Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters salary in Colorado
Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters in Colorado earn a median of $69,640 a year ($33.48 an hour), based on BLS data for 140 workers.
Pay ranges from $54,870 for the lowest-paid 10% to $91,550 for the top 10%. That is 13% higher than the national median of $61,390. Colorado ranks 10th of 32 states for explosives workers, ordnance handling experts, and blasters pay. There are 0.05 explosives workers, ordnance handling experts, and blasters per 1,000 jobs here — the job is 1.4× more common than nationally. The average (mean) salary is $70,670, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for explosives workers, ordnance handling experts, and blasters in Colorado
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $54,870 | $26.38 |
| 25th percentile | $61,390 | $29.51 |
| Median | $69,640 | $33.48 |
| 75th percentile | $77,180 | $37.11 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $91,550 | $44.01 |
| Average (mean) | $70,670 | $33.97 |
Half of explosives workers, ordnance handling experts, and blasters earn more than the median and half earn less. Percentiles show the spread: 10% earn less than the 10th percentile, and 10% earn more than the 90th.
Median paycheck, before taxes
| Pay period | Amount |
|---|---|
| Monthly | $5,803.33 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $2,901.67 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $2,678.46 |
| Weekly | $1,339.23 |
| Hourly | $33.48 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters salary in cities in Colorado
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $70,200 | 80 |
Highest-paying states for explosives workers, ordnance handling experts, and blasters
| State | Median salary |
|---|---|
| New Jersey | $100,520 |
| New York | $96,940 |
| North Carolina | $85,630 |
| Wyoming | $85,070 |
| Pennsylvania | $84,400 |
| California | $80,370 |
| New Mexico | $78,960 |
| Tennessee | $74,190 |
| Florida | $69,780 |
| Colorado | $69,640 |
See Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters pay in every state.
Related jobs in Colorado
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Service Unit Operators, Oil and Gas | $60,290 | $28.98 |
| Roustabouts, Oil and Gas | $49,050 | $23.58 |
| Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining | $61,020 | $29.34 |
| Continuous Mining Machine Operator | $81,110 | $38.99 |
| Derrick Operators, Oil and Gas | $64,730 | $31.12 |
| Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas | $64,820 | $31.16 |
| Helpers--Extraction Workers | $37,450 | $18.00 |
| Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas | $79,830 | $38.38 |
| Rock Splitters, Quarry | $46,590 | $22.40 |
| Loading and Moving Machine Operators, Underground Mining | $79,150 | $38.05 |
| Extraction Workers, All Other | $77,890 | $37.45 |
| Roof Bolters, Mining | $81,270 | $39.07 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers | $81,230 | $39.05 |
| Construction Laborer | $47,900 | $23.03 |
More: Construction and Extraction Occupations · all salaries in Colorado
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, occupation code 47-5032. Wages include base pay, tips, commissions and shift pay, but not overtime, bonuses or benefits, and exclude the self-employed.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a explosives workers, ordnance handling experts, and blasters make in Colorado?
The median salary for explosives workers, ordnance handling experts, and blasters in Colorado is $69,640 a year, or $33.48 an hour. Pay ranges from $54,870 for the lowest-paid 10% to $91,550 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid explosives workers, ordnance handling experts, and blasters make in Colorado?
The top 10% of explosives workers, ordnance handling experts, and blasters in Colorado earn at least $91,550 a year. The top 25% earn $77,180 or more.
What is the starting pay for explosives workers, ordnance handling experts, and blasters in Colorado?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $54,870 a year, and a quarter of explosives workers, ordnance handling experts, and blasters earn $61,390 or less.
How many explosives workers, ordnance handling experts, and blasters work in Colorado?
About 140 explosives workers, ordnance handling experts, and blasters are employed in Colorado, not counting the self-employed.