Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters in Kentucky

Is Kentucky a good place for you to work as an Explosives Worker, Ordnance Handling Expert, or Blaster?

While jobs for Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters in Kentucky are decreasing, those who do work in these jobs get paid higher than average.

• Employment for Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters in Kentucky is expected to decrease.

• Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters in Kentucky earn lower salaries than the typical U.S. wage earner.

What Major Will Prepare You For an Explosives Worker, Ordnance Handling Expert, or Blaster Career?

• Construction Trades
• Plumbing & Water Supply
• Blasting/Blaster

How Many Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters Work in Kentucky?

There were approximately 220 workers employed as Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters in this state in 2018.

There were 270 Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters employed in this state in 2017.

That’s a decline of 50 jobs between 2017 and 2018.

The typical state has 110 Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters working in it, which means Kentucky has more Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters than average.

Job Projections for Kentucky

Jobs for Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters in this state are declining at a rate of 6.7% which is a faster decline than the nationwide estimated projection of 7.9%.

Kentucky Annual Job Openings

The BLS is projecting 30 annual Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters job openings in Kentucky, and 280 total jobs in the year 2026.

Nationwide, the prediction is 800 annual jobs and 6,800 total jobs in 2026.

What do Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters Make in Kentucky?

In 2018 wages for Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters ranged from $41,710 to $60,320 with $45,690 being the median annual salary.

Broken down to an hourly rate, workers in this field made anywhere from $20.05 to $29. The median hourly rate was $21.97.

In 2017 the median pay for this field was $21.37 an hour.

The hourly rate grew by $0.60.

The median salary in Kentucky is higher than the nationwide median salary.

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Top States for Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters Employment

The table below shows the states where most Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters work.

State	Number Employed	Annual Median Salary
Texas	760	$40,100
Oklahoma	680	$41,760
Indiana	410	$44,760
Tennessee	270	$39,360
Pennsylvania	260	$60,620
Kentucky	220	$45,690
Colorado	200	$60,350
Wyoming	190	$68,000
Arkansas	170	$40,930
California	160	$68,610
West Virginia	120	$46,500
Arizona	110	$56,670
Florida	110	$54,100
New York	110	$70,470
New Mexico	110	$68,670
Alabama	90	$51,620
Wisconsin	80	$63,460
Ohio	70	$47,490
Hawaii	70	$58,410
Utah	60	$52,190

Below are the states where Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters get paid the most:

State	Annual Median Salary
Nevada	$70,620
New York	$70,470
New Mexico	$68,670
California	$68,610
Wyoming	$68,000
Montana	$67,400
Wisconsin	$63,460
Alaska	$63,330
Maryland	$62,250
Massachusetts	$60,670

References

• Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)
• College Factual
• National Center for Education Statistics
• O*NET Online
• Image Credit: By Tomwsulcer under License

More about our data sources and methodologies.