High paying jobs in Colorado

Every occupation below is ranked by its median annual wage in Colorado. 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 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 · Employed

1Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers$307,490
Bachelor's degree
$189,150 – $377,8605,830
2Physicians, All Other$298,320
Doctoral or professional degree
$171,810 – $418,6901,990
3Family Medicine Physicians$265,560
Doctoral or professional degree
$75,120 – $365,8202,700
4Computer and Information Systems Managers$199,420
Bachelor's degree
$130,570 – $293,25011,510
5Architectural and Engineering Managers$183,810
Bachelor's degree
$135,380 – $272,9504,900
6Marketing Managers$182,730
Bachelor's degree
$121,560 – $289,8706,010
7Financial Managers$182,690
Bachelor's degree
$123,900 – $339,29010,640
8Sales Managers$180,850
Bachelor's degree
$105,270 – $316,8308,780
9Petroleum Engineers$172,190
Bachelor's degree
$92,590 – $264,9601,390
10Purchasing Managers$171,250
Bachelor's degree
$122,790 – $247,6101,320
11Managers, All Other$171,140
Bachelor's degree
$105,020 – $280,95014,060
12Lawyers$168,520
Doctoral or professional degree
$83,350 – $336,97016,720
13Human Resources Managers$166,400
Bachelor's degree
$103,580 – $276,3803,620
14Dentists, General$166,240
Doctoral or professional degree
$84,590 – $229,0702,940
15Administrative Services Managers$157,000
Bachelor's degree
$101,480 – $230,7702,340
16Aerospace Engineers$156,190
Bachelor's degree
$101,970 – $210,4104,070
17Computer Hardware Engineers$156,080
Bachelor's degree
$100,050 – $222,2202,660
18Pharmacists$156,030
Doctoral or professional degree
$120,410 – $188,4304,560
19Database Architects$154,560
Bachelor's degree
$88,000 – $195,5101,950
20Natural Sciences Managers$152,730
Bachelor's degree
$89,900 – $289,9701,640
21Industrial Production Managers$141,020
Bachelor's degree
$86,460 – $230,4101,730
22Sales Engineers$139,990
Bachelor's degree
$83,420 – $203,2302,800
23Commercial Pilots$139,680
Postsecondary nondegree award
$59,780 – $269,6301,240
24Computer Occupations, All Other$139,580
Bachelor's degree
$76,140 – $170,80011,800
25Computer Network Architects$139,230
Bachelor's degree
$94,920 – $206,60016,380
26Software Developers$138,390
Bachelor's degree
$96,480 – $213,01043,320
27Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary$136,930
Doctoral or professional degree
$69,890 – $360,2407,800
28Information Security Analysts$135,220
Bachelor's degree
$87,560 – $208,6505,700
29Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products$135,000
Bachelor's degree
$74,290 – $215,1404,150
30Medical and Health Services Managers$134,910
Bachelor's degree
$82,680 – $227,9408,400
31Physician Assistants$134,540
Master's degree
$104,590 – $174,0903,270
32Nurse Practitioners$132,930
Master's degree
$87,770 – $170,3104,270
33Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers$132,610
High school diploma or equivalent
$80,160 – $213,5802,310
34Engineers, All Other$132,590
Bachelor's degree
$75,900 – $195,1902,540
35General and Operations Managers$131,840
Bachelor's degree
$65,310 – $305,04041,870
36Veterinarians$130,840
Doctoral or professional degree
$77,710 – $211,9302,340
37Computer Systems Analysts$127,750
Bachelor's degree
$80,050 – $209,0906,230
38Electronics Engineers, Except Computer$127,010
Bachelor's degree
$84,510 – $191,1406,080
39First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives$126,810
High school diploma or equivalent
$88,800 – $156,3102,790
40Construction Managers$124,830
Bachelor's degree
$78,160 – $191,45012,550
41School Psychologists$124,770
Master's degree
$88,090 – $161,5701,380
42Mechanical Engineers$124,430
Bachelor's degree
$75,100 – $170,8107,190
43Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers$123,690
Bachelor's degree
$79,780 – $172,9305,110
44Facilities Managers$122,510
Bachelor's degree
$79,030 – $195,3602,150
45Electrical Engineers$120,760
Bachelor's degree
$81,720 – $177,3104,200
46Financial Risk Specialists$120,300
Bachelor's degree
$75,460 – $174,7701,050
47Education Administrators, Postsecondary$118,440
Master's degree
$80,740 – $239,3701,770
48Database Administrators$118,340
Bachelor's degree
$61,930 – $164,7801,220
49Data Scientists$117,400
Bachelor's degree
$74,470 – $189,6306,280
50Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers$114,410
Bachelor's degree
$70,410 – $210,0901,480

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	Employed
1	Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight EngineersBachelor's degree	$307,490	$189,150 – $377,860	5,830
2	Physicians, All OtherDoctoral or professional degree	$298,320	$171,810 – $418,690	1,990
3	Family Medicine PhysiciansDoctoral or professional degree	$265,560	$75,120 – $365,820	2,700
4	Computer and Information Systems ManagersBachelor's degree	$199,420	$130,570 – $293,250	11,510
5	Architectural and Engineering ManagersBachelor's degree	$183,810	$135,380 – $272,950	4,900
6	Marketing ManagersBachelor's degree	$182,730	$121,560 – $289,870	6,010
7	Financial ManagersBachelor's degree	$182,690	$123,900 – $339,290	10,640
8	Sales ManagersBachelor's degree	$180,850	$105,270 – $316,830	8,780
9	Petroleum EngineersBachelor's degree	$172,190	$92,590 – $264,960	1,390
10	Purchasing ManagersBachelor's degree	$171,250	$122,790 – $247,610	1,320
11	Managers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$171,140	$105,020 – $280,950	14,060
12	LawyersDoctoral or professional degree	$168,520	$83,350 – $336,970	16,720
13	Human Resources ManagersBachelor's degree	$166,400	$103,580 – $276,380	3,620
14	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$166,240	$84,590 – $229,070	2,940
15	Administrative Services ManagersBachelor's degree	$157,000	$101,480 – $230,770	2,340
16	Aerospace EngineersBachelor's degree	$156,190	$101,970 – $210,410	4,070
17	Computer Hardware EngineersBachelor's degree	$156,080	$100,050 – $222,220	2,660
18	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$156,030	$120,410 – $188,430	4,560
19	Database ArchitectsBachelor's degree	$154,560	$88,000 – $195,510	1,950
20	Natural Sciences ManagersBachelor's degree	$152,730	$89,900 – $289,970	1,640
21	Industrial Production ManagersBachelor's degree	$141,020	$86,460 – $230,410	1,730
22	Sales EngineersBachelor's degree	$139,990	$83,420 – $203,230	2,800
23	Commercial PilotsPostsecondary nondegree award	$139,680	$59,780 – $269,630	1,240
24	Computer Occupations, All OtherBachelor's degree	$139,580	$76,140 – $170,800	11,800
25	Computer Network ArchitectsBachelor's degree	$139,230	$94,920 – $206,600	16,380
26	Software DevelopersBachelor's degree	$138,390	$96,480 – $213,010	43,320
27	Health Specialties Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$136,930	$69,890 – $360,240	7,800
28	Information Security AnalystsBachelor's degree	$135,220	$87,560 – $208,650	5,700
29	Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific ProductsBachelor's degree	$135,000	$74,290 – $215,140	4,150
30	Medical and Health Services ManagersBachelor's degree	$134,910	$82,680 – $227,940	8,400
31	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$134,540	$104,590 – $174,090	3,270
32	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$132,930	$87,770 – $170,310	4,270
33	Transportation, Storage, and Distribution ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$132,610	$80,160 – $213,580	2,310
34	Engineers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$132,590	$75,900 – $195,190	2,540
35	General and Operations ManagersBachelor's degree	$131,840	$65,310 – $305,040	41,870
36	VeterinariansDoctoral or professional degree	$130,840	$77,710 – $211,930	2,340
37	Computer Systems AnalystsBachelor's degree	$127,750	$80,050 – $209,090	6,230
38	Electronics Engineers, Except ComputerBachelor's degree	$127,010	$84,510 – $191,140	6,080
39	First-Line Supervisors of Police and DetectivesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$126,810	$88,800 – $156,310	2,790
40	Construction ManagersBachelor's degree	$124,830	$78,160 – $191,450	12,550
41	School PsychologistsMaster's degree	$124,770	$88,090 – $161,570	1,380
42	Mechanical EngineersBachelor's degree	$124,430	$75,100 – $170,810	7,190
43	Software Quality Assurance Analysts and TestersBachelor's degree	$123,690	$79,780 – $172,930	5,110
44	Facilities ManagersBachelor's degree	$122,510	$79,030 – $195,360	2,150
45	Electrical EngineersBachelor's degree	$120,760	$81,720 – $177,310	4,200
46	Financial Risk SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$120,300	$75,460 – $174,770	1,050
47	Education Administrators, PostsecondaryMaster's degree	$118,440	$80,740 – $239,370	1,770
48	Database AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$118,340	$61,930 – $164,780	1,220
49	Data ScientistsBachelor's degree	$117,400	$74,470 – $189,630	6,280
50	Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and GeographersBachelor's degree	$114,410	$70,410 – $210,090	1,480

Ranked among the occupations common enough to employ roughly one in every three thousand workers in Colorado. 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.

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.

High paying jobs in Colorado

More for Colorado

Metro areas in Colorado

By field in Colorado

Without a degree

By state