Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters Salary
In Pennsylvania, explosives workers, ordnance handling experts, and blasters earn $84,400 at the median, or about $40.58 an hour. The range runs from $58K at the entry level to $103K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 94.97), which stretches that salary to about $88,870 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,351/month, or 24.8% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Pennsylvania. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $84K get you in Pennsylvania?
About explosives workers, ordnance handling experts, and blasters
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What this looks like in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania sits well above the national pay line for explosives workers, ordnance handling experts, and blasters, local pay runs about 37% higher than the U.S. median of $61K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,351/month, 24.9% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 94.97 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 5% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Combined with manageable housing costs, Pennsylvania offers a genuinely strong financial position for explosives workers, ordnance handling experts, and blasterss at the median.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Pennsylvania
Entry-level explosives workers, ordnance handling experts, and blasters (10th percentile) start around $58K. Mid-career wages sit at $84K. Top earners bring in $103K or more, a $45K spread from bottom to top.
Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters salary by metro in Pennsylvania
1 metro area with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton | $98K | +16% | N/A |
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BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Pennsylvania numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a explosives workers, ordnance handling experts, and blaster afford a 2BR apartment alone in Pennsylvania?
Yes — at the median salary of $84K, rent takes 24.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,351/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 Pennsylvania?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new explosives workers, ordnance handling experts, and blasters typically earn — is $58K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,484/month. At HUD’s $1,351/month FMR, rent would take 39% 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 Pennsylvania?
Local pay is 37% above the national median — $84K here vs. $61K nationally.
How does Pennsylvania compare to the national average for explosives workers, ordnance handling experts, and blasters?
Pennsylvania pays $84K median vs. the U.S. average of $61K — that’s +37%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 94.97), the purchasing-power equivalent is $89K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do explosives workers, ordnance handling experts, and blasters make in Pennsylvania?
The median is $84,400 a year, that works out to about $41 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $58,070, and experienced explosives workers, ordnance handling experts, and blasters can clear $102,730. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $84K enough to live in Pennsylvania?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,431/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,351/month, which eats 24.9% 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 Pennsylvania?
Pennsylvania has a Regional Price Parity of 94.97 (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 $88,870 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.