Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters Salary
In Maryland, explosives workers, ordnance handling experts, and blasters earn $59,720 at the median, or about $28.71 an hour. The range runs from $46K at the entry level to $107K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 98.76), that's roughly $60,470 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,795/month, about 46% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. This is an aggregate across all of Maryland. BLS does not publish metro-level data for this occupation in this state.
So what does $60K get you in Maryland?
About explosives workers, ordnance handling experts, and blasters
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What this looks like in Maryland
Explosives workers, ordnance handling experts, and blasters pay in Maryland tracks closely to the national median, $60K locally vs. $61K nationwide, a 3% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,795/month, which is 45.5% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 98.76) 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.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Maryland
Entry-level explosives workers, ordnance handling experts, and blasters (10th percentile) start around $46K. Mid-career wages sit at $60K. Top earners bring in $107K or more, a $61K 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 Maryland numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a explosives workers, ordnance handling experts, and blaster afford a 2BR apartment alone in Maryland?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $60K, rent takes 45.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,795/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,200/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 Maryland?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new explosives workers, ordnance handling experts, and blasters typically earn — is $46K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,749/month. At HUD’s $1,795/month FMR, rent would take 65% 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 Maryland?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $60K locally vs. $61K nationally, a 3% difference.
How does Maryland compare to the national average for explosives workers, ordnance handling experts, and blasters?
Maryland pays $60K median vs. the U.S. average of $61K — that’s -3%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 98.76), the purchasing-power equivalent is $60K — below the national median.
How much do explosives workers, ordnance handling experts, and blasters make in Maryland?
The median is $59,720 a year, that works out to about $29 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $45,810, and experienced explosives workers, ordnance handling experts, and blasters can clear $106,890. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $60K enough to live in Maryland?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,947/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,795/month, which eats 45.5% 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 Maryland?
Maryland has a Regional Price Parity of 98.76 (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 $60,470 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.