Salaries · United States · Colorado
Salaries in Colorado 2026
The median pay for all jobs in Colorado is $59,800 a year ($28.75 an hour), 17% above the US median of $50,980 (BLS, May 2025): the 5th highest of the 50 states and DC. Full-time workers living in Colorado earn a median of $70,047 (Census ACS 2020 to 2024).
By Dominic Roworth · From BLS, Census and BEA data, checked 31 October 2026
Pay in Colorado: the key figures
| Figure | Colorado | United States | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median pay, all jobs | $59,800 | $50,980 | BLS OEWS, May 2025 |
| Average (mean) pay | $77,190 | $69,770 | BLS OEWS, May 2025 |
| Lowest-paid 10% earn under | $36,350 | $31,200 | BLS OEWS, May 2025 |
| Highest-paid 10% earn over | $136,330 | $128,560 | BLS OEWS, May 2025 |
| Jobs counted | 2,873,900 | 155,495,730 | BLS OEWS, May 2025 |
| Full-time workers living here, median | $70,047 ± $368 | $61,657 | Census ACS 2020-2024, B20018 |
| Median household income | $95,470 ± $578 | $80,734 | Census ACS 2020-2024, B19013 |
| Price level (US = 100) | 103.1 | 100.0 | BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 |
| Minimum wage | $15.16 | $7.25 | State labor department |
Take-home pay on the median
On $59,800, a single person keeps about $48,043 a year ($4,004 a month) after federal income tax, Social Security and Medicare, Colorado income tax and state payroll contributions. With prices 3% above the US average, $59,800 here buys what $58,000 buys at average US prices.
| Median pay | $59,800 |
|---|---|
| Federal income tax | -$4,996 |
| Social Security | -$3,708 |
| Medicare | -$867 |
| Colorado income tax | -$1,923 |
| FAMLI (paid family and medical leave), employee share | -$263 |
| Take-home a year | $48,043 |
What drives pay in Colorado
Colorado's pay rests on professional, technical and scientific work more than on factories. Professional, scientific and technical services made up 11.4% of the state's GDP in 2025 (US 8.0%), with computer systems design alone at 3.7%, about twice the US share, while manufacturing was 5.1%, about half the US share (BEA). Software developers are the eighth most common job in the state, 43,320 of them on a median of $138,390.
Aerospace and defense add more well-paid work. The state's Office of Economic Development and International Trade counts over 2,000 aerospace businesses employing over 55,000 people directly, says Colorado ranks first per capita for aerospace employment, and points to the Orion spacecraft built by Lockheed Martin Space in the state. Oil and gas extraction is another 2.1% of GDP (US 0.8%).
That mix gives Colorado an all-jobs median of $59,800, 17% above the US and 5th of the 50 states and DC.
Job growth has stalled, though. The Legislative Council Staff's September 2026 forecast expects Colorado employment to grow just 0.1% in 2026, after contracting in 2025, in what it calls a low-hire, low-fire market. In the year to July 2026 the information sector lost 5,600 jobs (8.0%), and the economists expect AI-related disruption to keep weighing on it, while education and health services added 15,500. The labor force shrank by almost 67,000 workers, 2.0%, and wages and salaries grew at an annualized 2.1% in the first quarter of 2026.
The highest-paid jobs in Colorado
Median annual pay, for jobs with at least 1,000 workers in the state (BLS, May 2025).
| Job | Workers | Median a year |
|---|---|---|
| Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers | 5,830 | $307,490 |
| Physicians, All Other | 1,990 | $298,320 |
| Family Medicine Physicians | 2,700 | $265,560 |
| Computer and Information Systems Managers | 11,510 | $199,420 |
| Architectural and Engineering Managers | 4,900 | $183,810 |
| Marketing Managers | 6,010 | $182,730 |
| Financial Managers | 10,640 | $182,690 |
| Sales Managers | 8,780 | $180,850 |
| Petroleum Engineers | 1,390 | $172,190 |
| Purchasing Managers | 1,320 | $171,250 |
| Managers, All Other | 14,060 | $171,140 |
| Lawyers | 16,720 | $168,520 |
| Human Resources Managers | 3,620 | $166,400 |
| Dentists, General | 2,940 | $166,240 |
| Administrative Services Managers | 2,340 | $157,000 |
The most common jobs in Colorado
The jobs with the most workers, and what they pay.
| Job | Workers | Median a year | An hour |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 82,010 | $36,270 | $17.44 |
| Retail Salespersons | 76,660 | $37,950 | $18.25 |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 55,520 | $42,350 | $20.36 |
| Registered Nurses | 54,490 | $100,260 | $48.20 |
| Cashiers | 51,670 | $36,870 | $17.72 |
| Business Operations Specialists, All Other | 45,670 | $92,520 | $44.48 |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 44,650 | $38,540 | $18.53 |
| Software Developers | 43,320 | $138,390 | $66.53 |
| General and Operations Managers | 41,870 | $131,840 | $63.39 |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 40,680 | $44,860 | $21.57 |
| Customer Service Representatives | 38,770 | $47,540 | $22.86 |
| Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travel | 37,810 | $79,810 | $38.37 |
| Accountants and Auditors | 35,410 | $97,030 | $46.65 |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 34,220 | $38,600 | $18.56 |
| Project Management Specialists | 32,390 | $110,050 | $52.91 |
Pay for careers we cover, in Colorado
Official BLS medians for Colorado; each links to the full salary guide with pay by state.
| Career | Workers | Median a year |
|---|---|---|
| Air Traffic Controller | 740 | $177,380 |
| Lawyer | 16,720 | $168,520 |
| Dentist | 2,940 | $166,240 |
| Aerospace Engineer | 4,070 | $156,190 |
| Pharmacist | 4,560 | $156,030 |
| Commercial Pilot | 1,240 | $139,680 |
| Software Engineer | 43,320 | $138,390 |
| Cybersecurity Analyst | 5,700 | $135,220 |
| Physician Assistant | 3,270 | $134,540 |
| Nurse Practitioner | 4,270 | $132,930 |
| Elevator Technician | 530 | $123,360 |
| Actuary | 500 | $120,440 |
| Data Scientist | 6,280 | $117,400 |
| Project Manager | 32,390 | $110,050 |
| Dental Hygienist | 4,270 | $109,580 |
| Financial Analyst | 8,040 | $103,850 |
| Registered Nurse | 54,490 | $100,260 |
| Accountant | 35,410 | $97,030 |
| UX Designer | 3,250 | $95,880 |
| Compliance Officer | 7,740 | $82,450 |
| Aircraft Mechanic | 2,690 | $82,080 |
| Paralegal | 5,620 | $78,190 |
| HVAC Technician | 8,940 | $65,200 |
| Plumber | 10,080 | $63,240 |
| Electrician | 17,010 | $62,230 |
| Flight Attendant | 7,110 | $59,500 |
| Welder | 4,970 | $58,590 |
Colorado and its neighbors
| State | Median pay | Price level | At US prices |
|---|---|---|---|
| Colorado | $59,800 | 103.1 | $58,000 |
| Arizona | $50,060 | 100.7 | $49,700 |
| Kansas | $48,010 | 90.1 | $53,300 |
| Nebraska | $48,980 | 90.1 | $54,400 |
| New Mexico | $47,210 | 92.2 | $51,200 |
| Oklahoma | $45,600 | 87.8 | $51,900 |
| Utah | $50,110 | 98.9 | $50,700 |
| Wyoming | $50,270 | 92.7 | $54,200 |
Limits
BLS figures cover jobs located in Colorado, not the self-employed; Census figures cover people who live here. Take-home assumes a single filer with the standard deduction. More in our methodology.
Sources
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 (state file)
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020 to 2024 (tables B20018 and B19013)
- U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by state (table SARPP), 2024
- Take-home pay: Paygrade's 2026 federal and state tax engine, see the methodology.
- U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis: GDP by state and industry, 2025 (industry shares and growth rates are our calculation), data last updated 30 Sep 2026
- Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade (Choose Colorado): Aerospace, undated page (cites 2022 and FY23-24 figures), accessed 31 Oct 2026
- Colorado Legislative Council Staff: Economic and Revenue Forecast, September 2026, 18 Sep 2026
Related
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