Updated May 2026 · BLS OEWS 2025 reference period
64 Highest Paying Jobs in Denver, CO (2026)
The highest-paying job in Denver, CO, Colorado is Family Medicine Physician with a median salary of $255,590 as of 2026, based on Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS data. Across all 64 tracked occupations the average median is $118,540, with 46 occupations paying a six-figure ($100K+) median. Denver, CO has a cost-of-living index of 112.8 (national average = 100), so a $118,540 nominal salary equals $105,089 in average-cost-metro buying power.
The 64 occupations below are ranked by median wage in Denver, CO, CO, from BLS OEWS data. Denver, CO's cost-of-living index runs 112.8 (national baseline = 100), which shapes the headline-wage interpretation. Top-paying occupations in any U.S. metro typically cluster around physicians, dentists, executives, tech specialists, and licensed professionals. The specific top of the list varies with local industry concentration: tech-heavy metros boost software-engineering ranks, finance-heavy metros boost banking ranks.
Each role on the ranking links to the per-role-and-city page with full percentile distribution (p10 to p90), employment count, and cost-adjusted wage. For workers comparing offers within Denver, CO, the percentile data is the most decision-relevant.
Top 10 Highest-Paying Jobs in Denver, CO
Ranked by median (50th percentile) salary. The COL-Adjusted column rebases each nominal salary to Denver, CO's cost-of-living index of 112.8 so you can compare buying power against an average-cost U.S. metro.
Median $255,590 · 10th–90th $77,310–$335,940 · 1,080 jobs in metro
Family Medicine Physicians in Denver, CO earn $255,590 median, with top earners (90th percentile) over $335,940. Adjusted for the local cost of living, that median equals $226,587 of buying power in an average-cost U.S. metro.
Median $203,340 · 10th–90th $133,450–$293,820 · 7,730 jobs in metro
Computer and Information Systems Managers in Denver, CO earn $203,340 median, with top earners (90th percentile) over $293,820. Adjusted for the local cost of living, that median equals $180,266 of buying power in an average-cost U.S. metro.
Median $193,400 · 10th–90th $127,190–$344,300 · 7,490 jobs in metro
Financial Managers in Denver, CO earn $193,400 median, with top earners (90th percentile) over $344,300. Adjusted for the local cost of living, that median equals $171,454 of buying power in an average-cost U.S. metro.
Median $182,470 · 10th–90th $124,230–$290,850 · 4,220 jobs in metro
Marketing Managers in Denver, CO earn $182,470 median, with top earners (90th percentile) over $290,850. Adjusted for the local cost of living, that median equals $161,764 of buying power in an average-cost U.S. metro.
Median $181,580 · 10th–90th $109,250–$320,960 · 5,930 jobs in metro
Sales Managers in Denver, CO earn $181,580 median, with top earners (90th percentile) over $320,960. Adjusted for the local cost of living, that median equals $160,975 of buying power in an average-cost U.S. metro.
Median $177,380 · 10th–90th $90,640–$337,050 · 11,860 jobs in metro
Lawyers in Denver, CO earn $177,380 median, with top earners (90th percentile) over $337,050. Adjusted for the local cost of living, that median equals $157,252 of buying power in an average-cost U.S. metro.
Median $173,950 · 10th–90th $107,990–$275,020 · 380 jobs in metro
Pediatricians in Denver, CO earn $173,950 median, with top earners (90th percentile) over $275,020. Adjusted for the local cost of living, that median equals $154,211 of buying power in an average-cost U.S. metro.
Median $170,940 · 10th–90th $109,540–$277,530 · 2,540 jobs in metro
Human Resources Managers in Denver, CO earn $170,940 median, with top earners (90th percentile) over $277,530. Adjusted for the local cost of living, that median equals $151,543 of buying power in an average-cost U.S. metro.
Median $168,620 · 10th–90th $84,590–$222,590 · 1,980 jobs in metro
Dentists in Denver, CO earn $168,620 median, with top earners (90th percentile) over $222,590. Adjusted for the local cost of living, that median equals $149,486 of buying power in an average-cost U.S. metro.
Median $160,520 · 10th–90th $80,230–$166,670 · 7,850 jobs in metro
Computer Occupations (Other)s in Denver, CO earn $160,520 median, with top earners (90th percentile) over $166,670. Adjusted for the local cost of living, that median equals $142,305 of buying power in an average-cost U.S. metro.
Full Ranking (64 Occupations)
| Rank | Role | Category | Median | 10th–90th | COL-Adjusted | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Family Medicine Physician | Healthcare | $255,590 | $77,310–$335,940 | $226,587 | 1,080 |
| 2 | Computer and Information Systems Manager | Technology | $203,340 | $133,450–$293,820 | $180,266 | 7,730 |
| 3 | Financial Manager | Finance | $193,400 | $127,190–$344,300 | $171,454 | 7,490 |
| 4 | Marketing Manager | Management | $182,470 | $124,230–$290,850 | $161,764 | 4,220 |
| 5 | Sales Manager | Management | $181,580 | $109,250–$320,960 | $160,975 | 5,930 |
| 6 | Lawyer | Legal | $177,380 | $90,640–$337,050 | $157,252 | 11,860 |
| 7 | Pediatrician | Healthcare | $173,950 | $107,990–$275,020 | $154,211 | 380 |
| 8 | Human Resources Manager | Management | $170,940 | $109,540–$277,530 | $151,543 | 2,540 |
| 9 | Dentist | Healthcare | $168,620 | $84,590–$222,590 | $149,486 | 1,980 |
| 10 | Computer Occupations (Other) | Technology | $160,520 | $80,230–$166,670 | $142,305 | 7,850 |
| 11 | Optometrist | Healthcare | $158,130 | $79,670–$214,620 | $140,186 | 470 |
| 12 | Pharmacist | Healthcare | $157,890 | $122,450–$188,490 | $139,973 | 2,630 |
| 13 | General and Operations Manager | Management | $142,330 | $73,490–$313,870 | $126,179 | 22,940 |
| 14 | Computer Network Architect | Technology | $139,230 | $94,740–$206,270 | $123,431 | 10,260 |
| 15 | Medical and Health Services Manager | Healthcare | $137,760 | $88,150–$240,740 | $122,128 | 4,700 |
| 16 | Software Developer | Technology | $137,610 | $99,700–$209,300 | $121,995 | 27,010 |
| 17 | Information Security Analyst | Technology | $136,670 | $86,660–$209,990 | $121,161 | 3,580 |
| 18 | Veterinarian | Healthcare | $135,090 | $86,250–$217,950 | $119,761 | 1,160 |
| 19 | Physician Assistant | Healthcare | $134,540 | $105,560–$175,590 | $119,273 | 1,650 |
| 20 | Nurse Practitioner | Healthcare | $134,040 | $95,890–$172,170 | $118,830 | 2,310 |
| 21 | Software Quality Assurance Analyst | Technology | $133,970 | $88,110–$219,990 | $118,768 | 160 |
| 22 | Engineers (Other) | Engineering | $131,740 | $79,030–$188,240 | $116,791 | 1,270 |
| 23 | Mechanical Engineer | Engineering | $128,180 | $74,880–$168,850 | $113,635 | 4,530 |
| 24 | Computer Systems Analyst | Technology | $127,880 | $81,050–$209,090 | $113,369 | 4,190 |
| 25 | Operations Research Analyst | Technology | $127,810 | $83,450–$182,530 | $113,307 | 490 |
| 26 | Software Quality Assurance Tester | Technology | $123,690 | $80,590–$169,990 | $109,654 | 3,620 |
| 27 | Database Architect | Technology | $120,120 | $67,040–$165,190 | $106,489 | 800 |
| 28 | Electrical Engineer | Engineering | $119,020 | $80,350–$196,110 | $105,514 | 2,620 |
| 29 | Audiologist | Healthcare | $114,730 | $76,080–$136,660 | $101,711 | 230 |
| 30 | Dental Hygienist | Healthcare | $113,760 | $100,890–$128,020 | $100,851 | 2,100 |
| 31 | Data Scientist | Technology | $112,520 | $74,830–$178,700 | $99,752 | 4,510 |
| 32 | Speech-Language Pathologist | Healthcare | $112,090 | $73,900–$158,720 | $99,371 | 2,480 |
| 33 | Industrial Engineer | Engineering | $108,680 | $80,810–$157,780 | $96,348 | 2,500 |
| 34 | Occupational Therapist | Healthcare | $107,500 | $79,170–$157,820 | $95,301 | 1,870 |
| 35 | Network Architect | Technology | $105,090 | $76,390–$156,690 | $93,165 | 4,670 |
| 36 | Civil Engineer | Engineering | $104,710 | $78,930–$167,090 | $92,828 | 9,130 |
| 37 | Computer Programmer | Technology | $104,610 | $73,040–$163,510 | $92,739 | 540 |
| 38 | Financial Analyst | Finance | $104,480 | $74,860–$176,020 | $92,624 | 5,960 |
| 39 | Architect | Engineering | $104,090 | $77,820–$172,700 | $92,278 | 2,090 |
| 40 | Statistician | Technology | $104,060 | $72,290–$147,250 | $92,252 | 510 |
| 41 | Management Analyst | Management | $102,620 | $39,990–$204,240 | $90,975 | 10,380 |
| 42 | Physical Therapist | Healthcare | $102,340 | $79,040–$134,640 | $90,727 | 2,730 |
| 43 | Registered Nurse | Healthcare | $101,130 | $81,210–$125,870 | $89,654 | 30,380 |
| 44 | Financial Examiner | Finance | $101,070 | $66,460–$171,340 | $89,601 | 1,550 |
| 45 | Loan Officer | Finance | $100,130 | $39,430–$167,560 | $88,768 | 1,970 |
| 46 | Accountant | Finance | $100,020 | $63,550–$165,010 | $88,670 | 22,720 |
| 47 | Market Research Analyst | Management | $99,040 | $51,980–$167,560 | $87,801 | 17,000 |
| 48 | Personal Financial Advisor | Finance | $98,740 | $57,890–$294,770 | $87,535 | 4,700 |
| 49 | Web Developer | Technology | $98,330 | $60,300–$164,790 | $87,172 | 2,120 |
| 50 | Web Designer | Technology | $92,060 | $58,420–$125,800 | $81,613 | 900 |
| 51 | Public Relations Specialist | Creative | $82,930 | $56,720–$149,990 | $73,520 | 4,560 |
| 52 | Computer Network Support Specialist | Technology | $82,750 | $58,070–$124,650 | $73,360 | 3,580 |
| 53 | Paralegal | Legal | $80,500 | $60,590–$111,560 | $71,365 | 3,740 |
| 54 | Secondary School Teacher | Education | $79,230 | $51,860–$102,070 | $70,239 | 9,070 |
| 55 | Elementary School Teacher | Education | $76,910 | $50,460–$101,440 | $68,183 | 12,030 |
| 56 | Business Professor (Postsecondary) | Education | $74,490 | $30,800–$176,670 | $66,037 | 790 |
| 57 | Graphic Designer | Creative | $72,500 | $47,990–$123,900 | $64,273 | 2,590 |
| 58 | Clinical Laboratory Technologist | Healthcare | $70,050 | $48,610–$102,220 | $62,101 | 2,890 |
| 59 | Writer/Author | Creative | $69,100 | $42,060–$132,620 | $61,259 | 860 |
| 60 | Carpenter | Trades | $64,910 | $48,160–$89,990 | $57,544 | 7,250 |
| 61 | Plumber | Trades | $63,900 | $48,640–$102,770 | $56,649 | 5,750 |
| 62 | Electrician | Trades | $63,150 | $46,070–$94,160 | $55,984 | 10,450 |
| 63 | Automotive Technician | Trades | $61,960 | $41,010–$94,990 | $54,929 | 6,340 |
| 64 | Welder | Trades | $58,890 | $45,060–$79,700 | $52,207 | 1,990 |
Why These Roles Pay the Most in Denver, CO
Denver, CO's pay distribution reflects a tech-and-aerospace tilt with strong oil-and-gas and outdoor-industry presence. Above-average COL means nominal salary advantages are partly offset.
An average median salary above $90K places this metro in the top tier of U.S. cities for nominal pay. Most of that premium accrues to the upper percentiles of skilled and managerial occupations; entry-level and service-sector pay is closer to national norms.
Denver, CO's cost-of-living index of 112.8 is close to the U.S. average. Nominal salaries here translate roughly one-for-one into purchasing power; the COL-Adjusted column will be very close to the median column for every row.
How to Use This Ranking
For salary negotiation, the median is a starting anchor — not the ceiling. A Family Medicine Physician with five-plus years of experience in Denver, CO should be benchmarking against the 75th percentile ($295,765) or 90th percentile ($335,940), not the $255,590 median. Use the salary percentile calculator to place any specific salary into the BLS distribution for any role-and-city pair.
For cross-city comparisons, ignore the nominal Median column and look at COL-Adjusted. A $256K Family Medicine Physician salary in Denver, CO (COL 112.8) translates to $227K of buying power in an average-cost metro — that is the apples-to-apples figure when weighing a relocation. Read the methodology behind these adjustments in our methodology page.
For job hunting, focus on the top-10 ranking above and on the role-by-role detail pages — each links through to a Family Medicine Physician in Denver, CO page with full percentile breakdowns, year-over-year change, and prevailing-wage references for H-1B / PERM applicants.
Frequently Asked Questions
The highest paying job in Denver, CO is Family Medicine Physician with a median salary of $255,590 and a 90th-percentile reading of $335,940. The role employs roughly 1,080 workers in this metro according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics' 2025 OEWS data.
46 of the 64 BLS-tracked occupations in Denver, CO have a median salary of $100,000 or higher. That is well above what most U.S. metros offer. See the full list ranked by median salary above.
Across 64 BLS-tracked occupations, the average median salary in Denver, CO is $118,540. The cost-of-living index is 112.8, so adjusted to a national-average baseline, the average is $105,089 in equivalent purchasing power.
Denver, CO has a cost-of-living index of 112.8, near the national average. Nominal pay translates roughly to face value, making it a strong choice for many careers — particularly the Family Medicine Physician, Computer and Information Systems Manager, Financial Manager occupations at the top of the ranking.
Every wage figure on this page is sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program at bls.gov/oes — public domain federal survey data covering about 1.2 million U.S. employers across all industries. The OEWS publishes 10th, 25th, 50th (median), 75th, and 90th percentile wages by Metropolitan Statistical Area and Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) code. The same data is used by the Department of Labor for prevailing wage determinations.
Related Pages
Rankings based on BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2025 reference period. COL adjustments use a composite cost-of-living index calibrated to U.S. average = 100.
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2026.