Fastest growing jobs in Colorado, 2024–34

Ranked by projected percent change in employment from 2024 to 2034 in Colorado. Percent growth favours small occupations, so the openings column is often the more useful number — a fast-growing job with few openings is harder to enter than a flat one with many.

State projections are produced by Colorado's own workforce agency and collected by Projections Central — the Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes projections only at the national level. Methodology varies by state, so these are not directly comparable with the national figures. Wages remain BLS OEWS.

Cost of living: prices in Colorado run 3.1% above the national average (2024), so a Colorado salary is worth about 0.97× its face value in national terms. That scales every wage here by the same factor — it changes what the numbers mean, not their order. To see where a job pays a real premium, use jobs that pay more in Colorado.

Wages: BLS OEWS, May 2025 · Cost of living: BEA regional price parities, 2024

Find high paying jobs in Colorado

OccupationMedian, Colorado · Growth 2024–34

1Nurse Practitioners$132,930
Master's degree
$87,770 – $170,310+62.0%
2Wind Turbine Service Technicians$74,740
Postsecondary nondegree award
$57,370 – $99,650+61.1%
3Data Scientists$117,400
Bachelor's degree
$74,470 – $189,630+52.0%
4Information Security Analysts$135,220
Bachelor's degree
$87,560 – $208,650+51.2%
5Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers$38,900
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,710 – $47,450+45.9%
6Veterinary Technologists and Technicians$49,650
Associate's degree
$37,820 – $60,380+45.4%
7Medical and Health Services Managers$134,910
Bachelor's degree
$82,680 – $227,940+41.7%
8Veterinarians$130,840
Doctoral or professional degree
$77,710 – $211,930+41.5%
9Physician Assistants$134,540
Master's degree
$104,590 – $174,090+40.1%
10Solar Photovoltaic Installers$49,730
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,930 – $76,170+38.4%
11Physical Therapist Assistants$64,810
Associate's degree
$48,580 – $89,550+37.9%
12Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary$136,930
Doctoral or professional degree
$69,890 – $360,240+35.0%
13Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Postsecondary$82,530
Doctoral or professional degree
$39,850 – $127,800+33.8%
14Software Developers$138,390
Bachelor's degree
$96,480 – $213,010+33.4%
15Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors$62,390
Master's degree
$44,060 – $100,020+33.3%
16Medical Equipment Repairers$66,720
Associate's degree
$44,490 – $95,540+32.1%
17Home Health and Personal Care Aides$38,540
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,420 – $46,630+32.1%
18Flight Attendants$59,500
High school diploma or equivalent
$31,510 – $95,640+32.0%
19Occupational Therapy Assistants$75,340
Associate's degree
$60,880 – $100,190+31.3%
20Architects, Except Landscape and Naval$102,400
Bachelor's degree
$67,990 – $170,040+31.3%
21Electricians$62,230
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,520 – $94,160+31.0%
22Operations Research Analysts$129,880
Bachelor's degree
$79,570 – $182,530+30.9%
23Diagnostic Medical Sonographers$108,410
Associate's degree
$85,500 – $130,720+30.9%
24Speech-Language Pathologists$110,750
Master's degree
$73,900 – $164,520+30.6%
25Logisticians$96,090
Bachelor's degree
$63,060 – $145,350+30.3%
26Respiratory Therapists$86,220
Associate's degree
$66,560 – $109,070+30.1%
27Computer Network Architects$139,230
Bachelor's degree
$94,920 – $206,600+29.0%
28Biochemists and Biophysicists—
Doctoral or professional degree
—
— – —+28.7%
29Marriage and Family Therapists$60,700
Master's degree
$47,030 – $128,400+28.5%
30Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers$65,200
Postsecondary nondegree award
$48,220 – $103,640+28.3%
31Tax Preparers$62,620
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,790 – $97,980+28.2%
32Computer and Information Systems Managers$199,420
Bachelor's degree
$130,570 – $293,250+28.1%
33Cooks, Restaurant$41,600
No formal educational credential
$34,590 – $49,650+27.8%
34Medical Assistants$48,400
Postsecondary nondegree award
$39,130 – $59,760+27.2%
35Exercise Physiologists$63,800
Bachelor's degree
$45,210 – $75,350+26.3%
36Chemical Engineers$125,800
Bachelor's degree
$80,130 – $188,640+26.3%
37Construction Managers$124,830
Bachelor's degree
$78,160 – $191,450+25.9%
38Surveyors$79,310
Bachelor's degree
$51,220 – $115,990+25.8%
39Clinical and Counseling Psychologists$113,290
Doctoral or professional degree
$46,870 – $161,700+25.7%
40Roofers$51,750
No formal educational credential
$45,820 – $73,370+25.7%
41Physical Therapists$102,030
Doctoral or professional degree
$76,460 – $132,010+25.6%
42Atmospheric and Space Scientists$104,670
Bachelor's degree
$76,110 – $165,500+25.5%
43Athletic Trainers$64,580
Master's degree
$53,390 – $86,170+25.5%
44Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers$307,490
Bachelor's degree
$189,150 – $377,860+25.3%
45Financial Managers$182,690
Bachelor's degree
$123,900 – $339,290+25.2%
46Insulation Workers, Mechanical$49,050
High school diploma or equivalent
$44,780 – $68,880+25.1%
47Electrical Engineers$120,760
Bachelor's degree
$81,720 – $177,310+24.9%
48Aircraft Service Attendants$44,500
High school diploma or equivalent
$33,500 – $56,590+24.9%
49Animal Caretakers$37,430
High school diploma or equivalent
$32,070 – $55,300+24.6%
50Mechanical Engineers$124,430
Bachelor's degree
$75,100 – $170,810+24.6%

Bars run from the 10th to the 90th percentile; the middle half is shaded darker, and the tick is the median.

#	Occupation	MedianColorado	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Growth 2024–34
1	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$132,930	$87,770 – $170,310	+62.0%
2	Wind Turbine Service TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$74,740	$57,370 – $99,650	+61.1%
3	Data ScientistsBachelor's degree	$117,400	$74,470 – $189,630	+52.0%
4	Information Security AnalystsBachelor's degree	$135,220	$87,560 – $208,650	+51.2%
5	Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal CaretakersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$38,900	$35,710 – $47,450	+45.9%
6	Veterinary Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$49,650	$37,820 – $60,380	+45.4%
7	Medical and Health Services ManagersBachelor's degree	$134,910	$82,680 – $227,940	+41.7%
8	VeterinariansDoctoral or professional degree	$130,840	$77,710 – $211,930	+41.5%
9	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$134,540	$104,590 – $174,090	+40.1%
10	Solar Photovoltaic InstallersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,730	$45,930 – $76,170	+38.4%
11	Physical Therapist AssistantsAssociate's degree	$64,810	$48,580 – $89,550	+37.9%
12	Health Specialties Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$136,930	$69,890 – $360,240	+35.0%
13	Nursing Instructors and Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$82,530	$39,850 – $127,800	+33.8%
14	Software DevelopersBachelor's degree	$138,390	$96,480 – $213,010	+33.4%
15	Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health CounselorsMaster's degree	$62,390	$44,060 – $100,020	+33.3%
16	Medical Equipment RepairersAssociate's degree	$66,720	$44,490 – $95,540	+32.1%
17	Home Health and Personal Care AidesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$38,540	$35,420 – $46,630	+32.1%
18	Flight AttendantsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$59,500	$31,510 – $95,640	+32.0%
19	Occupational Therapy AssistantsAssociate's degree	$75,340	$60,880 – $100,190	+31.3%
20	Architects, Except Landscape and NavalBachelor's degree	$102,400	$67,990 – $170,040	+31.3%
21	ElectriciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$62,230	$45,520 – $94,160	+31.0%
22	Operations Research AnalystsBachelor's degree	$129,880	$79,570 – $182,530	+30.9%
23	Diagnostic Medical SonographersAssociate's degree	$108,410	$85,500 – $130,720	+30.9%
24	Speech-Language PathologistsMaster's degree	$110,750	$73,900 – $164,520	+30.6%
25	LogisticiansBachelor's degree	$96,090	$63,060 – $145,350	+30.3%
26	Respiratory TherapistsAssociate's degree	$86,220	$66,560 – $109,070	+30.1%
27	Computer Network ArchitectsBachelor's degree	$139,230	$94,920 – $206,600	+29.0%
28	Biochemists and BiophysicistsDoctoral or professional degree	—	—— – —	+28.7%
29	Marriage and Family TherapistsMaster's degree	$60,700	$47,030 – $128,400	+28.5%
30	Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and InstallersPostsecondary nondegree award	$65,200	$48,220 – $103,640	+28.3%
31	Tax PreparersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$62,620	$37,790 – $97,980	+28.2%
32	Computer and Information Systems ManagersBachelor's degree	$199,420	$130,570 – $293,250	+28.1%
33	Cooks, RestaurantNo formal educational credential	$41,600	$34,590 – $49,650	+27.8%
34	Medical AssistantsPostsecondary nondegree award	$48,400	$39,130 – $59,760	+27.2%
35	Exercise PhysiologistsBachelor's degree	$63,800	$45,210 – $75,350	+26.3%
36	Chemical EngineersBachelor's degree	$125,800	$80,130 – $188,640	+26.3%
37	Construction ManagersBachelor's degree	$124,830	$78,160 – $191,450	+25.9%
38	SurveyorsBachelor's degree	$79,310	$51,220 – $115,990	+25.8%
39	Clinical and Counseling PsychologistsDoctoral or professional degree	$113,290	$46,870 – $161,700	+25.7%
40	RoofersNo formal educational credential	$51,750	$45,820 – $73,370	+25.7%
41	Physical TherapistsDoctoral or professional degree	$102,030	$76,460 – $132,010	+25.6%
42	Atmospheric and Space ScientistsBachelor's degree	$104,670	$76,110 – $165,500	+25.5%
43	Athletic TrainersMaster's degree	$64,580	$53,390 – $86,170	+25.5%
44	Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight EngineersBachelor's degree	$307,490	$189,150 – $377,860	+25.3%
45	Financial ManagersBachelor's degree	$182,690	$123,900 – $339,290	+25.2%
46	Insulation Workers, MechanicalHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,050	$44,780 – $68,880	+25.1%
47	Electrical EngineersBachelor's degree	$120,760	$81,720 – $177,310	+24.9%
48	Aircraft Service AttendantsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$44,500	$33,500 – $56,590	+24.9%
49	Animal CaretakersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$37,430	$32,070 – $55,300	+24.6%
50	Mechanical EngineersBachelor's degree	$124,430	$75,100 – $170,810	+24.6%

More for Colorado

Metro areas in Colorado

Pay varies more between metros than between states — the spread inside one state is often wider than the gap between two.

By field in Colorado

Without a degree

The same fields, narrowed to what you can enter without one. Fields missing here have too few such occupations in Colorado to rank honestly.

Fastest growing jobs in Colorado, 2024–34

More for Colorado

Metro areas in Colorado

By field in Colorado

Without a degree

Fastest growing jobs in each state, 2024–34