Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Colorado

Each occupation's median wage in Colorado 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 Colorado pays a real premium. Limited to occupations with at least 1,000 workers in the state.

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 · vs. national

1Property, Real Estate, and Community Association Managers$100,080
High school diploma or equivalent
$72,870 – $217,240+43.0%
2Administrative Services Managers$157,000
Bachelor's degree
$101,480 – $230,770+37.6%
3Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers$307,490
Bachelor's degree
$189,150 – $377,860+32.5%
4Lodging Managers$91,750
High school diploma or equivalent
$56,990 – $190,420+32.5%
5Title Examiners, Abstractors, and Searchers$77,600
High school diploma or equivalent
$50,080 – $106,640+32.3%
6Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers$50,390
No formal educational credential
$47,520 – $57,280+31.6%
7School Psychologists$124,770
Master's degree
$88,090 – $161,570+30.0%
8Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products$135,000
Bachelor's degree
$74,290 – $215,140+28.7%
9Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers$97,350
High school diploma or equivalent
$65,340 – $109,300+27.7%
10Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary$136,930
Doctoral or professional degree
$69,890 – $360,240+27.6%
11Waiters and Waitresses$44,860
No formal educational credential
$30,800 – $78,160+27.3%
12First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales Workers$110,450
High school diploma or equivalent
$62,190 – $203,210+26.2%
13Educational Instruction and Library Workers, All Other$64,090
Bachelor's degree
$45,650 – $114,140+25.9%
14Slaughterers and Meat Packers$50,480
No formal educational credential
$38,910 – $59,520+25.8%
15Sales and Related Workers, All Other$60,670
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,110 – $103,940+25.7%
16Firefighters$74,170
Postsecondary nondegree award
$47,000 – $114,170+25.1%
17General and Operations Managers$131,840
Bachelor's degree
$65,310 – $305,040+24.6%
18Paralegals and Legal Assistants$78,190
Associate's degree
$56,930 – $106,160+24.3%
19Insurance Underwriters$100,640
Bachelor's degree
$67,390 – $167,680+23.7%
20Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers$132,610
High school diploma or equivalent
$80,160 – $213,580+23.7%
21Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators$74,200
High school diploma or equivalent
$50,130 – $95,730+23.6%
22Parts Salespersons$47,660
No formal educational credential
$34,870 – $74,500+23.4%
23Loan Officers$94,520
Bachelor's degree
$39,430 – $165,370+23.2%
24Entertainment and Recreation Managers, Except Gambling$97,000
Bachelor's degree
$60,380 – $167,270+22.0%
25Sales Managers$180,850
Bachelor's degree
$105,270 – $316,830+22.0%
26Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors$60,310
No formal educational credential
$39,580 – $75,330+21.4%
27Hazardous Materials Removal Workers$59,920
High school diploma or equivalent
$44,800 – $71,870+21.2%
28Social and Community Service Managers$97,440
Bachelor's degree
$64,870 – $163,400+21.2%
29Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics$61,280
Postsecondary nondegree award
$39,550 – $93,830+21.1%
30First-Line Supervisors of Entertainment and Recreation Workers, Except Gambling Services$58,640
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,140 – $85,000+20.8%
31Computer Systems Analysts$127,750
Bachelor's degree
$80,050 – $209,090+20.7%
32Managers, All Other$171,140
Bachelor's degree
$105,020 – $280,950+20.6%
33Real Estate Sales Agents$63,670
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,040 – $128,220+20.5%
34Tire Repairers and Changers$45,380
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,600 – $56,580+20.3%
35Skincare Specialists$54,500
Postsecondary nondegree award
$31,940 – $99,720+20.2%
36Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers$58,350
High school diploma or equivalent
$43,690 – $82,420+20.1%
37First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers$58,200
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,440 – $86,320+20.0%
38Public Safety Telecommunicators$63,520
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,250 – $83,750+19.8%
39Computer Occupations, All Other$139,580
Bachelor's degree
$76,140 – $170,800+19.7%
40Sewing Machine Operators$43,840
No formal educational credential
$35,250 – $55,050+19.6%
41First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives$126,810
High school diploma or equivalent
$88,800 – $156,310+19.6%
42Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line Installers$76,410
Postsecondary nondegree award
$51,030 – $88,660+19.6%
43Mechanical Engineers$124,430
Bachelor's degree
$75,100 – $170,810+19.5%
44Cooks, Fast Food$36,900
No formal educational credential
$31,970 – $46,610+19.5%
45Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education$45,500
Associate's degree
$35,820 – $84,700+19.3%
46Insurance Claims and Policy Processing Clerks$58,660
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,780 – $74,730+19.2%
47Office Clerks, General$53,550
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,160 – $78,930+19.0%
48Security Guards$45,150
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,160 – $57,360+18.8%
49Petroleum Engineers$172,190
Bachelor's degree
$92,590 – $264,960+18.8%
50Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers$123,690
Bachelor's degree
$79,780 – $172,930+18.6%

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	vs. national
1	Property, Real Estate, and Community Association ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$100,080	$72,870 – $217,240	+43.0%
2	Administrative Services ManagersBachelor's degree	$157,000	$101,480 – $230,770	+37.6%
3	Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight EngineersBachelor's degree	$307,490	$189,150 – $377,860	+32.5%
4	Lodging ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$91,750	$56,990 – $190,420	+32.5%
5	Title Examiners, Abstractors, and SearchersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$77,600	$50,080 – $106,640	+32.3%
6	Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and TrimmersNo formal educational credential	$50,390	$47,520 – $57,280	+31.6%
7	School PsychologistsMaster's degree	$124,770	$88,090 – $161,570	+30.0%
8	Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific ProductsBachelor's degree	$135,000	$74,290 – $215,140	+28.7%
9	Police and Sheriff's Patrol OfficersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$97,350	$65,340 – $109,300	+27.7%
10	Health Specialties Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$136,930	$69,890 – $360,240	+27.6%
11	Waiters and WaitressesNo formal educational credential	$44,860	$30,800 – $78,160	+27.3%
12	First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$110,450	$62,190 – $203,210	+26.2%
13	Educational Instruction and Library Workers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$64,090	$45,650 – $114,140	+25.9%
14	Slaughterers and Meat PackersNo formal educational credential	$50,480	$38,910 – $59,520	+25.8%
15	Sales and Related Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$60,670	$39,110 – $103,940	+25.7%
16	FirefightersPostsecondary nondegree award	$74,170	$47,000 – $114,170	+25.1%
17	General and Operations ManagersBachelor's degree	$131,840	$65,310 – $305,040	+24.6%
18	Paralegals and Legal AssistantsAssociate's degree	$78,190	$56,930 – $106,160	+24.3%
19	Insurance UnderwritersBachelor's degree	$100,640	$67,390 – $167,680	+23.7%
20	Transportation, Storage, and Distribution ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$132,610	$80,160 – $213,580	+23.7%
21	Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$74,200	$50,130 – $95,730	+23.6%
22	Parts SalespersonsNo formal educational credential	$47,660	$34,870 – $74,500	+23.4%
23	Loan OfficersBachelor's degree	$94,520	$39,430 – $165,370	+23.2%
24	Entertainment and Recreation Managers, Except GamblingBachelor's degree	$97,000	$60,380 – $167,270	+22.0%
25	Sales ManagersBachelor's degree	$180,850	$105,270 – $316,830	+22.0%
26	Refuse and Recyclable Material CollectorsNo formal educational credential	$60,310	$39,580 – $75,330	+21.4%
27	Hazardous Materials Removal WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$59,920	$44,800 – $71,870	+21.2%
28	Social and Community Service ManagersBachelor's degree	$97,440	$64,870 – $163,400	+21.2%
29	Automotive Service Technicians and MechanicsPostsecondary nondegree award	$61,280	$39,550 – $93,830	+21.1%
30	First-Line Supervisors of Entertainment and Recreation Workers, Except Gambling ServicesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$58,640	$38,140 – $85,000	+20.8%
31	Computer Systems AnalystsBachelor's degree	$127,750	$80,050 – $209,090	+20.7%
32	Managers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$171,140	$105,020 – $280,950	+20.6%
33	Real Estate Sales AgentsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$63,670	$37,040 – $128,220	+20.5%
34	Tire Repairers and ChangersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$45,380	$36,600 – $56,580	+20.3%
35	Skincare SpecialistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$54,500	$31,940 – $99,720	+20.2%
36	Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and WeighersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$58,350	$43,690 – $82,420	+20.1%
37	First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$58,200	$39,440 – $86,320	+20.0%
38	Public Safety TelecommunicatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$63,520	$48,250 – $83,750	+19.8%
39	Computer Occupations, All OtherBachelor's degree	$139,580	$76,140 – $170,800	+19.7%
40	Sewing Machine OperatorsNo formal educational credential	$43,840	$35,250 – $55,050	+19.6%
41	First-Line Supervisors of Police and DetectivesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$126,810	$88,800 – $156,310	+19.6%
42	Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line InstallersPostsecondary nondegree award	$76,410	$51,030 – $88,660	+19.6%
43	Mechanical EngineersBachelor's degree	$124,430	$75,100 – $170,810	+19.5%
44	Cooks, Fast FoodNo formal educational credential	$36,900	$31,970 – $46,610	+19.5%
45	Preschool Teachers, Except Special EducationAssociate's degree	$45,500	$35,820 – $84,700	+19.3%
46	Insurance Claims and Policy Processing ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$58,660	$45,780 – $74,730	+19.2%
47	Office Clerks, GeneralHigh school diploma or equivalent	$53,550	$38,160 – $78,930	+19.0%
48	Security GuardsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$45,150	$36,160 – $57,360	+18.8%
49	Petroleum EngineersBachelor's degree	$172,190	$92,590 – $264,960	+18.8%
50	Software Quality Assurance Analysts and TestersBachelor's degree	$123,690	$79,780 – $172,930	+18.6%

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.

Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Colorado

More for Colorado

Metro areas in Colorado

By field in Colorado

Without a degree

Jobs that pay the biggest premium in each state