Prevailing Wage for Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters
Prevailing wage for Blast Hole Driller roles in the U.S. is set by the DOL under SOC 47-5032, which also covers Blasters, Explosive Technicians, and Powdermen. DOL assigns four experience levels, each with a different wage floor, and the floor shifts considerably depending on the worksite city.
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Entry-level Blasters with limited field experience, typically working under direct supervision on routine tasks such as loading holes and handling standard explosive materials. Candidates new to licensed demolition or mining work generally fall here.
Qualified Blasters with moderate field experience who work independently on standard blasting assignments. Level 2 is the most common filing level for sponsored Explosive Technicians, reflecting solid hands-on competency without lead responsibilities.
Experienced Powdermen who handle complex or non-routine blasting operations, provide guidance to junior crew members, and exercise judgment on site-specific conditions. Typically several years of licensed field experience in demolition, mining, or ordnance work.
Fully competent senior Blasters or lead Unexploded Ordnance specialists who set site-wide blasting plans, supervise crews, and bear accountability for safety compliance and explosive inventory. Employers filing at this level expect autonomous expert-level performance.
Prevailing Wage for Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters by OES area
Each shape is a DOL OES area, the unit prevailing wage is published for.
What’s an OES area?
The Department of Labor publishes prevailing wages for geographic zones called OES areas. Every U.S. county belongs to exactly one, and the wage floor applies across the whole area. A worker in Oakland gets the San Francisco metro wage, not a separate Oakland wage.
Top 10 cities · Level 1
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See which U.S. employers are actively hiring for Blast Hole Driller and sponsoring H-1B, OPT, and green card visas at or above the prevailing wage.
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Confirm your license tier matches the level
State blasting licenses in the U.S. are tiered by magazine type, charge weight, and site category. DOL wage levels track closely with those license tiers, so an L3 filing for a candidate holding only a general surface-blasting credential may draw scrutiny during LCA review.
Watch base wage exclusions in contractor pay packages
Employers in contract demolition and mining often structure compensation with per-diem allowances, hazard bonuses, and equipment stipends. DOL prevailing wage compliance counts only the regular cash wage, so verify the base salary alone clears the floor before evaluating the full package.
Compare metros before accepting a worksite assignment
The DOL wage floor for this occupation varies significantly across the 13 surveyed metros. Los Angeles and Urban Honolulu set noticeably higher floors than Atlanta or Houston at equivalent experience levels, so worksite location is a material factor when evaluating any sponsored offer.
Use Migrate Mate to find employers with blasting sponsorship history
Sponsored Blast Hole Driller and Blaster roles are concentrated in mining, demolition, and defense contracting. Migrate Mate shows which employers have actually sponsored workers in this occupation before, letting you focus outreach on companies with a documented record rather than guessing.
Jobs for Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters are hiring across the US. Find yours.
Find Jobs for Blast Hole DrillerPrevailing Wage by Reported Job Title
DOL classifies these titles under SOC 47-5032.00 alongside Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters, so the same four-tier wage schedule applies to each. Tap a title to see the full breakdown.
Blast Hole Driller Prevailing Wage
Blast Hole Driller Prevailing Wage
Blast Hole Driller positions fall under SOC 47-5032.00 (Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters). DOL OFLC publishes one four-tier prevailing wage schedule for the entire classification; employers filing H-1B, E-3, or PERM petitions for this title use the levels below.
Blaster Prevailing Wage
Blaster Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Blaster for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 47-5032.00 (Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Explosive Technician Prevailing Wage
Explosive Technician Prevailing Wage
Explosive Technician is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 47-5032.00 (Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters). All roles in this SOC share the same prevailing wage tiers. The level an employer files at depends on what the role requires, not which title is used.
Powderman Prevailing Wage
Powderman Prevailing Wage
Powderman positions fall under SOC 47-5032.00 (Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters). DOL OFLC publishes one four-tier prevailing wage schedule for the entire classification; employers filing H-1B, E-3, or PERM petitions for this title use the levels below.
Unexploded Ordnance Quality Control Officer Prevailing Wage
Unexploded Ordnance Quality Control Officer Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Unexploded Ordnance Quality Control Officer for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 47-5032.00 (Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does DOL set the prevailing wage for Blast Hole Driller roles?
DOL calculates prevailing wages using Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey data collected from employers across defined metro and non-metro areas. For SOC 47-5032, the agency converts survey percentile points into four wage levels. An employer sponsoring a Blaster must file an LCA certifying the offered wage meets or exceeds the level that matches the role's actual duties and required experience.
What do the four wage levels mean and how do I know which one applies to my offer?
Level 1 covers entry positions under close supervision. Level 2 applies to qualified Explosive Technicians working independently on standard assignments. Level 3 covers experienced Blasters handling complex work or providing guidance to others. Level 4 is reserved for fully competent lead specialists. The level must reflect the actual job duties and experience requirements listed in the employer's LCA, not just the job title.
Why does the prevailing wage for the same Blaster role differ so much between cities?
DOL bases each metro's floor on regional OES survey data, which captures local employer wage practices for that specific area. A Blaster worksite in Los Angeles falls under California survey data, which reflects higher regional wages than surveys in Atlanta or Houston. The LCA must list the actual worksite city, so the prevailing wage requirement is determined by where the work is physically performed, not where the employer is headquartered.
What happens if an offer for a sponsored Blast Hole Driller position is below the prevailing wage?
USCIS will not approve an H-1B petition if the underlying LCA shows a wage below the DOL-certified prevailing wage for the worksite location and experience level. The employer must either increase the offered wage to meet the floor or refile the LCA at the correct level before petitioning. Continuing to pay below the certified wage after approval can result in OFLC back-pay obligations and debarment from future sponsorship.
How can I find and verify the prevailing wage for a Powderman or Blaster role in a specific U.S. city?
The OFLC Wage Search lets you look up current prevailing wages by SOC code, experience level, and metro area. Enter SOC 47-5032 and the worksite city to see the four-level wage table that applies to your offer. For sponsored job opportunities where employers have a track record of filing for this occupation, Migrate Mate lists roles by location and shows each employer's historical sponsorship activity so you can cross-reference before applying.
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