Colorado Average Salary 2026
Average pay, top-paying occupations, and cost of living across Colorado.
The average salary in Colorado is $117,618 as of 2026, based on Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS 2025 data aggregated across 2 metropolitan areas (Denver, Colorado Springs). The highest-paying tracked occupation in the state is Family Medicine Physician at $261,492 median; 44 occupations pay six-figure ($100K+) medians. Adjusted for the state's average cost-of-living index of 109, the average median equates to $107,906 of purchasing power in an average-cost U.S. metro.
Colorado has 2 metropolitan areas in our BLS OEWS coverage. Wages within the state vary substantially by metro — large coastal cities typically pay materially more than smaller inland ones, though the cost-of-living gap closes a lot of the apparent difference. BLS OEWS data captures every metropolitan statistical area (MSA) above a population threshold. Cities below that threshold roll up to non-metropolitan areas, which are not represented in the per-metro view but are captured in state-level rollups.
For workers comparing Colorado job markets, the per-metro pages give the role-specific breakdown that headline state averages obscure. The role-specific ranking pages — which list the highest-paying cities for a single occupation — are particularly useful when geographic flexibility is real and the role is the constraint.
Top 10 Highest-Paying Jobs in Colorado
Family Medicine Physician
Healthcare · 1,370 jobs in state · top metro: Colorado Springs ($283,470)
Computer and Information Systems Manager
Technology · 8,780 jobs in state · top metro: Denver ($203,340)
Financial Manager
Finance · 8,200 jobs in state · top metro: Denver ($193,400)
Pediatrician
Healthcare · 460 jobs in state · top metro: Colorado Springs ($230,720)
Marketing Manager
Management · 4,650 jobs in state · top metro: Denver ($182,470)
Sales Manager
Management · 6,530 jobs in state · top metro: Denver ($181,580)
Lawyer
Legal · 13,250 jobs in state · top metro: Denver ($177,380)
Human Resources Manager
Management · 2,790 jobs in state · top metro: Denver ($170,940)
Dentist
Healthcare · 2,260 jobs in state · top metro: Denver ($168,620)
Pharmacist
Healthcare · 2,630 jobs in state · top metro: Denver ($157,890)
Cities in Colorado
Denver, CO
64 occupations tracked · COL index: 112.8
Colorado Springs, CO
63 occupations tracked · COL index: 104.5
Frequently Asked Questions
The average salary in Colorado is $117,618 as of 2026, based on the Bureau of Labor Statistics' OEWS 2025 release aggregated across 2 BLS-tracked metros. The figure is employment-weighted, so larger occupations contribute proportionally more to the average. The top-paying role in the state is Family Medicine Physician at $261,492 median.
The top five highest-paying occupations in Colorado, ranked by employment-weighted median across all tracked metros, are Family Medicine Physician ($261,492), Computer and Information Systems Manager ($202,032), Financial Manager ($191,606), Pediatrician ($183,823), Marketing Manager ($181,521). See the full ranking at /ranking/highest-paying-jobs/state/colorado.
44 of the 64 BLS-tracked occupations in Colorado have a state-aggregated median salary of $100,000 or higher. That places this state in the upper tier nationally.
Denver, CO leads Colorado with an average median salary of $118,540 across 64 BLS-tracked occupations.
The average cost-of-living index across Colorado's tracked metros is 109 (national avg = 100). The state average median of $117,618 translates to $107,906 of purchasing power in an average-cost U.S. metro. COL is roughly in line with the national average.
State aggregates are employment-weighted across the BLS-tracked metros in Colorado, using the OEWS 2025 reference period.
127 data points · BLS OEWS 2025 · last refreshed 2026-05-21
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2026.