SOC 47-5032 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS
Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters — Arkansas
Arkansas
In Arkansas the median wage is $53,120.
Wage distribution · annual
Shaded band holds the middle 50% of earners
Salary overview
In Arkansas the median wage is $53,120. That is 13.5% lower than the national median of $61,390. Pay ranges from under $42,080 at the tenth percentile to more than $66,270 at the ninetieth, with the interquartile range running from $46,920 to $63,900.
The area has 90 jobs in this occupation, giving a location quotient of 2.20 — a measure of how concentrated the occupation is here relative to the country as a whole. Arkansas ranks number 25th out of 32 states by median pay for this occupation. Of the 673 occupations with published wages in this area, it sits 277th.
Percentile breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | vs US median |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $42,080 | −31.5% |
| 25th | $46,920 | −23.6% |
| Median (50th) | $53,120 | −13.5% |
| 75th | $63,900 | +4.1% |
| 90th | $66,270 | +7.9% |
| Mean | $56,390 | −8.1% |
What the pay is worth locally
Prices in Arkansas run 13.1% below the national average, so the median of $53,120 goes as far as $61,128 would elsewhere in the country. Measured that way it compares to the national median at 0.4% below the national median in real terms.
Published median
$53,120as reported by BLSLocal price level
86.9US average = 100 · BEA 2024Adjusted for local prices
$61,128US average = 100 · BEA 2024Key takeaways
- Median pay is $53,120 a year, 13.5% below the national median.
- Published pay spans $42,080 to $66,270 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
- The area has 90 jobs in this occupation.
- It ranks 25th of 32 states for this occupation.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median wage for Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters in Arkansas?
The median annual wage is $53,120, or $25.54 per hour, as of May 2025. Half of the workers in this occupation earn more than that and half earn less.
Is that higher than the national average?
The national median for this occupation is $61,390, so pay in Arkansas is 13.5% lower. These figures are medians, not averages: half of workers fall on each side.
What do the top earners make?
The top tenth of this occupation in Arkansas earns more than $66,270 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.
What is the starting range?
The tenth percentile wage is $42,080 per year. The survey measures wages actually paid rather than experience level, so this reflects the lowest-paid tenth rather than entry-level pay specifically.
How many jobs are there in this occupation here?
The survey estimates 90 jobs in this occupation in Arkansas. Self-employed workers are not included.
Source and methodology
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 Wages are for wage-and-salary workers; self-employed workers are not included. Salary Explorer is an independent project. It is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics or any government agency. Full methodology.
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