State salary profile · Colorado

Colorado Salaries

Colorado statewide wages plus 7 metro areas and 3 nonmetropolitan areas, from BLS OEWS May 2025. Published local OEWS areas include Boulder, CO, Colorado Springs, CO, Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO, Eastern and Southern Colorado nonmetropolitan area, Fort Collins-Loveland, CO, Grand Junction, CO, then Greeley, CO, Northwest Colorado nonmetropolitan area, Pueblo, CO, Southwest Colorado nonmetropolitan area.

$206,164
Mean of top 50 medians
734
Occupations
10
Local wage areas
207,240
Estimated jobs (top tier)

The equal-weighted mean of the top 50 published occupation medians in Colorado is $206,164.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, The May 2025 release has a published median for 734 occupations in Colorado; percentile boundaries and local-area rows are available only where BLS publishes them. The highest-paying reported occupation, Orthodontists, earns $416,000, versus $30,800 for Ambulance Drivers and Attendants, Except Emergency Medical Technicians at the bottom of the range. Detail is available for 7 metro areas and 3 nonmetropolitan areas. Published local OEWS areas include Boulder, CO, Colorado Springs, CO, Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO, Eastern and Southern Colorado nonmetropolitan area, Fort Collins-Loveland, CO, Grand Junction, CO, then Greeley, CO, Northwest Colorado nonmetropolitan area, Pueblo, CO, Southwest Colorado nonmetropolitan area.

Colorado · employment ≠ wage

In Colorado, Fast Food and Counter Workers lead by published employment (82,010 jobs, #1 of 702) but rank #692 of 702 on median wage ($36,270), while Orthodontists top the wage list at $416,000 (#1 of 702) with 160 jobs (#615 of 702). The largest payroll is not the highest published median.

82,010
Fast Food and Counter Work... employment #1
$416,000
Orthodontists wage #1
#615
Employment rank of wage leader
#692
Wage rank of employment leader

Employment is OEWS tot_emp inside this state; pay is the occupation median. Same detailed-occupation pool, two rankings.

Employment of Colorado's #1 occupations by headcount vs median wage

Same unit (published jobs) for both named leaders. BLS OEWS May 2025.

jobs

What this shows Fast Food and Counter Workers lead Colorado by employment; Orthodontists lead on median wage at $416,000.

Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS As of May 2025

Colorado, the picture in one line

Colorado ranks #9 of 54 states and territories by BLS-published All Occupations annual mean wage; its highest published occupation median is Orthodontists at $416,000. Published local OEWS areas include Boulder, CO, Colorado Springs, CO, Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO, Eastern and Southern Colorado nonmetropolitan area, Fort Collins-Loveland, CO, Grand Junction, CO, then Greeley, CO, Northwest Colorado nonmetropolitan area, Pueblo, CO, Southwest Colorado nonmetropolitan area.

#9
of 54 states by published mean wage
$416,000
top-paying: Orthodontists
83rd
percentile among all states
Boulder, CO
local OEWS: Boulder, CO and Colorado Springs, CO

The state rank uses BLS's All Occupations mean. Occupation rows below use occupation-specific medians; the two statistics are not interchangeable. Start local checks in Boulder, CO.

Statewide OEWS footprints behind Colorado's 10 local areas

Software Developers and Lawyers lead Colorado's published employment inside this top-pay sample, order follows OEWS job counts, not median wage.

  1. 1. Software Developers 43,320 jobs · $138,390
  2. 2. Lawyers 16,720 jobs · $168,520
  3. 3. Computer Network Architects 16,380 jobs · $139,230
  4. 4. Managers, All Other 14,060 jobs · $171,140
  5. 5. Computer Occupations, All Other 11,800 jobs · $139,580
  6. 6. Computer and Information Systems Managers 11,510 jobs · $199,420
  7. 7. Financial Managers 10,640 jobs · $182,690
  8. 8. Sales Managers 8,780 jobs · $180,850
  9. 9. Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary 7,800 jobs · $136,930
  10. 10. Marketing Managers 6,010 jobs · $182,730
  11. 11. Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers 5,830 jobs · $307,490
  12. 12. Information Security Analysts 5,700 jobs · $135,220
  13. 13. Architectural and Engineering Managers 4,900 jobs · $183,810
  14. 14. Pharmacists 4,560 jobs · $156,030
  15. 15. Aerospace Engineers 4,070 jobs · $156,190
  16. 16. Human Resources Managers 3,620 jobs · $166,400
  17. 17. Dentists, General 2,940 jobs · $166,240
  18. 18. Sales Engineers 2,800 jobs · $139,990
  19. 19. Family Medicine Physicians 2,700 jobs · $265,560
  20. 20. Computer Hardware Engineers 2,660 jobs · $156,080

Local BLS wage areas inside Colorado

Published local OEWS areas include Boulder, CO, Colorado Springs, CO, Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO, Eastern and Southern Colorado nonmetropolitan area, Fort Collins-Loveland, CO, Grand Junction, CO, then Greeley, CO, Northwest Colorado nonmetropolitan area, Pueblo, CO, Southwest Colorado nonmetropolitan area.

Boulder, CO Colorado Springs, CO Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO Eastern and Southern Colorado nonmetropolitan area Fort Collins-Loveland, CO Grand Junction, CO Greeley, CO Northwest Colorado nonmetropolitan area Pueblo, CO Southwest Colorado nonmetropolitan area

Observed statewide pay change

What changed, BLS OEWS 2024–2025

May 2024 → May 2025
  • BLS's published All Occupations median in Colorado moved from $58,210 in May 2024 to $59,800 in May 2025 (+2.7%).
  • Across the 54 states and territories priced in both releases, the median place changed +2.7%.
  • Colorado sits -0.0 pp near that median, nominal dollars, no price deflator applied.

Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers shows the widest statewide vs national median gap in Colorado

Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers publishes $307,490 here versus $232,140 nationally (+32.5%; 5,830statewide jobs). Next is Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers at $97,350 locally versus $76,210 nationally (+27.7%).

  1. Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers$307,490 in Colorado sits 32.5% above the national Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers median of $232,140 (5,830 published local jobs).
  2. Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers$97,350 in Colorado sits 27.7% above the national Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers median of $76,210 (9,610 published local jobs).
  3. Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary$136,930 in Colorado sits 27.6% above the national Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary median of $107,310 (7,800 published local jobs).
  4. Waiters and Waitresses$44,860 in Colorado sits 27.3% above the national Waiters and Waitresses median of $35,230 (40,680 published local jobs).

Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers and the other occupations above are descriptive OEWS endpoints for Colorado; they are not findings about taxes, employers, or worker experience.

· Source: BLS OEWS May 2025

The Colorado OEWS table has a published median for 734 occupations. The displayed top 50 rows have summed published employment of approximately 207,240; that sum does not include the bottom table or rows whose employment is suppressed. BLS publishes means and percentile boundaries only where the corresponding estimate meets its publication standards. Averaging the medians of the top 50 highest-paying occupations gives $206,164 per year. That is only a mean of the displayed upper-tier occupation medians; it is not the BLS All Occupations mean or median and does not describe a typical worker. Published local OEWS areas include Boulder, CO, Colorado Springs, CO, Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO, Eastern and Southern Colorado nonmetropolitan area, Fort Collins-Loveland, CO, Grand Junction, CO, then Greeley, CO, Northwest Colorado nonmetropolitan area, Pueblo, CO, Southwest Colorado nonmetropolitan area. Local OEWS areas in this extract include Boulder, CO, Colorado Springs, CO, Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO, Eastern and Southern Colorado nonmetropolitan area, Fort Collins-Loveland, CO, Grand Junction, CO, Greeley, CO, Northwest Colorado nonmetropolitan area, Pueblo, CO, Southwest Colorado nonmetropolitan area.

At the top of the ranking, Orthodontists pays a Colorado median of $416,000, the highest-paying reported occupation in the state. The number-two spot goes to Dermatologists at $398,810, followed by Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric at $385,410. At the bottom of the published range, Ambulance Drivers and Attendants, Except Emergency Medical Technicians has a median of $30,800, making the displayed endpoint ratio 13.5×. The endpoints do not establish a cause or career stage. WageDex has BLS occupation rows for 7 metro areas and 3 nonmetropolitan areas assigned to Colorado, allowing comparisons below the statewide estimate without treating nonmetropolitan areas as MSAs.

Because Colorado publishes 10 OEWS areas, treat the statewide Orthodontists median as a roll-up and re-check the same occupation in Boulder, CO or Colorado Springs, CO where BLS releases the row. Tips and commissions stay inside OEWS; benefits and equity do not. Published local OEWS areas include Boulder, CO, Colorado Springs, CO, Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO, Eastern and Southern Colorado nonmetropolitan area, Fort Collins-Loveland, CO, Grand Junction, CO, then Greeley, CO, Northwest Colorado nonmetropolitan area, Pueblo, CO, Southwest Colorado nonmetropolitan area. Local OEWS area names are state-specific; statewide means are not metro offers.

Top-Tier Sample

75

occupations shown below

Avg. Median Salary

$206,164

top 50 occupations

Top Salary

$416,000

Orthodontists

Where Colorado ranks by published mean wage

BLS All Occupations annual mean vs. 54 states & territories; local OEWS includes Boulder, CO and Colorado Springs, CO, Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO

$77,190 Top 17% higher than 83% of 54 states & territories

$0–$5,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Below this entry. $5,000–$10,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Below this entry. $10,000–$15,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Below this entry. $15,000–$20,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$25,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$30,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Below this entry. $30,000–$35,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Below this entry. $35,000–$40,000: 1 states & territories (2%). Below this entry. $40,000–$45,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Below this entry. $45,000–$50,000: 1 states & territories (2%). Below this entry. $50,000–$55,000: 3 states & territories (6%). Below this entry. $55,000–$60,000: 8 states & territories (15%). Below this entry. $60,000–$65,000: 16 states & territories (30%). Below this entry. $65,000–$70,000: 8 states & territories (15%). Below this entry. $70,000–$75,000: 8 states & territories (15%). Below this entry. $75,000–$80,000: 4 states & territories (7%). This entry sits in this band. $80,000–$85,000: 3 states & territories (6%). Above this entry. $85,000–$90,000: 1 states & territories (2%). Above this entry. $90,000–$95,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Above this entry. $95,000–$100,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Above this entry. $100,000–$105,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Above this entry. $105,000–$110,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Above this entry. $110,000–$115,000: 1 states & territories (2%). Above this entry. This state $0 $115,000 every state & territory, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $5K-wide band; taller bars hold more states & territories. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Read the chart as text · as of May 2025
Band Count Share
$0–$5,000 0 states & territories 0%
$5,000–$10,000 0 states & territories 0%
$10,000–$15,000 0 states & territories 0%
$15,000–$20,000 0 states & territories 0%
$20,000–$25,000 0 states & territories 0%
$25,000–$30,000 0 states & territories 0%
$30,000–$35,000 0 states & territories 0%
$35,000–$40,000 1 states & territories 2%
$40,000–$45,000 0 states & territories 0%
$45,000–$50,000 1 states & territories 2%
$50,000–$55,000 3 states & territories 6%
$55,000–$60,000 8 states & territories 15%
$60,000–$65,000 16 states & territories 30%
$65,000–$70,000 8 states & territories 15%
$70,000–$75,000 8 states & territories 15%
$75,000–$80,000 (this entry) 4 states & territories 7%
$80,000–$85,000 3 states & territories 6%
$85,000–$90,000 1 states & territories 2%
$90,000–$95,000 0 states & territories 0%
$95,000–$100,000 0 states & territories 0%
$100,000–$105,000 0 states & territories 0%
$105,000–$110,000 0 states & territories 0%
$110,000–$115,000 1 states & territories 2%

$77,190 · 83rd percentile of 54 states & territories

Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS · May 2025

Colorado ranks #9 of 54 by BLS-published All Occupations annual mean wage ($77,190). It is not the median wage or a prediction for a particular worker.

National-price-equivalent mean: dividing the $77,190 BLS All Occupations mean by the BEA state RPP gives $74,869. Inputs: BEA Regional Price Parity for Colorado (RPP 103.1, 2024; 100 = national average, all items, table SARPP). The division is a WageDex calculation, not an after-tax or household-income measure.

Largest OEWS footprints in Colorado

Published employment among the top-pay sample, top 15 by jobs

jobs
Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS As of May 2025

BLS publishes wage data for 734 distinct occupations in Colorado. The table below shows the top 50 by median annual wage, reordered by published employment for this reading. Drill into the full top-100 ranking or the fastest-growing list for deeper coverage.

Top-pay occupations in Colorado, by employment

View all 100 →

Same top-pay sample as the salary ranking, sorted by published Colorado jobs so the title sequence follows the local OEWS mix.

# Occupation Median Salary
1 Software Developers $138,390
2 Lawyers $168,520
3 Computer Network Architects $139,230
4 Managers, All Other $171,140
5 Computer Occupations, All Other $139,580
6 Computer and Information Systems Managers $199,420
7 Financial Managers $182,690
8 Sales Managers $180,850
9 Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary $136,930
10 Marketing Managers $182,730
11 Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers $307,490
12 Information Security Analysts $135,220
13 Architectural and Engineering Managers $183,810
14 Pharmacists $156,030
15 Aerospace Engineers $156,190
16 Human Resources Managers $166,400
17 Dentists, General $166,240
18 Sales Engineers $139,990
19 Family Medicine Physicians $265,560
20 Computer Hardware Engineers $156,080
21 Administrative Services Managers $157,000
22 Physicians, All Other $298,320
23 Database Architects $154,560
24 Industrial Production Managers $141,020
25 Natural Sciences Managers $152,730
26 Petroleum Engineers $172,190
27 Purchasing Managers $171,250
28 Commercial Pilots $139,680
29 Optometrists $152,000
30 Training and Development Managers $139,980
31 Air Traffic Controllers $177,380
32 Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates $198,790
33 Pediatricians, General $196,440
34 Radiologists $344,270
35 General Internal Medicine Physicians $299,990
36 Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric $385,410
37 Compensation and Benefits Managers $165,770
38 Psychiatrists $266,370
39 Dermatologists $398,810
40 Advertising and Promotions Managers $164,990
41 Nurse Midwives $137,610
42 Orthodontists $416,000
43 Podiatrists $142,620
44 Neurologists $356,250
45 Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric $288,050
46 Dentists, All Other Specialists $186,640
47 Physicians, Pathologists $294,510
48 Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons $360,820
49 Chief Executives $213,370
50 Public Relations Managers $162,870

Lowest Paying Jobs in Colorado

Occupation Median Salary
Ambulance Drivers and Attendants, Except Emergency Medical Technicians $30,800
Gambling Dealers $30,800
School Bus Monitors $33,540
Tool Grinders, Filers, and Sharpeners $33,970
Gambling and Sports Book Writers and Runners $34,450
Gambling Cage Workers $34,850
Lifeguards, Ski Patrol, and Other Recreational Protective Service Workers $35,640
Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All Other $35,710
Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary $35,760
Amusement and Recreation Attendants $35,770
Library Assistants, Clerical $36,130
Shoe and Leather Workers and Repairers $36,170
Fast Food and Counter Workers $36,270
Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop $36,340
Hotel, Motel, and Resort Desk Clerks $36,750
Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers $36,790
Textile Cutting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders $36,870
Cashiers $36,870
Cooks, Fast Food $36,900
Manicurists and Pedicurists $37,110
Agricultural Equipment Operators $37,290
Animal Caretakers $37,430
Helpers--Extraction Workers $37,450
Teaching Assistants, Postsecondary $37,450
Textile Winding, Twisting, and Drawing Out Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders $37,540

Fastest Growing Jobs

View all 50 →

See national growth projections alongside the published OEWS state employment estimates for each occupation in Colorado. Based on BLS employment projections 2024-2034.

Salary Guides

Best States for Salaries

Which states pay the most and why

Salary vs. Cost of Living

Compare local wage and price-level benchmarks

Fastest Growing Occupations

Where the job growth is heading

Nationwide states with similar All Occupations pay or employment scale

Two BLS OEWS peer sets outside Colorado. Local metro cards below stay inside this state; these neighborhoods are cross-state nearest neighbors on published All Occupations mean wage ($77,190 here) and reported employment (2,873,900 jobs here).

Similar mean wage

Nearest other states by BLS All Occupations annual mean wage.

Similar employment scale

Nearest headcount peers (floor 250,000 All Occupations jobs), distinct from the mean-wage column.

Peers are nearest-neighbor matches on BLS OEWS All Occupations mean annual wage and reported employment. Employment peers exclude states already listed in the mean-wage column so the two link sets stay distinct.

Local OEWS areas and related Colorado pages

Published local OEWS areas include Boulder, CO, Colorado Springs, CO, Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO, Eastern and Southern Colorado nonmetropolitan area, Fort Collins-Loveland, CO, Grand Junction, CO, then Greeley, CO, Northwest Colorado nonmetropolitan area, Pueblo, CO, Southwest Colorado nonmetropolitan area.

Boulder, CO

Local OEWS wage area

Colorado Springs, CO

Local OEWS wage area

Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO

Local OEWS wage area

Eastern and Southern Colorado nonmetropolitan area

Local OEWS wage area

Fort Collins-Loveland, CO

Local OEWS wage area

Grand Junction, CO

Local OEWS wage area

Highest Paying in Colorado

Top 100 by median salary

Fastest Growing in Colorado

Projected 2024-2034 growth

Orthodontists

National occupation profile

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average of the top 50 occupation medians in Colorado? ▼
The equal-weighted mean of the top 50 published occupation medians is $206,164/year (BLS OEWS May 2025). It is not the statewide mean or median and does not describe the wage of a typical worker.
What is the average salary in Colorado? ▼
BLS publishes an All Occupations annual mean wage of $77,190/year for Colorado in the May 2025 OEWS release, which ranks 9th among the 54 states and territories with a published mean. Published local OEWS areas include Boulder, CO, Colorado Springs, CO, Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO, Eastern and Southern Colorado nonmetropolitan area, Fort Collins-Loveland, CO, Grand Junction, CO, then Greeley, CO, Northwest Colorado nonmetropolitan area, Pueblo, CO, Southwest Colorado nonmetropolitan area. This is an occupational wage estimate, not a household-income statistic or a prediction for one worker.
What is the highest paying job in Colorado? ▼
The highest paying occupation in Colorado is Orthodontists with a median salary of $416,000/year according to BLS data. The second highest is Dermatologists at $398,810/year.
What jobs pay the least in Colorado? ▼
The lowest published occupation median in this Colorado ranking is Ambulance Drivers and Attendants, Except Emergency Medical Technicians at $30,800/year. The table does not classify that occupation as entry-level or explain why its median is lowest.
How many local BLS wage areas are shown for Colorado? ▼
WageDex has occupation-level wage rows for 7 metro areas and 3 nonmetropolitan areas assigned to Colorado. Published local OEWS areas include Boulder, CO, Colorado Springs, CO, Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO, Eastern and Southern Colorado nonmetropolitan area, Fort Collins-Loveland, CO, Grand Junction, CO, then Greeley, CO, Northwest Colorado nonmetropolitan area, Pueblo, CO, Southwest Colorado nonmetropolitan area. Nonmetropolitan reporting areas are not MSAs. Compare the same occupation and statistic across areas; published coverage can differ by occupation and geography.
How many occupations are shown for Colorado? ▼
BLS publishes wage data for 734 distinct occupations in Colorado. The 50 occupations in the displayed upper tier have a combined OEWS employment estimate of approximately 207,240 jobs in covered establishments.

Local-area sources inside Colorado

BLS OEWS state wage tables → BLS OEWS metro area tables → BLS LAUS unemployment → BEA personal income by state →

What to do with this data

How to use Colorado wage data in a real decision

  • Colorado has 10 published OEWS areas starting with Boulder, CO; open Orthodontists inside a metro before using the statewide $416,000 median. Boulder, CO
  • Inside Colorado, re-check Orthodontists in Boulder, CO, Colorado Springs, CO, Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO, Eastern and Southern Colorado nonmetropolitan area or Fort Collins-Loveland, CO before treating the statewide median as a metro offer. Boulder, CO
  • Open Orthodontists for percentile bands and local-area rows; Colorado's statewide median of $416,000 uses a different geography than any single metro estimate. Orthodontists
  • The published Colorado range runs from Ambulance Drivers and Attendants, Except Emergency Medical Technicians at $30,800 to Orthodontists at $416,000; an offer still depends on the exact role and employer. Salary calculator

BLS OEWS estimates reflect the May 2025 reference period and exclude self-employed workers; some small occupation-area cells are suppressed.

Last updated: May 2025. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025.

State-level employment totals and local-area breakouts from BLS OEWS State and Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates, May 2025. Local areas can be metropolitan or nonmetropolitan.

Source data and WageDex calculations are identified in context on this page. State wage figures are computed directly from BLS OEWS state-level data. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.

This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or career advice. Statewide figures are estimates and may not reflect pay in your specific local wage area or employer.