Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters Salary
In Iowa, explosives workers, ordnance handling experts, and blasters earn $39,520 at the median, or about $19 an hour. The range runs from $37K at the entry level to $55K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.86), which stretches that salary to about $44,474 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,064/month, about 39.5% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. This is an aggregate across all of Iowa. BLS does not publish metro-level data for this occupation in this state.
So what does $40K get you in Iowa?
About explosives workers, ordnance handling experts, and blasters
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Iowa
Pay for explosives workers, ordnance handling experts, and blasters in Iowa runs about 36% below the U.S. median of $61K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,064/month, which is 39.9% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 88.86 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 11% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for explosives workers, ordnance handling experts, and blasterss.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Iowa
Entry-level explosives workers, ordnance handling experts, and blasters (10th percentile) start around $37K. Mid-career wages sit at $40K. Top earners bring in $55K or more, a $18K spread from bottom to top.
Compare to other states
Track explosives workers, ordnance handling experts, and blasters salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Iowa numbers change.
Related careers in Construction & Trades
Frequently asked questions
Can a explosives workers, ordnance handling experts, and blaster afford a 2BR apartment alone in Iowa?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $40K, rent takes 39.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,064/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $800/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for explosives workers, ordnance handling experts, and blasters in Iowa?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new explosives workers, ordnance handling experts, and blasters typically earn — is $37K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,230/month. At HUD’s $1,064/month FMR, rent would take 48% 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 Iowa?
Local pay runs 36% below the national median — $40K here vs. $61K nationally. Cost of living is 11% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Iowa compare to the national average for explosives workers, ordnance handling experts, and blasters?
Iowa pays $40K median vs. the U.S. average of $61K — that’s -36%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.86), the purchasing-power equivalent is $44K — below the national median.
How much do explosives workers, ordnance handling experts, and blasters make in Iowa?
The median is $39,520 a year, that works out to about $19 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $37,170, and experienced explosives workers, ordnance handling experts, and blasters can clear $55,190. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $40K enough to live in Iowa?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,664/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,064/month, which eats 39.9% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a explosives workers, ordnance handling experts, and blasters salary go in Iowa?
Iowa has a Regional Price Parity of 88.86 (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 $44,474 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.