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Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters

Typical education: High school diplomaHigh pressure

What they do

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.

Kinds of work

  • Realistic: Hands-on work with tools, machines, plants or animals, often outdoors.
  • Conventional: Organizing information, following clear procedures and working with data and details.
  • Investigative: Science, research, figuring out how things work and solving complex problems.

High pressure: How much pressure workers in this job report: deadlines, conflict, dealing with upset people, the cost of mistakes, responsibility for others' safety, competition and long hours. It varies a lot from one employer to the next. Source: U.S. Department of Labor worker surveys.

Pay, tasks and more

Salary

United States $61,390 Median per year · $29.51/hr Most earn $40,480–$99,360

BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2025.

What you might do

  • Compile and keep gun and explosives records in compliance with local and federal laws.
  • Examine blast areas to determine amounts and kinds of explosive charges needed and to ensure that safety laws are observed.
  • 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 waterproof sealers, bullets, and/or powder charges into guns, and screw gun ports back into place.
  • Clean, gauge, and lubricate gun ports.
  • Lower perforating guns into wells, using hoists; then use measuring devices and instrument panels to position guns in correct positions for taking samples.

Job outlook

United States
About the same number of jobs by 2035, little or no change · about 400 openings a year

Openings include new jobs and jobs left by workers who retire or change careers. Projections: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. "Bright Outlook": U.S. Department of Labor.

Where they work

  • Federal government, excluding postal service23.6%
  • Merchant wholesalers, nondurable goods11.6%
  • Other specialty trade contractors8.5%
  • Support activities for mining7.8%
  • Nonmetallic mineral mining and quarrying5.8%

Share of all workers in this career. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, National Employment Matrix.

Experience before this job: 1 to 2 years

Some people start through an apprenticeship: paid training on the job, often with classes. Search apprenticeships on Apprenticeship.gov (opens in a new tab) ↗

Career path

How people usually get into this career, from school to their first job and beyond.

Typical education: High school diplomaExperience before this job: 1 to 2 years

Blasting is usually not a straight-out-of-school job. Most people need a high school diploma and about 1 to 2 years of related work first, often as a helper on a blasting, mining, or construction crew. Rules for handling explosives vary by state and employer, so check what licenses or training apply where you live.

  1. High school diploma

    4 years

    Build a solid base in math, science, and shop or technical classes, and learn to follow safety rules carefully, since this work depends on precision and caution.

  2. Helper--Extraction Worker

    6 months to 1 year

    Work on a crew that drills, loads, and clears blast sites, learning how explosives are stored, handled, and set up under supervision.

  3. Explosives Worker, Ordnance Handling Expert, or Blaster

    1 to 2 years of related experience before this role

    Once you have hands-on experience and any required licensing or training, you place and detonate charges, keep accurate records, and follow strict handling procedures.

Where it can lead

  1. Lead Blaster

    3-5 years as a blaster of experience first

    You take charge of planning and running blasts on a crew, deciding charge placement and coordinating with the team, which requires a strong safety record and good judgment.

  2. Blasting Supervisor

    5+ years in blasting or related field work of experience first

    You oversee several crews or a whole site, handling scheduling, compliance with safety and storage rules, and training other workers.

What you can do now

Ideas for high school and college students.

In high school

  • Take math and physicsCalculations for distances, weights, and timing are part of planning safe blasts, and physics explains how force and energy move through materials.
  • Take shop, welding, or construction tech classesHands-on technical skills and comfort with tools and job sites are useful on any crew that works with explosives.
  • Get a part-time job on a job site or at a quarryWorking as a helper or laborer, even briefly, gives you real experience with site safety and crew work.
  • Get first aid and CPR certifiedMany schools and community groups offer these courses, and they show employers you can respond calmly in an emergency.
  • Join a career tech or skilled trades clubClubs like these often offer competitions and workshops that teach teamwork, safety habits, and technical skills.

In college

  • Study geology, engineering, or construction technologyThese majors cover rock, soil, and structures, which connect directly to planning and carrying out blasts.
  • Look for a summer internship or co-op at a quarry, mine, or construction firmField experience builds the 1 to 2 years of related work employers usually expect before someone can become a blaster.
  • Take an OSHA 10-hour safety courseThis recognized construction safety training is easy to add to a resume and shows you already understand job site hazards.
  • Find a campus job in facilities, maintenance, or groundsWorking around equipment and following safety procedures builds practical habits that transfer to blasting crews.
  • Ask about explosives handling training or licensingFind out which courses or permits your state requires, and whether your school or local employers offer training in that area.

Tips for getting started

  • Look for summer or part-time jobs at quarries, construction sites, or mines. Even a laborer job shows employers you can work safely outdoors and take direction.
  • Get basic safety certifications early, such as first aid/CPR and an OSHA 10-hour construction safety course, if your school or town offers them. They make job applications stronger.
  • Ask local blasting or construction companies what licenses or permits they require, and find out which ones you can start working toward.

Related jobs that often lead here

Related jobs a step up

Education, experience and related careers: U.S. Department of Labor. The step-by-step path, where it can lead and what you can do now were written by AI as typical examples; many people take other ways.

College majors that lead here

Majors: U.S. Department of Education and BLS (CIP–SOC crosswalk). Earnings and debt: College Scorecard, typical across U.S. colleges.

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