,12090
Wisconsin$52,40060
Kentucky$50,360380
West Virginia$49,63050
Mississippi$47,06040
Ohio$46,630120
Louisiana$39,900130
Iowa$39,52090

How to become a blaster

BLS describes the typical path like this[6]:

BLS does not say how many months or years that training lasts, so check with employers.

In a survey, O*NET asked 24 workers what education the job requires[16]. In that survey, 62% said a high school diploma or equivalent, 21% said a post-secondary certificate and 8% said some college courses[16]. With so few respondents, treat these shares as a rough picture only.

O*NET places the job in Job Zone 1-2, a group where the preparation needed ranges from very little to some[17].

What blasters do

O*NET describes the work as placing and setting off explosives to bring down structures or to break up and move earth, rock and similar material[18]. Common tasks include:

Job titles workers report include blast hole driller, powderman and explosive technician[20].

Job outlook

BLS projects employment to stay about the same from 2025 to 2035, at roughly 5,200 jobs[3]. That is 0% growth, compared with 3.5% for all occupations[3][21]. The projection counts include self-employed workers[3].

Even with no growth, BLS expects about 400 openings a year on average[5]. These openings include jobs that come open when workers retire or move to other occupations, not only new jobs[5]. Each year, 3.2% of workers leave the labor force and 5.4% move to a different occupation[22].

Is it a good fit?

The pay is above the all-occupation median, and the entry requirement is a high school diploma followed by long on-the-job training[1][2][6]. The pay range is wide, from $40,480 at the 10th percentile to $99,360 at the 90th[4]. The job is small and is not projected to grow[10][3]. Openings come from workers leaving or changing jobs[5][22]. Pay also differs a lot by state, so local figures matter[12].

Related occupations from O*NET, with BLS median pay and projected growth[23].

Frequently asked questions

How much does a blaster make an hour?
The median was $29.51 an hour in May 2025[1]. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $19.46 an hour, and the top 10% earned more than $47.77[8].
What education do you need to be a blaster?
BLS lists a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry education[6]. In an O*NET survey of 24 workers, 62% said that level is required[16].
Is blasting in demand?
BLS projects employment to stay about the same from 2025 to 2035, against 3.5% growth for all occupations[3][21]. About 400 openings a year are expected, including jobs left by retirements and occupation changes[5].
What is the highest paying state for blasters?
New Jersey had the highest median, $100,520, followed by New York at $96,940[12].

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters in the US was $61,390 per year and $29.51 per hour. Half of workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  2. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in the US was $50,980. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  3. BLS Employment Projections: employment of Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters is projected to stay about the same 0% from 2025 to 2035, from about 5,200 to 5,200 jobs (a change of +0). These counts include self-employed workers. BLS Employment Projections
  4. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters: 10th percentile $40,480, 25th percentile $49,630, 75th percentile $80,370, 90th percentile $99,360. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  5. BLS Employment Projections: about 400 openings for Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters are projected each year, on average, from 2025 to 2035. Openings include jobs that open when workers retire or move to other occupations, not only new jobs. BLS Employment Projections
  6. BLS Employment Projections, typical path into Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters: education needed for entry: High school diploma or equivalent; work experience in a related occupation: Less than 5 years; typical on-the-job training: Long-term on-the-job training. BLS Employment Projections
  7. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters was $66,640 per year and $32.04 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  8. BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters: 10th percentile $19.46, 25th percentile $23.86, 75th percentile $38.64, 90th percentile $47.77. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  9. BLS OEWS FAQ: a percentile wage is a boundary. The median (50th percentile) separates the highest-paid 50% from the lowest-paid 50% of workers in the occupation. OEWS publishes percentile wages, not a starting salary. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  10. BLS OEWS, May 2025: about 5,100 people were employed as Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters in the US (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  11. BLS OEWS FAQ: OEWS covers part-time and full-time workers paid a wage or salary. It does not cover the self-employed, owners and partners in unincorporated firms, household workers or unpaid family workers. OEWS wages do not include nonproduction bonuses or employer costs of benefits such as health insurance or retirement contributions. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  12. Median annual wage for Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters in every state with published data, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  13. BLS OEWS, May 2025, states with the most Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters jobs: Texas 460; Kentucky 380; Indiana 330; Oklahoma 330; Nevada 260. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  14. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the highest median annual wage for Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters (areas with at least 100 jobs): New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ $100,520; Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX $55,830. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  15. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the most Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters jobs: Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX 180 (median $55,830); New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ 120 (median $100,520); Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 90 (median $45,180); Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO 80 (median $70,200); Urban Honolulu, HI 80 (median $66,850); Bakersfield-Delano, CA 60 (median $92,290). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  16. O*NET 47-5032.00 survey of workers (24 respondents), education level they say is required: High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) 62%, Post-Secondary Certificate 21%, Some College Courses 8% (levels under 5% not listed). O*NET OnLine
  17. O*NET 47-5032.00: Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed. Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training. O*NET OnLine
  18. O*NET description of Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters. O*NET OnLine
  19. O*NET task list for Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters. O*NET OnLine
  20. O*NET 47-5032.00 sample job titles reported by workers: Blast Hole Driller, Blaster, Explosive Technician, Powderman, Unexploded Ordnance Quality Control Officer. O*NET OnLine
  21. BLS Employment Projections: employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% from 2025 to 2035. BLS Employment Projections
  22. BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35 annual average for Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters: 3.2% of workers leave the labor force each year and 5.4% move to a different occupation. BLS Employment Projections
  23. Related occupations (O*NET) with BLS pay, growth and entry education. O*NET OnLine

Notes are for reading the data only. They are not facts and cannot be cited: use the wage_scope and percentile_meaning facts instead. OEWS employment (jobs in May 2025) and Employment Projections employment (2025, includes self-employed) are different measures and can differ. O*NET education shares come from a small survey of workers in the occupation, not from all workers.

This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerFacts has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.