Colorado Average Salary 2026
Average pay, top-paying occupations, and cost of living across Colorado.
The average salary in Colorado is $108,550 as of 2026, based on Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS 2024 data aggregated across 1 metropolitan areas (Denver). The highest-paying tracked occupation in the state is Computer and Information Systems Manager at $183,050 median; 31 occupations pay six-figure ($100K+) medians. Adjusted for the state's average cost-of-living index of 113, the average median equates to $96,062 of purchasing power in an average-cost U.S. metro.
Top 10 Highest-Paying Jobs in Colorado
Computer and Information Systems Manager
Technology · 8,510 jobs in state · top metro: Denver ($183,050)
Lawyer
Legal · 12,590 jobs in state · top metro: Denver ($180,940)
Financial Manager
Finance · 8,190 jobs in state · top metro: Denver ($177,470)
Sales Manager
Management · 6,580 jobs in state · top metro: Denver ($176,620)
Marketing Manager
Management · 4,210 jobs in state · top metro: Denver ($176,100)
Human Resources Manager
Management · 0 jobs in state · top metro: Denver ($159,700)
Pharmacist
Healthcare · 2,850 jobs in state · top metro: Denver ($152,200)
General and Operations Manager
Management · 24,070 jobs in state · top metro: Denver ($137,950)
Medical and Health Services Manager
Healthcare · 4,260 jobs in state · top metro: Denver ($134,940)
Software Developer
Technology · 31,190 jobs in state · top metro: Denver ($134,120)
Cities in Colorado
Frequently Asked Questions
The average salary in Colorado is $108,550 as of 2026, based on the Bureau of Labor Statistics' OEWS 2024 release aggregated across 1 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 Computer and Information Systems Manager at $183,050 median.
The top five highest-paying occupations in Colorado, ranked by employment-weighted median across all tracked metros, are Computer and Information Systems Manager ($183,050), Lawyer ($180,940), Financial Manager ($177,470), Sales Manager ($176,620), Marketing Manager ($176,100). See the full ranking at /ranking/highest-paying-jobs/state/colorado.
31 of the 51 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 $108,550 across 51 BLS-tracked occupations.
The average cost-of-living index across Colorado's tracked metros is 113 (national avg = 100). The state average median of $108,550 translates to $96,062 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 2024 reference period.
51 data points · BLS OEWS 2024 · last refreshed 2026-05-08