Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters salary in Illinois
Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters in Illinois earn a median of $60,520 a year ($29.10 an hour), based on BLS data for 110 workers.
Pay ranges from $52,420 for the lowest-paid 10% to $93,180 for the top 10%. That is 1% lower than the national median of $61,390. Illinois ranks 16th of 32 states for explosives workers, ordnance handling experts, and blasters pay. There are 0.02 explosives workers, ordnance handling experts, and blasters per 1,000 jobs here — the job is less common than nationally (location quotient 0.56). The average (mean) salary is $71,080, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for explosives workers, ordnance handling experts, and blasters in Illinois
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $52,420 | $25.20 |
| 25th percentile | $57,620 | $27.70 |
| Median | $60,520 | $29.10 |
| 75th percentile | $84,760 | $40.75 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $93,180 | $44.80 |
| Average (mean) | $71,080 | $34.17 |
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 | $5,043.33 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $2,521.67 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $2,327.69 |
| Weekly | $1,163.85 |
| Hourly | $29.10 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
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 Illinois
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining | $80,600 | $38.75 |
| Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas | $79,080 | $38.02 |
| Roustabouts, Oil and Gas | $46,500 | $22.36 |
| Continuous Mining Machine Operator | $74,830 | $35.98 |
| Service Unit Operators, Oil and Gas | $41,680 | $20.04 |
| Roof Bolters, Mining | $81,860 | $39.36 |
| Loading and Moving Machine Operators, Underground Mining | $75,890 | $36.48 |
| Underground Mining Machine Operators, All Other | $72,800 | $35.00 |
| Derrick Operators, Oil and Gas | $45,900 | $22.07 |
| Construction Laborer | $60,690 | $29.18 |
| Electrician | $99,560 | $47.87 |
| Carpenter | $79,000 | $37.98 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers | $105,750 | $50.84 |
| Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters | $99,950 | $48.05 |
More: Construction and Extraction Occupations · all salaries in Illinois
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 Illinois?
The median salary for explosives workers, ordnance handling experts, and blasters in Illinois is $60,520 a year, or $29.10 an hour. Pay ranges from $52,420 for the lowest-paid 10% to $93,180 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid explosives workers, ordnance handling experts, and blasters make in Illinois?
The top 10% of explosives workers, ordnance handling experts, and blasters in Illinois earn at least $93,180 a year. The top 25% earn $84,760 or more.
What is the starting pay for explosives workers, ordnance handling experts, and blasters in Illinois?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $52,420 a year, and a quarter of explosives workers, ordnance handling experts, and blasters earn $57,620 or less.
How many explosives workers, ordnance handling experts, and blasters work in Illinois?
About 110 explosives workers, ordnance handling experts, and blasters are employed in Illinois, not counting the self-employed.