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Blasting

What Blasting Majors Need to Know

Programs in Blasting develop a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Blasting graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

This major prepares you for careers needing Blasting emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• Customer and Personal Service — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.
• Administration and Management — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.
• Building and Construction — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.
• Public Safety and Security — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 3.7 / 7.
• Mechanical — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.

^{Importance is rated 1–5; level is 1–7. Source: ONET Online — weighted across related occupations.*}

Skills

The skill set built by a Blasting program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Active Listening — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 3.5 / 7.
• Monitoring — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 3.6 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 3.5 / 7.
• Speaking — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 3.5 / 7.
• Coordination — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 3.7 / 7.

Abilities

Innate abilities most relevant to Blasting careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Oral Comprehension — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.
• Problem Sensitivity — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 3.6 / 7.
• Oral Expression — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 3.8 / 7.
• Near Vision — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 3.7 / 7.
• Information Ordering — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 3.6 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Blasting graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	4.3 / 7
Getting Information	4.3 / 7
Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials	4.2 / 7
Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards	4.1 / 7
Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings	4.0 / 7
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events	4.0 / 7
Handling and Moving Objects	4.0 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	4.0 / 7
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work	4.0 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	4.0 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Blasting professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	✓
Microsoft Outlook	Electronic mail software	—
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	—
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	—
Autodesk AutoCAD	Computer aided design CAD software	—
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	—
Oracle Primavera Systems	Project management software	—
Prolog	Development environment software	—
Oracle Primavera Enterprise Project Portfolio Management	Project management software	—
Procore software	Analytical or scientific software	—
Microsoft Project	Project management software	—
Inventory tracking software	Inventory management software	—

^{Source: ONET Online technology skills, weighted across related occupations.*}

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Blasting graduates include:

• Tunnel Worker
• Lead Blasting Miner
• Company Blasting Miner
• Perforator
• Miner
• Sample Taker Operator
• Mica Blasting Miner
• Charge Entry Specialist
• Powderman
• Coal Shooter
• Charge Specialist
• Ore Blasting Miner
• Blaster
• Lode Blasting Miner
• Explosives and Weapons Technical Instructor

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to Blasting graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:

Education Level	Share of Workers
High school diploma or equivalent	45.7%
Postsecondary certificate	18.5%
Less than a high school diploma	13.9%
Some college courses	8.6%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	8.1%
Bachelor’s degree	5.2%

^{Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*}

How Much Do Blasting Graduates Earn?

Federal data tracks median earnings of Blasting graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Earnings tend to climb steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$38,651
4 years	$39,033
5 years	$45,465

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $45,465 — roughly 18% above the 1-year mark.

^{Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.}

Is a Degree in Blasting Worth It?

On the earnings side, the federal earnings tracker, Blasting graduates earn a median of $39,033 four years after completion — roughly 3% above the national median for workers with only a high school diploma (~$38,000).

^{ROI estimate compares the program’s 4-yr median earnings against the 2023 BLS CPS median earnings for high-school-only workers. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + BLS Current Population Survey.}

Related Programs

You may also be interested in these closely related fields of study:

Program	Annual Degrees Awarded
Carpentry/Carpenter	5,356
Plumbing and Related Water Supply Services	3,471
Plumbing Technology/Plumber	2,780
Construction Trades	2,761
Building/Property Maintenance	2,023
Building Construction Technology/Technician	1,924
Building/Construction Site Management/Manager	1,530
Pipefitting/Pipefitter and Sprinkler Fitter	613
Building/Home/Construction Inspection/Inspector	312
Drywall Installation/Drywaller	254
Plumbing and Related Water Supply Services, Other	71
Concrete Finishing/Concrete Finisher	70

References

The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students and international students. This number is then divided by the total number of students to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard

More about our data sources and methodologies.