# Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters

> 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.

- Edition: Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition
- Page: https://www.collegesref.com/careers/explosives-workers-ordnance-handling-experts-and-blasters
- SOC code: 47-5032.00
- Career family: Construction and extraction
- Median annual pay: $61,390 (10th percentile $40,480, 90th percentile $99,360)
- Projected growth: Little or no change, 0.0%
- Openings a year: 400
- Typical entry education: High school diploma
- Bright outlook: no
- Data years: BLS 2025 wages · 2025–35 projections

## Interest profile (code RCI)

| Interest area | Score (0–100) |
| --- | ---: |
| Realistic (R) | 98 |
| Investigative (I) | 46 |
| Artistic (A) | 4 |
| Social (S) | 5 |
| Enterprising (E) | 14 |
| Conventional (C) | 53 |

## What you'd do

- Making Decisions and Solving Problems (importance 86/100)
- Getting Information (importance 83/100)
- Documenting/Recording Information (importance 82/100)
- Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards (importance 82/100)
- Performing General Physical Activities (importance 81/100)
- Handling and Moving Objects (importance 80/100)
- Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials (importance 80/100)
- Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events (importance 79/100)
- Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings (importance 79/100)
- Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge (importance 79/100)

## Skills

Active Listening, Monitoring, Critical Thinking, Judgment and Decision Making, Operation and Control, Operations Monitoring, Complex Problem Solving, Speaking, Time Management, Active Learning

## Knowledge

Public Safety and Security, Law and Government, Mathematics, Engineering and Technology, Administration and Management, Customer and Personal Service, Transportation, English Language, Mechanical, Production and Processing

## Also called

Aircraft Ordnance Technician, Ammunition and Explosives Handler, Blast Driller, Blast Hole Driller, Blast Setter, Blast Technician, Blaster, Blasting Clay Miner, Blasting Coal Miner, Blasting Contract Man

## Majors that lead here (NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk, 4-digit CIP)

- [Ground Transportation](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/4902) (CIP 4902, 213 colleges)
- [Plumbing and Related Water Supply Services](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/4605) (CIP 4605, 165 colleges)

## Colleges with strong outcomes (College Scorecard, 2025)

| College | Program | Earnings 1 yr | Earnings 4 yrs | Median debt |
| --- | --- | ---: | ---: | ---: |
| [Ivy Tech Community College](https://www.collegesref.com/college/ivy-tech-community-college-1314) | Plumbing and Related Water Supply Services | $94,410 | $93,701 | not reported |
| [Pennsylvania College of Technology](https://www.collegesref.com/college/pennsylvania-college-of-technology-2096) | Ground Transportation | $54,938 | $62,389 | $12,000 |
| [New England Institute of Technology](https://www.collegesref.com/college/new-england-institute-of-technology-1845) | Plumbing and Related Water Supply Services | $49,923 | $54,989 | $12,000 |

## Related careers

- [Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/earth-drillers-except-oil-and-gas): $60,190 median pay
- [Helpers--Extraction Workers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/helpers-extraction-workers): $47,730 median pay
- [Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/rotary-drill-operators-oil-and-gas): $67,890 median pay
- [Continuous Mining Machine Operators](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/continuous-mining-machine-operators): $61,810 median pay
- [Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/operating-engineers-and-other-construction-equipment-operators): $59,850 median pay
- [Pile Driver Operators](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/pile-driver-operators): $73,300 median pay

## Sources

- [O*NET Database](https://www.onetcenter.org/database.html), version 31.0 (CC BY 4.0)
- [BLS Employment Projections](https://www.bls.gov/emp/tables.htm), version 2025-35, data year 2025 (Public domain (U.S. government work))
- [BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics](https://www.bls.gov/oes/tables.htm), version 2025, data year 2025 (Public domain (U.S. government work))
- [NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk](https://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/cipcode/resources.aspx?y=56), version 2020, data year 2020 (Public domain (U.S. government work))

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. CollegesRef has modified all or some of this information.