Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters Salary
In New Mexico, explosives workers, ordnance handling experts, and blasters earn $78,960 at the median, or about $37.96 an hour. The range runs from $37K at the entry level to $87K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 93.06), which stretches that salary to about $84,848 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,119/month, or 21.6% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. This is an aggregate across all of New Mexico. BLS does not publish metro-level data for this occupation in this state.
So what does $79K get you in New Mexico?
About explosives workers, ordnance handling experts, and blasters
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What this looks like in New Mexico
New Mexico sits well above the national pay line for explosives workers, ordnance handling experts, and blasters, local pay runs about 29% higher than the U.S. median of $61K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,119/month, 22% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 93.06 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 7% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Combined with manageable housing costs, New Mexico offers a genuinely strong financial position for explosives workers, ordnance handling experts, and blasterss at the median.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, New Mexico
Entry-level explosives workers, ordnance handling experts, and blasters (10th percentile) start around $37K. Mid-career wages sit at $79K. Top earners bring in $87K or more, a $50K spread from bottom to top.
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Track explosives workers, ordnance handling experts, and blasters salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when New Mexico numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a explosives workers, ordnance handling experts, and blaster afford a 2BR apartment alone in New Mexico?
Yes — at the median salary of $79K, rent takes 22% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,119/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 New Mexico?
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 $2,238/month. At HUD’s $1,119/month FMR, rent would take 50% 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 New Mexico?
Local pay is 29% above the national median — $79K here vs. $61K nationally.
How does New Mexico compare to the national average for explosives workers, ordnance handling experts, and blasters?
New Mexico pays $79K median vs. the U.S. average of $61K — that’s +29%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.06), the purchasing-power equivalent is $85K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do explosives workers, ordnance handling experts, and blasters make in New Mexico?
The median is $78,960 a year, that works out to about $38 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $37,300, and experienced explosives workers, ordnance handling experts, and blasters can clear $87,360. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $79K enough to live in New Mexico?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,088/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,119/month, which eats 22% 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 New Mexico?
New Mexico has a Regional Price Parity of 93.06 (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 $84,848 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.