Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO

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

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 · vs. national

1Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary$168,720
Doctoral or professional degree
$80,780 – $360,240+57.2%
2Firefighters$87,980
Postsecondary nondegree award
$60,980 – $122,750+48.4%
3Property, Real Estate, and Community Association Managers$101,750
High school diploma or equivalent
$76,300 – $229,480+45.4%
4Administrative Services Managers$164,240
Bachelor's degree
$103,630 – $258,990+43.9%
5Educational Instruction and Library Workers, All Other$70,600
Bachelor's degree
$47,560 – $128,020+38.7%
6Computer Occupations, All Other$160,520
Bachelor's degree
$80,230 – $166,670+37.7%
7Title Examiners, Abstractors, and Searchers$79,630
High school diploma or equivalent
$51,880 – $110,590+35.8%
8Telemarketers$47,930
No formal educational credential
$34,620 – $78,570+35.2%
9School Psychologists$129,340
Master's degree
$99,880 – $161,570+34.7%
10General and Operations Managers$142,330
Bachelor's degree
$73,490 – $313,870+34.6%
11Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers$101,970
High school diploma or equivalent
$76,640 – $113,630+33.8%
12Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers$307,490
Bachelor's degree
$189,150 – $377,860+32.5%
13First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales Workers$115,390
High school diploma or equivalent
$65,180 – $204,740+31.8%
14Broadcast Technicians$78,050
Associate's degree
$49,090 – $120,450+31.0%
15Sales and Related Workers, All Other$63,110
High school diploma or equivalent
$41,840 – $104,090+30.7%
16Loan Officers$100,130
Bachelor's degree
$39,430 – $167,560+30.6%
17Advertising Sales Agents$84,540
High school diploma or equivalent
$50,400 – $164,930+30.4%
18Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products$136,100
Bachelor's degree
$77,300 – $214,920+29.7%
19Public Safety Telecommunicators$68,620
High school diploma or equivalent
$52,500 – $86,680+29.4%
20Paralegals and Legal Assistants$80,500
Associate's degree
$60,590 – $111,560+28.0%
21First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers$119,500
Postsecondary nondegree award
$87,420 – $145,310+27.8%
22Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators$76,150
High school diploma or equivalent
$52,160 – $97,170+26.9%
23Childcare Workers$44,320
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,860 – $49,300+26.7%
24Parts Salespersons$48,950
No formal educational credential
$35,040 – $77,360+26.7%
25Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers$135,220
High school diploma or equivalent
$87,660 – $224,400+26.1%
26Social and Community Service Managers$101,310
Bachelor's degree
$67,210 – $166,410+26.0%
27Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$58,240
High school diploma or equivalent
$44,350 – $90,090+25.7%
28Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists$99,040
Bachelor's degree
$51,980 – $167,560+25.7%
29Bus Drivers, School$59,990
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,770 – $73,210+25.2%
30Insurance Underwriters$101,840
Bachelor's degree
$72,600 – $171,060+25.2%
31Cooks, Fast Food$38,530
No formal educational credential
$34,040 – $49,570+24.7%
32Insurance Sales Agents$77,590
High school diploma or equivalent
$43,770 – $167,380+24.6%
33Managers, All Other$175,980
Bachelor's degree
$115,600 – $286,040+24.0%
34Sewing Machine Operators$45,210
No formal educational credential
$36,350 – $57,060+23.3%
35Cooks, Short Order$44,200
No formal educational credential
$42,450 – $64,840+23.2%
36Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors$61,190
No formal educational credential
$39,960 – $76,720+23.1%
37Mechanical Engineers$128,180
Bachelor's degree
$74,880 – $168,850+23.1%
38Insurance Claims and Policy Processing Clerks$60,440
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,780 – $77,640+22.8%
39Helpers--Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers$48,580
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,140 – $59,010+22.6%
40Sales Managers$181,580
Bachelor's degree
$109,250 – $320,960+22.5%
41Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics$61,960
Postsecondary nondegree award
$41,010 – $94,990+22.4%
42Radiologic Technologists and Technicians$98,000
Associate's degree
$63,920 – $112,210+22.3%
43Butchers and Meat Cutters$49,050
No formal educational credential
$34,480 – $60,560+22.2%
44Computer User Support Specialists$75,480
Some college, no degree
$49,870 – $122,270+22.0%
45Hazardous Materials Removal Workers$60,260
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,820 – $71,430+21.9%
46Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary School$79,310
Bachelor's degree
$57,480 – $98,910+21.8%
47First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers$59,100
High school diploma or equivalent
$42,610 – $85,260+21.8%
48Purchasing Managers$180,000
Bachelor's degree
$126,770 – $247,630+21.6%
49Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line Installers$77,570
Postsecondary nondegree award
$54,140 – $89,350+21.4%
50Tire Repairers and Changers$45,760
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,840 – $56,780+21.3%

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	vs. national
1	Health Specialties Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$168,720	$80,780 – $360,240	+57.2%
2	FirefightersPostsecondary nondegree award	$87,980	$60,980 – $122,750	+48.4%
3	Property, Real Estate, and Community Association ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$101,750	$76,300 – $229,480	+45.4%
4	Administrative Services ManagersBachelor's degree	$164,240	$103,630 – $258,990	+43.9%
5	Educational Instruction and Library Workers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$70,600	$47,560 – $128,020	+38.7%
6	Computer Occupations, All OtherBachelor's degree	$160,520	$80,230 – $166,670	+37.7%
7	Title Examiners, Abstractors, and SearchersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$79,630	$51,880 – $110,590	+35.8%
8	TelemarketersNo formal educational credential	$47,930	$34,620 – $78,570	+35.2%
9	School PsychologistsMaster's degree	$129,340	$99,880 – $161,570	+34.7%
10	General and Operations ManagersBachelor's degree	$142,330	$73,490 – $313,870	+34.6%
11	Police and Sheriff's Patrol OfficersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$101,970	$76,640 – $113,630	+33.8%
12	Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight EngineersBachelor's degree	$307,490	$189,150 – $377,860	+32.5%
13	First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$115,390	$65,180 – $204,740	+31.8%
14	Broadcast TechniciansAssociate's degree	$78,050	$49,090 – $120,450	+31.0%
15	Sales and Related Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$63,110	$41,840 – $104,090	+30.7%
16	Loan OfficersBachelor's degree	$100,130	$39,430 – $167,560	+30.6%
17	Advertising Sales AgentsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$84,540	$50,400 – $164,930	+30.4%
18	Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific ProductsBachelor's degree	$136,100	$77,300 – $214,920	+29.7%
19	Public Safety TelecommunicatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$68,620	$52,500 – $86,680	+29.4%
20	Paralegals and Legal AssistantsAssociate's degree	$80,500	$60,590 – $111,560	+28.0%
21	First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention WorkersPostsecondary nondegree award	$119,500	$87,420 – $145,310	+27.8%
22	Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$76,150	$52,160 – $97,170	+26.9%
23	Childcare WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$44,320	$35,860 – $49,300	+26.7%
24	Parts SalespersonsNo formal educational credential	$48,950	$35,040 – $77,360	+26.7%
25	Transportation, Storage, and Distribution ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$135,220	$87,660 – $224,400	+26.1%
26	Social and Community Service ManagersBachelor's degree	$101,310	$67,210 – $166,410	+26.0%
27	Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$58,240	$44,350 – $90,090	+25.7%
28	Market Research Analysts and Marketing SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$99,040	$51,980 – $167,560	+25.7%
29	Bus Drivers, SchoolHigh school diploma or equivalent	$59,990	$45,770 – $73,210	+25.2%
30	Insurance UnderwritersBachelor's degree	$101,840	$72,600 – $171,060	+25.2%
31	Cooks, Fast FoodNo formal educational credential	$38,530	$34,040 – $49,570	+24.7%
32	Insurance Sales AgentsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$77,590	$43,770 – $167,380	+24.6%
33	Managers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$175,980	$115,600 – $286,040	+24.0%
34	Sewing Machine OperatorsNo formal educational credential	$45,210	$36,350 – $57,060	+23.3%
35	Cooks, Short OrderNo formal educational credential	$44,200	$42,450 – $64,840	+23.2%
36	Refuse and Recyclable Material CollectorsNo formal educational credential	$61,190	$39,960 – $76,720	+23.1%
37	Mechanical EngineersBachelor's degree	$128,180	$74,880 – $168,850	+23.1%
38	Insurance Claims and Policy Processing ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$60,440	$45,780 – $77,640	+22.8%
39	Helpers--Installation, Maintenance, and Repair WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,580	$37,140 – $59,010	+22.6%
40	Sales ManagersBachelor's degree	$181,580	$109,250 – $320,960	+22.5%
41	Automotive Service Technicians and MechanicsPostsecondary nondegree award	$61,960	$41,010 – $94,990	+22.4%
42	Radiologic Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$98,000	$63,920 – $112,210	+22.3%
43	Butchers and Meat CuttersNo formal educational credential	$49,050	$34,480 – $60,560	+22.2%
44	Computer User Support SpecialistsSome college, no degree	$75,480	$49,870 – $122,270	+22.0%
45	Hazardous Materials Removal WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$60,260	$45,820 – $71,430	+21.9%
46	Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary SchoolBachelor's degree	$79,310	$57,480 – $98,910	+21.8%
47	First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$59,100	$42,610 – $85,260	+21.8%
48	Purchasing ManagersBachelor's degree	$180,000	$126,770 – $247,630	+21.6%
49	Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line InstallersPostsecondary nondegree award	$77,570	$54,140 – $89,350	+21.4%
50	Tire Repairers and ChangersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$45,760	$38,840 – $56,780	+21.3%

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Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO

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