Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Grand Junction, CO

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

Cost of living: prices in Grand Junction, CO run 4.5% below the national average (2024), so a Grand Junction, CO salary is worth about 1.05× 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 Grand Junction, CO

OccupationMedian, Grand Junction, CO · vs. national

1Educational Instruction and Library Workers, All Other$81,730
Bachelor's degree
$51,550 – $107,940+60.6%
2Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers$80,030
Master's degree
$49,540 – $97,080+32.8%
3Physicians, All Other$348,710
Doctoral or professional degree
$199,990 – $382,320+31.1%
4Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$61,130
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,380 – $77,000+26.7%
5Waiters and Waitresses$43,730
No formal educational credential
$30,800 – $76,270+24.1%
6Correctional Officers and Jailers$73,150
High school diploma or equivalent
$56,360 – $91,090+24.1%
7Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators$73,920
High school diploma or equivalent
$53,020 – $82,570+23.2%
8Medical Equipment Repairers$75,880
Associate's degree
$37,500 – $99,920+23.1%
9Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers$93,640
High school diploma or equivalent
$64,380 – $97,410+22.9%
10Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers$116,570
High school diploma or equivalent
$54,930 – $116,580+22.3%
11Clinical Laboratory Technologists and Technicians$76,850
Bachelor's degree
$37,900 – $120,970+22.1%
12First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers$113,860
Postsecondary nondegree award
$53,040 – $113,860+21.7%
13Court, Municipal, and License Clerks$58,540
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,430 – $68,900+20.2%
14Teachers and Instructors, All Other$79,440
Bachelor's degree
$65,560 – $102,990+20.1%
15Parts Salespersons$46,200
No formal educational credential
$32,690 – $62,900+19.6%
16Protective Service Workers, All Other$50,820
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,780 – $68,630+19.5%
17Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers$121,820
Bachelor's degree
$48,900 – $197,110+19.5%
18Social and Community Service Managers$95,260
Bachelor's degree
$60,830 – $155,570+18.5%
19Firefighters$70,190
Postsecondary nondegree award
$43,730 – $93,610+18.4%
20Property Appraisers and Assessors$78,560
Bachelor's degree
$59,740 – $97,240+15.6%
21Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics$58,200
Postsecondary nondegree award
$36,430 – $78,980+15.0%
22Office Clerks, General$51,680
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,910 – $72,270+14.8%
23First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives$121,670
High school diploma or equivalent
$91,790 – $148,700+14.7%
24Detectives and Criminal Investigators$106,270
High school diploma or equivalent
$68,140 – $149,280+13.3%
25First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers$54,760
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,000 – $80,970+12.9%
26Human Resources Assistants, Except Payroll and Timekeeping$57,160
Associate's degree
$42,250 – $66,020+12.9%
27Speech-Language Pathologists$110,360
Master's degree
$81,840 – $167,120+12.8%
28Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line Installers$71,990
Postsecondary nondegree award
$45,040 – $84,080+12.7%
29Petroleum Engineers$161,940
Bachelor's degree
$82,270 – $254,020+11.8%
30Healthcare Social Workers$75,560
Master's degree
$44,270 – $82,540+11.3%
31Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse$39,570
No formal educational credential
$34,510 – $56,160+11.0%
32Production Workers, All Other$44,450
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,370 – $56,850+10.8%
33Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors$54,930
No formal educational credential
$38,790 – $71,280+10.5%
34Sewing Machine Operators$40,450
No formal educational credential
$35,360 – $46,380+10.3%
35Tour and Travel Guides$42,050
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,120 – $45,700+10.3%
36Cooks, Fast Food$33,980
No formal educational credential
$30,800 – $37,990+10.0%
37Butchers and Meat Cutters$44,140
No formal educational credential
$30,800 – $49,560+10.0%
38Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists$84,360
Bachelor's degree
$63,130 – $112,010+9.9%
39First-Line Supervisors of Entertainment and Recreation Workers, Except Gambling Services$53,370
High school diploma or equivalent
$32,880 – $72,830+9.9%
40Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop$34,190
No formal educational credential
$30,800 – $50,910+9.6%
41Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers$117,120
High school diploma or equivalent
$57,470 – $167,350+9.2%
42Ophthalmic Medical Technicians$49,620
Postsecondary nondegree award
$38,130 – $57,900+8.9%
43First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales Workers$95,330
High school diploma or equivalent
$56,830 – $164,850+8.9%
44Skincare Specialists$48,880
Postsecondary nondegree award
$30,800 – $144,170+7.8%
45Food Service Managers$74,740
High school diploma or equivalent
$58,170 – $115,450+7.7%
46Stockers and Order Fillers$40,120
No formal educational credential
$34,260 – $45,840+7.5%
47Pest Control Workers$48,640
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,270 – $61,840+7.5%
48Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers$52,120
High school diploma or equivalent
$41,880 – $95,120+7.3%
49Massage Therapists$62,550
Postsecondary nondegree award
$31,540 – $90,860+7.0%
50Occupational Therapists$107,380
Master's degree
$83,310 – $137,170+7.0%

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

#	Occupation	MedianGrand Junction, CO	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	vs. national
1	Educational Instruction and Library Workers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$81,730	$51,550 – $107,940	+60.6%
2	Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social WorkersMaster's degree	$80,030	$49,540 – $97,080	+32.8%
3	Physicians, All OtherDoctoral or professional degree	$348,710	$199,990 – $382,320	+31.1%
4	Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$61,130	$46,380 – $77,000	+26.7%
5	Waiters and WaitressesNo formal educational credential	$43,730	$30,800 – $76,270	+24.1%
6	Correctional Officers and JailersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$73,150	$56,360 – $91,090	+24.1%
7	Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$73,920	$53,020 – $82,570	+23.2%
8	Medical Equipment RepairersAssociate's degree	$75,880	$37,500 – $99,920	+23.1%
9	Police and Sheriff's Patrol OfficersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$93,640	$64,380 – $97,410	+22.9%
10	Electrical Power-Line Installers and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$116,570	$54,930 – $116,580	+22.3%
11	Clinical Laboratory Technologists and TechniciansBachelor's degree	$76,850	$37,900 – $120,970	+22.1%
12	First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention WorkersPostsecondary nondegree award	$113,860	$53,040 – $113,860	+21.7%
13	Court, Municipal, and License ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$58,540	$47,430 – $68,900	+20.2%
14	Teachers and Instructors, All OtherBachelor's degree	$79,440	$65,560 – $102,990	+20.1%
15	Parts SalespersonsNo formal educational credential	$46,200	$32,690 – $62,900	+19.6%
16	Protective Service Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$50,820	$35,780 – $68,630	+19.5%
17	Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and GeographersBachelor's degree	$121,820	$48,900 – $197,110	+19.5%
18	Social and Community Service ManagersBachelor's degree	$95,260	$60,830 – $155,570	+18.5%
19	FirefightersPostsecondary nondegree award	$70,190	$43,730 – $93,610	+18.4%
20	Property Appraisers and AssessorsBachelor's degree	$78,560	$59,740 – $97,240	+15.6%
21	Automotive Service Technicians and MechanicsPostsecondary nondegree award	$58,200	$36,430 – $78,980	+15.0%
22	Office Clerks, GeneralHigh school diploma or equivalent	$51,680	$35,910 – $72,270	+14.8%
23	First-Line Supervisors of Police and DetectivesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$121,670	$91,790 – $148,700	+14.7%
24	Detectives and Criminal InvestigatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$106,270	$68,140 – $149,280	+13.3%
25	First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$54,760	$37,000 – $80,970	+12.9%
26	Human Resources Assistants, Except Payroll and TimekeepingAssociate's degree	$57,160	$42,250 – $66,020	+12.9%
27	Speech-Language PathologistsMaster's degree	$110,360	$81,840 – $167,120	+12.8%
28	Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line InstallersPostsecondary nondegree award	$71,990	$45,040 – $84,080	+12.7%
29	Petroleum EngineersBachelor's degree	$161,940	$82,270 – $254,020	+11.8%
30	Healthcare Social WorkersMaster's degree	$75,560	$44,270 – $82,540	+11.3%
31	Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and GreenhouseNo formal educational credential	$39,570	$34,510 – $56,160	+11.0%
32	Production Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$44,450	$38,370 – $56,850	+10.8%
33	Refuse and Recyclable Material CollectorsNo formal educational credential	$54,930	$38,790 – $71,280	+10.5%
34	Sewing Machine OperatorsNo formal educational credential	$40,450	$35,360 – $46,380	+10.3%
35	Tour and Travel GuidesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$42,050	$34,120 – $45,700	+10.3%
36	Cooks, Fast FoodNo formal educational credential	$33,980	$30,800 – $37,990	+10.0%
37	Butchers and Meat CuttersNo formal educational credential	$44,140	$30,800 – $49,560	+10.0%
38	Zoologists and Wildlife BiologistsBachelor's degree	$84,360	$63,130 – $112,010	+9.9%
39	First-Line Supervisors of Entertainment and Recreation Workers, Except Gambling ServicesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$53,370	$32,880 – $72,830	+9.9%
40	Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee ShopNo formal educational credential	$34,190	$30,800 – $50,910	+9.6%
41	Transportation, Storage, and Distribution ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$117,120	$57,470 – $167,350	+9.2%
42	Ophthalmic Medical TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$49,620	$38,130 – $57,900	+8.9%
43	First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$95,330	$56,830 – $164,850	+8.9%
44	Skincare SpecialistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$48,880	$30,800 – $144,170	+7.8%
45	Food Service ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$74,740	$58,170 – $115,450	+7.7%
46	Stockers and Order FillersNo formal educational credential	$40,120	$34,260 – $45,840	+7.5%
47	Pest Control WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,640	$40,270 – $61,840	+7.5%
48	Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and WeighersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$52,120	$41,880 – $95,120	+7.3%
49	Massage TherapistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$62,550	$31,540 – $90,860	+7.0%
50	Occupational TherapistsMaster's degree	$107,380	$83,310 – $137,170	+7.0%

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Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Grand Junction, CO

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