Explosive Detection Dog Handler

Explosive Detection Dog Handler Salary

$20.5K

$36K

$51K

$37,374

/year

$17.97

/hour

Explosive Detection Dog Handler Salary Comparison by Location

Nationwide

United States

$37,374

Columbus

Ohio

$36,099

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    How much does an Explosive Detection Dog Handler make?

    As of Aug 26, 2026, the average annual pay for an Explosive Detection Dog Handler in the United States is $37,374 a year.

    Just in case you need a simple salary calculator, that works out to be approximately $17.97 an hour. This is the equivalent of $718/week or $3,114/month.

    While ZipRecruiter is seeing annual salaries as high as $51,000 and as low as $20,500, the majority of Explosive Detection Dog Handler salaries currently range between $33,000 (25th percentile) to $39,000 (75th percentile) with top earners (90th percentile) making $48,000 annually across the United States. The average pay range for an Explosive Detection Dog Handler varies little (about 6000), which suggests that regardless of location, there are not many opportunities for increased pay or advancement, even with several years of experience.

    An Explosive Detection Dog Handler in your area makes on average $36,099 per year, or $1,275 (3.411%) less than the national average annual salary of $37,374. Ohio ranks number 39 out of 50 states nationwide for Explosive Detection Dog Handler salaries.

    To estimate the most accurate annual salary range for Explosive Detection Dog Handler jobs, ZipRecruiter continuously scans its database of millions of active jobs published locally throughout America.

    Find your next high paying job as an Explosive Detection Dog Handler on ZipRecruiter today.

    What are Top 10 Highest Paying Cities for Explosive Detection Dog Handler Jobs

    We've identified 10 cities where the typical salary for an Explosive Detection Dog Handler job is above the national average. Topping the list is Whitehorse, YT, , with Carcross, YT, and Haines Junction, YT, close behind in the second and third positions. Haines Junction, YT, beats the national average by $9,031 (24.2%), and Whitehorse, YT, furthers that trend with another $9,217 (24.7%) above the $37,374 average.

    With these 10 cities having average salaries higher than the national average, the opportunities for economic advancement by changing locations as an Explosive Detection Dog Handler appears to be exceedingly fruitful.

    Finally, another factor to consider is the average salary for these top 10 cities varies very little at 3% between Whitehorse, YT, and Sitka, AK, , reinforcing the limited potential for much wage advancement. The possibility of a lower cost of living may be the best factor to use when considering location and salary for an Explosive Detection Dog Handler role.

    City

    Annual Salary

    Hourly Wage

    Whitehorse, YT

    $46,591

    $22.40

    Carcross, YT

    $46,564

    $22.39

    Haines Junction, YT

    $46,405

    $22.31

    North Cowichan, BC

    $46,268

    $22.24

    Duncan, BC

    $46,090

    $22.16

    Oak Bay, BC

    $46,006

    $22.12

    Berkeley, CA

    $45,762

    $22.00

    Rock River, WY

    $45,349

    $21.80

    Courtenay, BC

    $45,262

    $21.76

    Sitka, AK

    $45,023

    $21.65

    What are Top 5 Best Paying Related Explosive Detection Dog Handler Jobs in the U.S.

    We found a few related jobs that pay more than jobs in the Explosive Detection Dog Handler category.

    For example Police K9 jobs pay as much as $50,239 (134.4%) more than the average Explosive Detection Dog Handler salary of $37,374. If you're qualified, finding work as an Police K9 may help you make more money than that of the average Explosive Detection Dog Handler position.

    Job Title

    Annual Salary

    Hourly Wage

    Police K9

    $87,613

    $42.12

    Tsa K9

    $55,353

    $26.61

    Contour Airlines

    $49,636

    $23.86

    Cargo Screener

    $43,812

    $21.06

    Explosive Detection Canine Handler

    $37,374

    $17.97

    About Our Data

    ZipRecruiter salary estimates, histograms, trends and comparisons are derived from both employer job postings and third party data sources.

    Infographic detailing Explosive Detection Dog Handler salary across the United States as of August 2026. Displays a bar chart with salary percentiles, a national average salary of $37,374 per year or $17.97 an hour, and a color-coded map showing state-by-state salary variations.