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Average Salary in Colorado
This page shows what jobs actually pay in Colorado, occupation by occupation, from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey for May 2024. BLS publishes wage estimates for 697 occupations in Colorado. For context, the U.S. all-occupation mean annual wage in May 2024 was $67,920, the median wage was $23.80 an hour, and total U.S. employment covered by the survey was 154,187,380 jobs. Use the tables below to see Colorado's highest-paying occupations, its largest occupations, and which Colorado jobs pay more — or less — than the same job nationally.
Highest-paying occupations in Colorado
The highest-paying occupation BLS publishes for Colorado is neurologists, with a mean annual wage of $239,200+ — 479.8% higher than the U.S. all-occupation mean of $67,920 — and a median wage of $239,200+ across 160 jobs. Compared with the same occupation nationally (mean $239,200+), Colorado pays 37.5% higher for this work. Next on the list are emergency medicine physicians at a mean of $239,200+ and radiologists at $239,200+. These top-paying fields are small: together the top three employ 1,310 people in Colorado, so they describe the top of the Colorado wage ladder rather than the typical worker's experience.
| Occupation | Employment | Median hourly | Median annual | Mean annual |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Neurologists | 160 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Emergency Medicine Physicians | 910 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Radiologists | 240 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Dermatologists | 240 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Surgeons, All Other | 550 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric | 130 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Physicians, All Other | 2,210 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| General Internal Medicine Physicians | 700 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Physicians, Pathologists | 50 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers | 5,840 | — | $211,860 | $239,200+ |
| Psychiatrists | 290 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Family Medicine Physicians | 2,800 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Cardiologists | 290 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Obstetricians and Gynecologists | 520 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Pediatricians, General | 400 | $98.71 | $205,310 | $219,260 |
Largest occupations in Colorado
The occupation with the most jobs in Colorado is fast food and counter workers, employing an estimated 78,720 people at a median annual wage of $35,440 and a mean of $36,000. Nationally the same occupation pays a median of $30,480, so Colorado's typical pay for this work runs 16.3% higher. The next-largest occupations are retail salespersons (74,640 jobs, median $36,960) and stockers and order fillers (56,840 jobs, median $40,710). Because these occupations are so large, their wages move the overall picture of Colorado pay far more than the small, highly paid fields above.
| Occupation | Employment | Median annual | Mean annual |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 78,720 | $35,440 | $36,000 |
| Retail Salespersons | 74,640 | $36,960 | $41,550 |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 56,840 | $40,710 | $42,250 |
| Cashiers | 55,700 | $35,760 | $36,500 |
| Registered Nurses | 54,510 | $96,520 | $95,470 |
| Software Developers | 48,980 | $134,540 | $147,750 |
| Business Operations Specialists, All Other | 46,350 | $89,860 | $106,970 |
| Customer Service Representatives | 45,890 | $46,020 | $48,160 |
| General and Operations Managers | 43,140 | $130,340 | $161,130 |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 42,510 | $34,990 | $46,950 |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 40,190 | $37,420 | $38,630 |
| Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travel | 39,100 | $79,990 | $96,980 |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 36,250 | $37,270 | $39,960 |
| Accountants and Auditors | 35,580 | $90,030 | $99,220 |
| Cooks, Restaurant | 33,920 | $39,170 | $41,610 |
Where Colorado pays a premium — and where it lags
Comparing each occupation's Colorado median with its own national median shows where Colorado's labor market is strong. Among occupations with at least 1,000 Colorado jobs, the largest premium is for property, real estate, and community association managers: a median of $103,790 in Colorado versus $66,700 nationally, 55.6% higher. The largest discount is for business teachers, postsecondary, at $73,690 in Colorado versus $97,270 nationally, 24.2% lower. In total, 295 of the 358 occupations with 1,000 or more Colorado jobs pay a median above their national median. Separately, 269 of the 697 occupations published for Colorado have a median annual wage above the U.S. all-occupation mean of $67,920, which underlines how much of Colorado's job base sits in lower-wage service work even in a state with high-paying headline jobs.
| Occupation | Colorado median | U.S. median | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property, Real Estate, and Community Association Managers | $103,790 | $66,700 | +55.6% |
| Telemarketers | $48,870 | $34,410 | +42.0% |
| Lodging Managers | $93,280 | $68,130 | +36.9% |
| Administrative Services Managers | $145,650 | $108,390 | +34.4% |
| Advertising Sales Agents | $82,050 | $61,460 | +33.5% |
| Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary | $63,390 | $80,190 | -21.0% |
| Dentists, General | $136,260 | $172,790 | -21.1% |
| Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary | $83,290 | $106,120 | -21.5% |
| Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists | $76,770 | $100,590 | -23.7% |
| Business Teachers, Postsecondary | $73,690 | $97,270 | -24.2% |
Colorado salary FAQ
What is the highest-paying job in Colorado?
By average pay, neurologists is the highest-paying occupation BLS publishes for Colorado, with a mean annual wage of $239,200+ and a median of $239,200+ in May 2024.
What is the average salary in Colorado?
For context, the U.S. all-occupation mean annual wage was $67,920 in May 2024. In Colorado, the largest occupation, fast food and counter workers, paid a median of $35,440 across 78,720 jobs, and the tables on this page show mean and median pay for all 697 published occupations.
How many jobs does the largest occupation in Colorado have?
Fast Food and Counter Workers is the largest occupation published for Colorado, with an estimated 78,720 jobs in May 2024 and a mean annual wage of $36,000.
Which occupations pay more in Colorado than in the U.S. overall?
Among occupations with at least 1,000 Colorado jobs, property, real estate, and community association managers shows the largest premium: a median of $103,790 in Colorado versus $66,700 nationally, 55.6% higher.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2024 — bls.gov/oes. Figures checked October 2026.