Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters Salary
In South Dakota, explosives workers, ordnance handling experts, and blasters earn $56,780 at the median, or about $27.3 an hour. The range runs from $53K at the entry level to $87K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 89.89), which stretches that salary to about $63,166 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,017/month, or 25.8% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. This is an aggregate across all of South Dakota. BLS does not publish metro-level data for this occupation in this state.
So what does $57K get you in South Dakota?
About explosives workers, ordnance handling experts, and blasters
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What this looks like in South Dakota
Explosives workers, ordnance handling experts, and blasters pay in South Dakota tracks closely to the national median, $57K locally vs. $61K nationwide, a 8% difference. Rent runs $1,017/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 25.6% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 89.89 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 10% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, South Dakota
Entry-level explosives workers, ordnance handling experts, and blasters (10th percentile) start around $53K. Mid-career wages sit at $57K. Top earners bring in $87K or more, a $34K 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 South Dakota numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a explosives workers, ordnance handling experts, and blaster afford a 2BR apartment alone in South Dakota?
Yes — at the median salary of $57K, rent takes 25.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,017/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 South Dakota?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new explosives workers, ordnance handling experts, and blasters typically earn — is $53K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,172/month. At HUD’s $1,017/month FMR, rent would take 32% 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 South Dakota?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $57K locally vs. $61K nationally, a 8% difference.
How does South Dakota compare to the national average for explosives workers, ordnance handling experts, and blasters?
South Dakota pays $57K median vs. the U.S. average of $61K — that’s -8%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 89.89), the purchasing-power equivalent is $63K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do explosives workers, ordnance handling experts, and blasters make in South Dakota?
The median is $56,780 a year, that works out to about $27 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $52,870, and experienced explosives workers, ordnance handling experts, and blasters can clear $87,060. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $57K enough to live in South Dakota?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,972/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,017/month, which eats 25.6% 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 South Dakota?
South Dakota has a Regional Price Parity of 89.89 (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 $63,166 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.