Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters Salary
In Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ, explosives workers, ordnance handling experts, and blasters earn $97,910 at the median, or about $47.07 an hour. The range runs from $80K at the entry level to $98K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 99.97), that's roughly $97,939 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,634/month, or 25.9% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $98K get you in Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton’s Regional Price Parity (99.97). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About explosives workers, ordnance handling experts, and blasters
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What this looks like in Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton
Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton sits well above the national pay line for explosives workers, ordnance handling experts, and blasters, local pay runs about 59% higher than the U.S. median of $61K. Rent runs $1,634/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 26.4% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 99.97) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for explosives workers, ordnance handling experts, and blasters in metros near Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City | $101K | $89K |
| Cincinnati | $27K | $29K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ
Entry-level explosives workers, ordnance handling experts, and blasters (10th percentile) start around $80K. Mid-career wages sit at $98K. Top earners bring in $98K or more, a $17K spread from bottom to top.
Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Jersey | $101K | +64% | N/A |
| New York | $97K | +58% | N/A |
| North Carolina | $86K | +39% | 160 |
| Wyoming | $85K | +39% | 60 |
| Pennsylvania | $84K | +37% | N/A |
| California | $80K | +31% | 220 |
| New Mexico | $79K | +29% | 80 |
| Tennessee | $74K | +21% | 70 |
| Florida | $70K | +14% | 90 |
| Colorado | $70K | +13% | 140 |
| Utah | $68K | +11% | 50 |
| Hawaii | $65K | +5% | 110 |
| Missouri | $64K | +4% | 150 |
| Virginia | $64K | +4% | 80 |
| Georgia | $61K | +0% | 70 |
| Illinois | $61K | -1% | 110 |
| Nevada | $61K | -1% | 260 |
| Idaho | $60K | -2% | N/A |
| Alabama | $60K | -3% | 100 |
| Maryland | $60K | -3% | N/A |
| Indiana | $59K | -4% | 330 |
| South Dakota | $57K | -8% | N/A |
| Texas | $57K | -8% | 460 |
| Oklahoma | $55K | -10% | 330 |
| Arkansas | $53K | -13% | 90 |
| Wisconsin | $52K | -15% | 60 |
| Kentucky | $50K | -18% | 380 |
| West Virginia | $50K | -19% | 50 |
| Mississippi | $47K | -23% | 40 |
| Ohio | $47K | -24% | 120 |
| Louisiana | $40K | -35% | 130 |
| Iowa | $40K | -36% | 90 |
Showing 1–10 of 32 states
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track explosives workers, ordnance handling experts, and blasters salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a explosives workers, ordnance handling experts, and blaster afford a 2BR apartment alone in Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton?
Yes — at the median salary of $98K, rent takes 26.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,634/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for explosives workers, ordnance handling experts, and blasters in Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new explosives workers, ordnance handling experts, and blasters typically earn — is $80K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,827/month. At HUD’s $1,634/month FMR, rent would take 34% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is explosives workers, ordnance handling experts, and blaster a high-paying job in Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton?
Local pay is 59% above the national median — $98K here vs. $61K nationally.
How does Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton compare to the national average for explosives workers, ordnance handling experts, and blasters?
Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton pays $98K median vs. the U.S. average of $61K — that’s +59%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 99.97), the purchasing-power equivalent is $98K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do explosives workers, ordnance handling experts, and blasters make in Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ?
The median is $97,910 a year, that works out to about $47 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $80,450, and experienced explosives workers, ordnance handling experts, and blasters can clear $97,910. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $98K enough to live in Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $6,188/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,634/month, which eats 26.4% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a explosives workers, ordnance handling experts, and blasters salary go in Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton?
Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton has a Regional Price Parity of 99.97 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median explosives workers, ordnance handling experts, and blasters salary is worth about $97,939 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do explosives workers, ordnance handling experts, and blasters get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.