High paying jobs in Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO

Every occupation below is ranked by its median annual wage in Denver-Aurora-Centennial, 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 Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO run 5.8% above the national average (2024), so a Denver-Aurora-Centennial, 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 Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO

OccupationMedian, Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO · Employed

1Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers$307,490
Bachelor's degree
$189,150 – $377,8605,600
2Physicians, All Other$298,600
Doctoral or professional degree
$154,280 – $377,3701,170
3Family Medicine Physicians$255,590
Doctoral or professional degree
$77,310 – $335,9401,080
4Computer and Information Systems Managers$203,340
Bachelor's degree
$133,450 – $293,8207,730
5Financial Managers$193,400
Bachelor's degree
$127,190 – $344,3007,490
6Architectural and Engineering Managers$191,440
Bachelor's degree
$139,990 – $287,5302,860
7Marketing Managers$182,470
Bachelor's degree
$124,230 – $290,8504,220
8Sales Managers$181,580
Bachelor's degree
$109,250 – $320,9605,930
9Purchasing Managers$180,000
Bachelor's degree
$126,770 – $247,630980
10Lawyers$177,380
Doctoral or professional degree
$90,640 – $337,05011,860
11Managers, All Other$175,980
Bachelor's degree
$115,600 – $286,0409,250
12Petroleum Engineers$174,580
Bachelor's degree
$95,090 – $283,790900
13Human Resources Managers$170,940
Bachelor's degree
$109,540 – $277,5302,540
14Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary$168,720
Doctoral or professional degree
$80,780 – $360,2406,710
15Dentists, General$168,620
Doctoral or professional degree
$84,590 – $222,5901,980
16Administrative Services Managers$164,240
Bachelor's degree
$103,630 – $258,9901,520
17Database Architects$162,640
Bachelor's degree
$106,200 – $197,7401,360
18Computer Occupations, All Other$160,520
Bachelor's degree
$80,230 – $166,6707,850
19Pharmacists$157,890
Doctoral or professional degree
$122,450 – $188,4902,630
20Aerospace Engineers$156,190
Bachelor's degree
$98,090 – $210,8102,010
21Industrial Production Managers$146,460
Bachelor's degree
$93,270 – $241,990830
22Computer Hardware Engineers$144,660
Bachelor's degree
$98,530 – $228,890970
23Training and Development Managers$144,370
Bachelor's degree
$84,650 – $231,000540
24General and Operations Managers$142,330
Bachelor's degree
$73,490 – $313,87022,940
25Natural Sciences Managers$141,080
Bachelor's degree
$83,310 – $263,840920
26Sales Engineers$139,990
Bachelor's degree
$83,420 – $202,5702,010
27Computer Network Architects$139,230
Bachelor's degree
$94,740 – $206,27010,260
28Medical and Health Services Managers$137,760
Bachelor's degree
$88,150 – $240,7404,700
29Software Developers$137,610
Bachelor's degree
$99,700 – $209,30027,010
30Information Security Analysts$136,670
Bachelor's degree
$86,660 – $209,9903,580
31Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products$136,100
Bachelor's degree
$77,300 – $214,9203,110
32Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers$135,220
High school diploma or equivalent
$87,660 – $224,4001,340
33Veterinarians$135,090
Doctoral or professional degree
$86,250 – $217,9501,160
34Physician Assistants$134,540
Master's degree
$105,560 – $175,5901,650
35Nurse Practitioners$134,040
Master's degree
$95,890 – $172,1702,310
36Commercial Pilots$132,810
Postsecondary nondegree award
$57,100 – $285,550710
37Engineers, All Other$131,740
Bachelor's degree
$79,030 – $188,2401,270
38School Psychologists$129,340
Master's degree
$99,880 – $161,570770
39Construction Managers$128,850
Bachelor's degree
$83,960 – $204,2207,250
40Mechanical Engineers$128,180
Bachelor's degree
$74,880 – $168,8504,530
41Computer Systems Analysts$127,880
Bachelor's degree
$81,050 – $209,0904,190
42Electronics Engineers, Except Computer$127,260
Bachelor's degree
$82,700 – $181,6803,810
43First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives$127,250
High school diploma or equivalent
$116,190 – $158,5101,430
44Facilities Managers$125,780
Bachelor's degree
$80,400 – $213,4001,120
45Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers$123,690
Bachelor's degree
$80,590 – $169,9903,620
46Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary$121,130
Master's degree
$83,860 – $159,3202,880
47Education Administrators, Postsecondary$120,560
Master's degree
$81,270 – $316,690730
48Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers$120,480
Bachelor's degree
$74,720 – $220,2701,020
49Database Administrators$120,120
Bachelor's degree
$67,040 – $165,190800
50First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers$119,500
Postsecondary nondegree award
$87,420 – $145,310890

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

#	Occupation	MedianDenver-Aurora-Centennial, CO	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Employed
1	Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight EngineersBachelor's degree	$307,490	$189,150 – $377,860	5,600
2	Physicians, All OtherDoctoral or professional degree	$298,600	$154,280 – $377,370	1,170
3	Family Medicine PhysiciansDoctoral or professional degree	$255,590	$77,310 – $335,940	1,080
4	Computer and Information Systems ManagersBachelor's degree	$203,340	$133,450 – $293,820	7,730
5	Financial ManagersBachelor's degree	$193,400	$127,190 – $344,300	7,490
6	Architectural and Engineering ManagersBachelor's degree	$191,440	$139,990 – $287,530	2,860
7	Marketing ManagersBachelor's degree	$182,470	$124,230 – $290,850	4,220
8	Sales ManagersBachelor's degree	$181,580	$109,250 – $320,960	5,930
9	Purchasing ManagersBachelor's degree	$180,000	$126,770 – $247,630	980
10	LawyersDoctoral or professional degree	$177,380	$90,640 – $337,050	11,860
11	Managers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$175,980	$115,600 – $286,040	9,250
12	Petroleum EngineersBachelor's degree	$174,580	$95,090 – $283,790	900
13	Human Resources ManagersBachelor's degree	$170,940	$109,540 – $277,530	2,540
14	Health Specialties Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$168,720	$80,780 – $360,240	6,710
15	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$168,620	$84,590 – $222,590	1,980
16	Administrative Services ManagersBachelor's degree	$164,240	$103,630 – $258,990	1,520
17	Database ArchitectsBachelor's degree	$162,640	$106,200 – $197,740	1,360
18	Computer Occupations, All OtherBachelor's degree	$160,520	$80,230 – $166,670	7,850
19	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$157,890	$122,450 – $188,490	2,630
20	Aerospace EngineersBachelor's degree	$156,190	$98,090 – $210,810	2,010
21	Industrial Production ManagersBachelor's degree	$146,460	$93,270 – $241,990	830
22	Computer Hardware EngineersBachelor's degree	$144,660	$98,530 – $228,890	970
23	Training and Development ManagersBachelor's degree	$144,370	$84,650 – $231,000	540
24	General and Operations ManagersBachelor's degree	$142,330	$73,490 – $313,870	22,940
25	Natural Sciences ManagersBachelor's degree	$141,080	$83,310 – $263,840	920
26	Sales EngineersBachelor's degree	$139,990	$83,420 – $202,570	2,010
27	Computer Network ArchitectsBachelor's degree	$139,230	$94,740 – $206,270	10,260
28	Medical and Health Services ManagersBachelor's degree	$137,760	$88,150 – $240,740	4,700
29	Software DevelopersBachelor's degree	$137,610	$99,700 – $209,300	27,010
30	Information Security AnalystsBachelor's degree	$136,670	$86,660 – $209,990	3,580
31	Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific ProductsBachelor's degree	$136,100	$77,300 – $214,920	3,110
32	Transportation, Storage, and Distribution ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$135,220	$87,660 – $224,400	1,340
33	VeterinariansDoctoral or professional degree	$135,090	$86,250 – $217,950	1,160
34	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$134,540	$105,560 – $175,590	1,650
35	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$134,040	$95,890 – $172,170	2,310
36	Commercial PilotsPostsecondary nondegree award	$132,810	$57,100 – $285,550	710
37	Engineers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$131,740	$79,030 – $188,240	1,270
38	School PsychologistsMaster's degree	$129,340	$99,880 – $161,570	770
39	Construction ManagersBachelor's degree	$128,850	$83,960 – $204,220	7,250
40	Mechanical EngineersBachelor's degree	$128,180	$74,880 – $168,850	4,530
41	Computer Systems AnalystsBachelor's degree	$127,880	$81,050 – $209,090	4,190
42	Electronics Engineers, Except ComputerBachelor's degree	$127,260	$82,700 – $181,680	3,810
43	First-Line Supervisors of Police and DetectivesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$127,250	$116,190 – $158,510	1,430
44	Facilities ManagersBachelor's degree	$125,780	$80,400 – $213,400	1,120
45	Software Quality Assurance Analysts and TestersBachelor's degree	$123,690	$80,590 – $169,990	3,620
46	Education Administrators, Kindergarten through SecondaryMaster's degree	$121,130	$83,860 – $159,320	2,880
47	Education Administrators, PostsecondaryMaster's degree	$120,560	$81,270 – $316,690	730
48	Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and GeographersBachelor's degree	$120,480	$74,720 – $220,270	1,020
49	Database AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$120,120	$67,040 – $165,190	800
50	First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention WorkersPostsecondary nondegree award	$119,500	$87,420 – $145,310	890

Ranked among the occupations common enough to employ roughly one in every three thousand workers in Denver-Aurora-Centennial, 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 Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO to rank honestly.

High paying jobs in Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO

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