Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Fort Collins-Loveland, CO

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

Cost of living: prices in Fort Collins-Loveland, CO run 1.1% above the national average (2024), so a Fort Collins-Loveland, CO salary is worth about 0.99× 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 Fort Collins-Loveland, CO

OccupationMedian, Fort Collins-Loveland, CO · vs. national

1Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders$79,800
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,750 – $79,800+84.6%
2Firefighters$99,930
Postsecondary nondegree award
$58,330 – $108,250+68.6%
3Photographers$62,550
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,450 – $92,200+40.1%
4Public Safety Telecommunicators$72,880
High school diploma or equivalent
$61,490 – $82,610+37.4%
5Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers$144,910
High school diploma or equivalent
$90,200 – $202,380+35.1%
6Bartenders$46,290
No formal educational credential
$30,800 – $84,240+34.8%
7Waiters and Waitresses$47,360
No formal educational credential
$30,800 – $77,380+34.4%
8Sales Managers$198,550
Bachelor's degree
$100,200 – $294,700+33.9%
9Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$58,730
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,010 – $82,560+32.4%
10Artists and Related Workers, All Other$92,720
No formal educational credential
$46,790 – $105,390+30.2%
11First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers$120,580
Postsecondary nondegree award
$97,990 – $153,990+28.9%
12Industrial Engineers$131,870
Bachelor's degree
$81,680 – $159,990+28.7%
13Administrative Services Managers$146,600
Bachelor's degree
$96,980 – $217,090+28.5%
14Loan Officers$98,450
Bachelor's degree
$36,250 – $161,540+28.4%
15Statisticians$134,330
Master's degree
$84,750 – $151,280+27.1%
16Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers$96,740
High school diploma or equivalent
$75,660 – $102,630+26.9%
17Property, Real Estate, and Community Association Managers$88,400
High school diploma or equivalent
$72,260 – $181,290+26.3%
18Office Clerks, General$55,960
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,450 – $75,480+24.3%
19Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary$131,590
Master's degree
$100,360 – $160,940+24.3%
20Residential Advisors$52,190
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,910 – $64,460+23.6%
21First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives$131,050
High school diploma or equivalent
$109,150 – $153,850+23.6%
22Skincare Specialists$55,970
Postsecondary nondegree award
$30,800 – $83,100+23.5%
23Parts Salespersons$47,660
No formal educational credential
$34,690 – $79,430+23.4%
24Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators$57,140
No formal educational credential
$41,140 – $57,620+23.1%
25Database Administrators$128,780
Bachelor's degree
$64,020 – $163,320+23.1%
26Lodging Managers$85,160
High school diploma or equivalent
$60,450 – $129,230+23.0%
27Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators$73,330
High school diploma or equivalent
$52,310 – $95,380+22.2%
28Pipelayers$59,810
No formal educational credential
$36,270 – $78,540+22.1%
29Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary School$80,790
Bachelor's degree
$54,730 – $95,000+21.9%
30Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics$61,610
Postsecondary nondegree award
$39,440 – $95,920+21.7%
31Sales Engineers$151,450
Bachelor's degree
$80,500 – $200,990+21.3%
32Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers$114,820
High school diploma or equivalent
$63,500 – $136,260+20.5%
33Computer Systems Analysts$126,880
Bachelor's degree
$76,420 – $176,610+19.9%
34Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors$71,120
Master's degree
$40,070 – $97,160+19.8%
35Optometrists$163,240
Doctoral or professional degree
$104,210 – $320,350+19.5%
36Educational Instruction and Library Workers, All Other$60,550
Bachelor's degree
$51,770 – $99,010+19.0%
37Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators$62,900
High school diploma or equivalent
$44,800 – $73,110+17.9%
38Loan Interviewers and Clerks$58,890
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,940 – $76,190+17.7%
39Managers, All Other$166,610
Bachelor's degree
$106,290 – $264,440+17.4%
40Butchers and Meat Cutters$47,080
No formal educational credential
$32,580 – $56,290+17.3%
41Property Appraisers and Assessors$79,690
Bachelor's degree
$61,090 – $131,780+17.3%
42Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers$56,740
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,240 – $91,810+16.8%
43Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health$96,030
Bachelor's degree
$69,140 – $207,040+16.8%
44Production Workers, All Other$46,840
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,880 – $56,410+16.8%
45First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers$56,550
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,330 – $82,590+16.5%
46Social and Community Service Managers$93,590
Bachelor's degree
$63,380 – $164,000+16.4%
47Driver/Sales Workers$45,120
High school diploma or equivalent
$31,270 – $57,480+16.4%
48First-Line Supervisors of Entertainment and Recreation Workers, Except Gambling Services$56,490
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,090 – $77,760+16.3%
49Teachers and Instructors, All Other$76,860
Bachelor's degree
$39,280 – $101,980+16.2%
50Tire Repairers and Changers$43,830
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,750 – $54,790+16.2%

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

#	Occupation	MedianFort Collins-Loveland, CO	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	vs. national
1	Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$79,800	$40,750 – $79,800	+84.6%
2	FirefightersPostsecondary nondegree award	$99,930	$58,330 – $108,250	+68.6%
3	PhotographersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$62,550	$37,450 – $92,200	+40.1%
4	Public Safety TelecommunicatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$72,880	$61,490 – $82,610	+37.4%
5	Transportation, Storage, and Distribution ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$144,910	$90,200 – $202,380	+35.1%
6	BartendersNo formal educational credential	$46,290	$30,800 – $84,240	+34.8%
7	Waiters and WaitressesNo formal educational credential	$47,360	$30,800 – $77,380	+34.4%
8	Sales ManagersBachelor's degree	$198,550	$100,200 – $294,700	+33.9%
9	Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$58,730	$39,010 – $82,560	+32.4%
10	Artists and Related Workers, All OtherNo formal educational credential	$92,720	$46,790 – $105,390	+30.2%
11	First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention WorkersPostsecondary nondegree award	$120,580	$97,990 – $153,990	+28.9%
12	Industrial EngineersBachelor's degree	$131,870	$81,680 – $159,990	+28.7%
13	Administrative Services ManagersBachelor's degree	$146,600	$96,980 – $217,090	+28.5%
14	Loan OfficersBachelor's degree	$98,450	$36,250 – $161,540	+28.4%
15	StatisticiansMaster's degree	$134,330	$84,750 – $151,280	+27.1%
16	Police and Sheriff's Patrol OfficersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$96,740	$75,660 – $102,630	+26.9%
17	Property, Real Estate, and Community Association ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$88,400	$72,260 – $181,290	+26.3%
18	Office Clerks, GeneralHigh school diploma or equivalent	$55,960	$37,450 – $75,480	+24.3%
19	Education Administrators, Kindergarten through SecondaryMaster's degree	$131,590	$100,360 – $160,940	+24.3%
20	Residential AdvisorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$52,190	$38,910 – $64,460	+23.6%
21	First-Line Supervisors of Police and DetectivesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$131,050	$109,150 – $153,850	+23.6%
22	Skincare SpecialistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$55,970	$30,800 – $83,100	+23.5%
23	Parts SalespersonsNo formal educational credential	$47,660	$34,690 – $79,430	+23.4%
24	Industrial Truck and Tractor OperatorsNo formal educational credential	$57,140	$41,140 – $57,620	+23.1%
25	Database AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$128,780	$64,020 – $163,320	+23.1%
26	Lodging ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$85,160	$60,450 – $129,230	+23.0%
27	Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$73,330	$52,310 – $95,380	+22.2%
28	PipelayersNo formal educational credential	$59,810	$36,270 – $78,540	+22.1%
29	Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary SchoolBachelor's degree	$80,790	$54,730 – $95,000	+21.9%
30	Automotive Service Technicians and MechanicsPostsecondary nondegree award	$61,610	$39,440 – $95,920	+21.7%
31	Sales EngineersBachelor's degree	$151,450	$80,500 – $200,990	+21.3%
32	Electrical Power-Line Installers and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$114,820	$63,500 – $136,260	+20.5%
33	Computer Systems AnalystsBachelor's degree	$126,880	$76,420 – $176,610	+19.9%
34	Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health CounselorsMaster's degree	$71,120	$40,070 – $97,160	+19.8%
35	OptometristsDoctoral or professional degree	$163,240	$104,210 – $320,350	+19.5%
36	Educational Instruction and Library Workers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$60,550	$51,770 – $99,010	+19.0%
37	Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$62,900	$44,800 – $73,110	+17.9%
38	Loan Interviewers and ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$58,890	$39,940 – $76,190	+17.7%
39	Managers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$166,610	$106,290 – $264,440	+17.4%
40	Butchers and Meat CuttersNo formal educational credential	$47,080	$32,580 – $56,290	+17.3%
41	Property Appraisers and AssessorsBachelor's degree	$79,690	$61,090 – $131,780	+17.3%
42	Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and WeighersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$56,740	$45,240 – $91,810	+16.8%
43	Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including HealthBachelor's degree	$96,030	$69,140 – $207,040	+16.8%
44	Production Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,840	$40,880 – $56,410	+16.8%
45	First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$56,550	$37,330 – $82,590	+16.5%
46	Social and Community Service ManagersBachelor's degree	$93,590	$63,380 – $164,000	+16.4%
47	Driver/Sales WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$45,120	$31,270 – $57,480	+16.4%
48	First-Line Supervisors of Entertainment and Recreation Workers, Except Gambling ServicesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$56,490	$35,090 – $77,760	+16.3%
49	Teachers and Instructors, All OtherBachelor's degree	$76,860	$39,280 – $101,980	+16.2%
50	Tire Repairers and ChangersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$43,830	$36,750 – $54,790	+16.2%

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