Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Boulder, CO

Each occupation's median wage in Boulder, CO compared against the national median for the same occupation. Unlike a cost-of-living adjustment — which scales every job in a state by the same constant and so cannot change their order — this genuinely re-ranks, and it shows where Boulder, CO pays a real premium. Limited to occupations with at least 1,000 workers in the state.

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 · vs. national

1Legal Support Workers, All Other$134,890
Associate's degree
$52,280 – $185,100+87.1%
2Physicians, All Other$453,460
Doctoral or professional degree
$173,990 – $474,550+70.5%
3First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales Workers$136,380
High school diploma or equivalent
$65,990 – $212,280+55.8%
4Teachers and Instructors, All Other$102,160
Bachelor's degree
$42,400 – $128,430+54.5%
5School Psychologists$143,020
Master's degree
$107,800 – $170,600+49.0%
6Property, Real Estate, and Community Association Managers$103,440
High school diploma or equivalent
$77,180 – $195,900+47.8%
7General and Operations Managers$152,100
Bachelor's degree
$70,760 – $344,870+43.8%
8Mechanical Drafters$102,710
Associate's degree
$71,990 – $161,770+43.5%
9Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travel$99,990
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,620 – $184,770+42.9%
10Waiters and Waitresses$49,870
No formal educational credential
$33,800 – $80,920+41.6%
11Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers$84,450
Master's degree
$48,370 – $122,510+40.1%
12Conservation Scientists$101,380
Bachelor's degree
$71,440 – $137,670+38.9%
13Statisticians$144,990
Master's degree
$79,310 – $180,500+37.2%
14Photographers$60,930
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,590 – $99,990+36.4%
15Sales Managers$200,970
Bachelor's degree
$123,240 – $329,830+35.5%
16Materials Engineers$151,940
Bachelor's degree
$99,880 – $200,310+34.6%
17Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists$48,120
Postsecondary nondegree award
$35,060 – $103,430+34.5%
18Speech-Language Pathologists$131,620
Master's degree
$90,710 – $167,790+34.5%
19Web and Digital Interface Designers$139,900
Bachelor's degree
$75,850 – $209,470+34.5%
20Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors$66,610
No formal educational credential
$37,530 – $71,380+34.1%
21Firefighters$79,390
Postsecondary nondegree award
$47,730 – $107,200+33.9%
22Office Clerks, General$59,840
High school diploma or equivalent
$41,010 – $83,510+32.9%
23Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers$142,270
High school diploma or equivalent
$99,880 – $218,210+32.7%
24Shuttle Drivers and Chauffeurs$49,500
No formal educational credential
$38,480 – $62,020+32.7%
25Dental Hygienists$130,000
Associate's degree
$93,600 – $133,460+32.5%
26Public Safety Telecommunicators$70,240
High school diploma or equivalent
$43,110 – $84,260+32.4%
27Compensation, Benefits, and Job Analysis Specialists$103,280
Bachelor's degree
$63,470 – $176,280+32.1%
28Sales and Related Workers, All Other$63,510
High school diploma or equivalent
$43,540 – $126,340+31.5%
29Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers$100,060
High school diploma or equivalent
$78,430 – $104,690+31.3%
30Biological Technicians$75,390
Bachelor's degree
$40,240 – $126,810+31.1%
31Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers$136,410
Bachelor's degree
$84,450 – $194,110+30.8%
32Instructional Coordinators$100,630
Master's degree
$52,120 – $121,830+29.9%
33Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products$136,180
Bachelor's degree
$74,800 – $216,540+29.8%
34First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers$121,000
Postsecondary nondegree award
$86,390 – $131,600+29.4%
35Management Analysts$131,470
Bachelor's degree
$72,490 – $228,040+29.1%
36Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary$136,330
Master's degree
$106,330 – $167,220+28.8%
37Commercial and Industrial Designers$107,990
Bachelor's degree
$39,710 – $156,010+28.7%
38Industrial Production Managers$162,040
Bachelor's degree
$95,040 – $233,670+28.5%
39Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria$48,020
No formal educational credential
$37,060 – $59,430+28.2%
40Postsecondary Teachers, All Other$99,360
Doctoral or professional degree
$37,760 – $202,830+28.0%
41Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists$79,030
High school diploma or equivalent
$55,270 – $94,100+27.9%
42Telemarketers$45,340
No formal educational credential
$38,380 – $45,350+27.9%
43Bus Drivers, School$60,950
High school diploma or equivalent
$59,310 – $70,740+27.2%
44Health Technologists and Technicians, All Other$63,920
Postsecondary nondegree award
$45,600 – $93,420+27.1%
45Community Health Workers$65,780
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,450 – $92,050+26.9%
46Cardiovascular Technologists and Technicians$94,190
Associate's degree
$78,810 – $127,800+26.8%
47Computer Occupations, All Other$147,590
Bachelor's degree
$79,810 – $207,810+26.6%
48Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors$75,020
Master's degree
$45,870 – $109,830+26.4%
49Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education$79,150
Bachelor's degree
$61,450 – $102,800+26.3%
50Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics$63,950
Postsecondary nondegree award
$44,150 – $98,510+26.3%

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	vs. national
1	Legal Support Workers, All OtherAssociate's degree	$134,890	$52,280 – $185,100	+87.1%
2	Physicians, All OtherDoctoral or professional degree	$453,460	$173,990 – $474,550	+70.5%
3	First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$136,380	$65,990 – $212,280	+55.8%
4	Teachers and Instructors, All OtherBachelor's degree	$102,160	$42,400 – $128,430	+54.5%
5	School PsychologistsMaster's degree	$143,020	$107,800 – $170,600	+49.0%
6	Property, Real Estate, and Community Association ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$103,440	$77,180 – $195,900	+47.8%
7	General and Operations ManagersBachelor's degree	$152,100	$70,760 – $344,870	+43.8%
8	Mechanical DraftersAssociate's degree	$102,710	$71,990 – $161,770	+43.5%
9	Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and TravelHigh school diploma or equivalent	$99,990	$48,620 – $184,770	+42.9%
10	Waiters and WaitressesNo formal educational credential	$49,870	$33,800 – $80,920	+41.6%
11	Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social WorkersMaster's degree	$84,450	$48,370 – $122,510	+40.1%
12	Conservation ScientistsBachelor's degree	$101,380	$71,440 – $137,670	+38.9%
13	StatisticiansMaster's degree	$144,990	$79,310 – $180,500	+37.2%
14	PhotographersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$60,930	$39,590 – $99,990	+36.4%
15	Sales ManagersBachelor's degree	$200,970	$123,240 – $329,830	+35.5%
16	Materials EngineersBachelor's degree	$151,940	$99,880 – $200,310	+34.6%
17	Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and CosmetologistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$48,120	$35,060 – $103,430	+34.5%
18	Speech-Language PathologistsMaster's degree	$131,620	$90,710 – $167,790	+34.5%
19	Web and Digital Interface DesignersBachelor's degree	$139,900	$75,850 – $209,470	+34.5%
20	Refuse and Recyclable Material CollectorsNo formal educational credential	$66,610	$37,530 – $71,380	+34.1%
21	FirefightersPostsecondary nondegree award	$79,390	$47,730 – $107,200	+33.9%
22	Office Clerks, GeneralHigh school diploma or equivalent	$59,840	$41,010 – $83,510	+32.9%
23	Transportation, Storage, and Distribution ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$142,270	$99,880 – $218,210	+32.7%
24	Shuttle Drivers and ChauffeursNo formal educational credential	$49,500	$38,480 – $62,020	+32.7%
25	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$130,000	$93,600 – $133,460	+32.5%
26	Public Safety TelecommunicatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$70,240	$43,110 – $84,260	+32.4%
27	Compensation, Benefits, and Job Analysis SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$103,280	$63,470 – $176,280	+32.1%
28	Sales and Related Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$63,510	$43,540 – $126,340	+31.5%
29	Police and Sheriff's Patrol OfficersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$100,060	$78,430 – $104,690	+31.3%
30	Biological TechniciansBachelor's degree	$75,390	$40,240 – $126,810	+31.1%
31	Software Quality Assurance Analysts and TestersBachelor's degree	$136,410	$84,450 – $194,110	+30.8%
32	Instructional CoordinatorsMaster's degree	$100,630	$52,120 – $121,830	+29.9%
33	Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific ProductsBachelor's degree	$136,180	$74,800 – $216,540	+29.8%
34	First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention WorkersPostsecondary nondegree award	$121,000	$86,390 – $131,600	+29.4%
35	Management AnalystsBachelor's degree	$131,470	$72,490 – $228,040	+29.1%
36	Education Administrators, Kindergarten through SecondaryMaster's degree	$136,330	$106,330 – $167,220	+28.8%
37	Commercial and Industrial DesignersBachelor's degree	$107,990	$39,710 – $156,010	+28.7%
38	Industrial Production ManagersBachelor's degree	$162,040	$95,040 – $233,670	+28.5%
39	Cooks, Institution and CafeteriaNo formal educational credential	$48,020	$37,060 – $59,430	+28.2%
40	Postsecondary Teachers, All OtherDoctoral or professional degree	$99,360	$37,760 – $202,830	+28.0%
41	Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine SpecialistsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$79,030	$55,270 – $94,100	+27.9%
42	TelemarketersNo formal educational credential	$45,340	$38,380 – $45,350	+27.9%
43	Bus Drivers, SchoolHigh school diploma or equivalent	$60,950	$59,310 – $70,740	+27.2%
44	Health Technologists and Technicians, All OtherPostsecondary nondegree award	$63,920	$45,600 – $93,420	+27.1%
45	Community Health WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$65,780	$45,450 – $92,050	+26.9%
46	Cardiovascular Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$94,190	$78,810 – $127,800	+26.8%
47	Computer Occupations, All OtherBachelor's degree	$147,590	$79,810 – $207,810	+26.6%
48	Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health CounselorsMaster's degree	$75,020	$45,870 – $109,830	+26.4%
49	Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special EducationBachelor's degree	$79,150	$61,450 – $102,800	+26.3%
50	Automotive Service Technicians and MechanicsPostsecondary nondegree award	$63,950	$44,150 – $98,510	+26.3%

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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.

Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Boulder, CO

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