High paying jobs in Boulder, CO

Every occupation below is ranked by its median annual wage in Boulder, CO. The percentile range matters more than the median on its own: it shows what the bottom and top of each field actually earn, which a single average hides.

Cost of living: prices in Boulder, CO run 5.2% above the national average (2024), so a Boulder, CO salary is worth about 0.95× its face value in national terms. That scales every wage here by the same factor — it changes what the numbers mean, not their order.

Local wage estimates are suppressed more often than state ones — BLS withholds any figure too few local employers report — so an occupation missing here simply has no published local estimate.

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

Find high paying jobs in Boulder, CO

OccupationMedian, Boulder, CO · Employed

1Physicians, All Other$453,460
Doctoral or professional degree
$173,990 – $474,550110
2Family Medicine Physicians$297,070
Doctoral or professional degree
$99,570 – $357,220230
3Chief Executives$216,400
Bachelor's degree
$167,940 – $322,220110
4Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric$211,600
Doctoral or professional degree
$180,610 – $623,890130
5Natural Sciences Managers$210,340
Bachelor's degree
$128,020 – $316,640310
6Computer and Information Systems Managers$206,260
Bachelor's degree
$132,210 – $314,4801,220
7Architectural and Engineering Managers$203,420
Bachelor's degree
$146,600 – $268,670680
8Sales Managers$200,970
Bachelor's degree
$123,240 – $329,830740
9Marketing Managers$199,570
Bachelor's degree
$127,620 – $308,050630
10Financial Managers$192,970
Bachelor's degree
$120,650 – $393,650700
11Dentists, General$180,440
Doctoral or professional degree
$86,480 – $224,410140
12Managers, All Other$179,090
Bachelor's degree
$110,590 – $287,3701,020
13Computer and Information Research Scientists$169,400
Master's degree
$121,850 – $215,09090
14Human Resources Managers$169,000
Bachelor's degree
$104,900 – $304,440260
15Aerospace Engineers$167,160
Bachelor's degree
$103,320 – $210,410800
16Software Developers$164,560
Bachelor's degree
$102,880 – $235,6607,130
17Pharmacists$164,240
Doctoral or professional degree
$133,200 – $187,680250
18Industrial Production Managers$162,040
Bachelor's degree
$95,040 – $233,670230
19Computer Hardware Engineers$161,720
Bachelor's degree
$100,390 – $216,650650
20Purchasing Managers$160,290
Bachelor's degree
$128,650 – $245,87090
21Computer Network Architects$156,360
Bachelor's degree
$106,470 – $216,2102,000
22Information Security Analysts$154,990
Bachelor's degree
$100,710 – $214,290520
23Optometrists$153,500
Doctoral or professional degree
$85,160 – $214,82060
24Public Relations Managers$153,370
Bachelor's degree
$78,740 – $270,280140
25General and Operations Managers$152,100
Bachelor's degree
$70,760 – $344,8702,750
26Materials Engineers$151,940
Bachelor's degree
$99,880 – $200,310210
27Computer Occupations, All Other$147,590
Bachelor's degree
$79,810 – $207,8101,120
28Statisticians$144,990
Master's degree
$79,310 – $180,500100
29School Psychologists$143,020
Master's degree
$107,800 – $170,600110
30Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers$142,270
High school diploma or equivalent
$99,880 – $218,210150
31Biochemists and Biophysicists$140,710
Doctoral or professional degree
$84,210 – $219,170390
32Web and Digital Interface Designers$139,900
Bachelor's degree
$75,850 – $209,470360
33Database Architects$139,160
Bachelor's degree
$101,720 – $227,570150
34Nurse Practitioners$138,820
Master's degree
$74,510 – $175,700300
35Sales Engineers$138,720
Bachelor's degree
$79,330 – $210,000350
36Medical and Health Services Managers$138,150
Bachelor's degree
$83,600 – $296,740510
37Engineers, All Other$137,530
Bachelor's degree
$85,030 – $211,080580
38Physician Assistants$136,540
Master's degree
$114,090 – $179,920270
39Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers$136,410
Bachelor's degree
$84,450 – $194,110500
40First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales Workers$136,380
High school diploma or equivalent
$65,990 – $212,280730
41Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary$136,330
Master's degree
$106,330 – $167,220360
42Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products$136,180
Bachelor's degree
$74,800 – $216,540300
43Legal Support Workers, All Other$134,890
Associate's degree
$52,280 – $185,10090
44Data Scientists$134,040
Bachelor's degree
$74,640 – $222,940540
45Facilities Managers$132,740
Bachelor's degree
$86,240 – $193,210160
46First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives$132,360
High school diploma or equivalent
$119,130 – $160,45080
47Electronics Engineers, Except Computer$132,230
Bachelor's degree
$99,240 – $197,660590
48Veterinarians$132,020
Doctoral or professional degree
$83,960 – $215,320180
49Speech-Language Pathologists$131,620
Master's degree
$90,710 – $167,790320
50Management Analysts$131,470
Bachelor's degree
$72,490 – $228,040980

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

#	Occupation	MedianBoulder, CO	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Employed
1	Physicians, All OtherDoctoral or professional degree	$453,460	$173,990 – $474,550	110
2	Family Medicine PhysiciansDoctoral or professional degree	$297,070	$99,570 – $357,220	230
3	Chief ExecutivesBachelor's degree	$216,400	$167,940 – $322,220	110
4	Orthopedic Surgeons, Except PediatricDoctoral or professional degree	$211,600	$180,610 – $623,890	130
5	Natural Sciences ManagersBachelor's degree	$210,340	$128,020 – $316,640	310
6	Computer and Information Systems ManagersBachelor's degree	$206,260	$132,210 – $314,480	1,220
7	Architectural and Engineering ManagersBachelor's degree	$203,420	$146,600 – $268,670	680
8	Sales ManagersBachelor's degree	$200,970	$123,240 – $329,830	740
9	Marketing ManagersBachelor's degree	$199,570	$127,620 – $308,050	630
10	Financial ManagersBachelor's degree	$192,970	$120,650 – $393,650	700
11	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$180,440	$86,480 – $224,410	140
12	Managers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$179,090	$110,590 – $287,370	1,020
13	Computer and Information Research ScientistsMaster's degree	$169,400	$121,850 – $215,090	90
14	Human Resources ManagersBachelor's degree	$169,000	$104,900 – $304,440	260
15	Aerospace EngineersBachelor's degree	$167,160	$103,320 – $210,410	800
16	Software DevelopersBachelor's degree	$164,560	$102,880 – $235,660	7,130
17	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$164,240	$133,200 – $187,680	250
18	Industrial Production ManagersBachelor's degree	$162,040	$95,040 – $233,670	230
19	Computer Hardware EngineersBachelor's degree	$161,720	$100,390 – $216,650	650
20	Purchasing ManagersBachelor's degree	$160,290	$128,650 – $245,870	90
21	Computer Network ArchitectsBachelor's degree	$156,360	$106,470 – $216,210	2,000
22	Information Security AnalystsBachelor's degree	$154,990	$100,710 – $214,290	520
23	OptometristsDoctoral or professional degree	$153,500	$85,160 – $214,820	60
24	Public Relations ManagersBachelor's degree	$153,370	$78,740 – $270,280	140
25	General and Operations ManagersBachelor's degree	$152,100	$70,760 – $344,870	2,750
26	Materials EngineersBachelor's degree	$151,940	$99,880 – $200,310	210
27	Computer Occupations, All OtherBachelor's degree	$147,590	$79,810 – $207,810	1,120
28	StatisticiansMaster's degree	$144,990	$79,310 – $180,500	100
29	School PsychologistsMaster's degree	$143,020	$107,800 – $170,600	110
30	Transportation, Storage, and Distribution ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$142,270	$99,880 – $218,210	150
31	Biochemists and BiophysicistsDoctoral or professional degree	$140,710	$84,210 – $219,170	390
32	Web and Digital Interface DesignersBachelor's degree	$139,900	$75,850 – $209,470	360
33	Database ArchitectsBachelor's degree	$139,160	$101,720 – $227,570	150
34	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$138,820	$74,510 – $175,700	300
35	Sales EngineersBachelor's degree	$138,720	$79,330 – $210,000	350
36	Medical and Health Services ManagersBachelor's degree	$138,150	$83,600 – $296,740	510
37	Engineers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$137,530	$85,030 – $211,080	580
38	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$136,540	$114,090 – $179,920	270
39	Software Quality Assurance Analysts and TestersBachelor's degree	$136,410	$84,450 – $194,110	500
40	First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$136,380	$65,990 – $212,280	730
41	Education Administrators, Kindergarten through SecondaryMaster's degree	$136,330	$106,330 – $167,220	360
42	Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific ProductsBachelor's degree	$136,180	$74,800 – $216,540	300
43	Legal Support Workers, All OtherAssociate's degree	$134,890	$52,280 – $185,100	90
44	Data ScientistsBachelor's degree	$134,040	$74,640 – $222,940	540
45	Facilities ManagersBachelor's degree	$132,740	$86,240 – $193,210	160
46	First-Line Supervisors of Police and DetectivesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$132,360	$119,130 – $160,450	80
47	Electronics Engineers, Except ComputerBachelor's degree	$132,230	$99,240 – $197,660	590
48	VeterinariansDoctoral or professional degree	$132,020	$83,960 – $215,320	180
49	Speech-Language PathologistsMaster's degree	$131,620	$90,710 – $167,790	320
50	Management AnalystsBachelor's degree	$131,470	$72,490 – $228,040	980

Ranked among the occupations common enough to employ roughly one in every three thousand workers in Boulder, CO. The rarer ones are real jobs — but a 1,190-person occupation at the top of a list answers a different question than the one most readers are asking.

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

High paying jobs in Boulder, CO

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