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Salary comparison

Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters vs. First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers: Who Earns More?

First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers out-earn Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters by $19K a year at the national median, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters land at $61,390 and First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers at $79,920. The education gap is real: explosives workers, ordnance handling experts, and blaster programs typically require high school diploma or equivalent, while first-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction worker programs require high school diploma or equivalent. Top-paying state for Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters is New Jersey ($100,520); for First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers it's Washington ($109,570).

Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters
First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers
Median salary
$61,390
$79,920
Hourly rate
$29.51/hr
$38.42/hr
Entry level (10th %)
$40,480
$53,280
Senior level (90th %)
$99,360
$128,260
Education required
High school diploma or equivalent
High school diploma or equivalent
U.S. employment
5,100
812,210
Job growth (10-year)
-0.9%
5.3%
Category
Construction & Trades
Construction & Trades
Top-paying state
New Jersey
Washington

Pay by state

States where both occupations have BLS data, sorted by Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters median pay.

State
Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters
First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers
New Jersey
$100,520
$105,510
New York
$96,940
$95,700
Pennsylvania
$84,400
$81,540
California
$80,370
$97,680
Colorado
$69,640
$81,230
Hawaii
$64,560
$102,630
Missouri
$64,040
$87,520
Virginia
$63,920
$78,640
Illinois
$60,520
$105,750
Nevada
$60,500
$81,990
Maryland
$59,720
$78,760
Indiana
$59,110
$82,530
Wisconsin
$52,400
$85,350
West Virginia
$49,630
$80,060
Ohio
$46,630
$79,580

Source: BLS OEWS May 2025. Highlighted value is higher in each row.

Common questions

Who earns more, Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters or First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers?

First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers earn more nationally. The median is $61,390 for Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters versus $79,920 for First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers, a difference of $19K. Per BLS OEWS May 2025.

Which has better job growth, Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters or First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers?

First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers has the better 10-year outlook at 5.3% projected growth, compared to -0.9% for the other field. Both are from BLS Employment Projections.

Which requires more education, Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters or First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers?

Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters typically requires high school diploma or equivalent. First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers requires high school diploma or equivalent. Education requirements vary by employer and state licensing board.

Where do Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters get paid the most?

New Jersey is the top-paying state for Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters at $100,520/year, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Major metro areas within that state typically pay even more than the state average.

How does Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters vs. First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers pay differ by state?

The gap varies significantly by state. In New Jersey, Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters earn $100,520 vs. $105,510 for First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers. See the state comparison table on this page for the full picture.

Full Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters salary breakdownView →Full First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers salary breakdownView →Best cities for Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters by take-home payExplore →Best cities for First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers by take-home payExplore →How to become a explosives workers, ordnance handling experts, and blastersGuide →How to become a first-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workersGuide →