Boulder Hourly Wage & Salary 2026
Boulder, CO: $33.45/hr median hourly wage, $69,580 median annual salary, cost of living index 138, and $14.81/hr minimum wage. Calculate take-home pay with federal and Colorado taxes.
Boulder Hourly Wage Quick Answer
The median hourly wage in Boulder, CO is $33.45/hr,and the median annual wage is $69,580. Entry-level pay estimates around $20.74/hr, senior-level pay estimates around $47.50/hr, and the local minimum wage is $14.81/hr.
Median figures: BLS OEWS May 2025, all occupations, Boulder, CO metropolitan statistical area (192,390 jobs). BLS publishes wages by metro area, not by city, so Boulder shares this figure with the rest of its metro. Entry and senior levels are Salario estimates.
Median Salary
$69,580
$33.45/hr
Cost of Living
138
US avg = 100
Minimum Wage
$14.81
per hour
Unemployment
2.5%
rate
Boulder, CO Overview
Population
105,673
Median Salary
$69,580
Average Salary
$91,760
Avg Commute
24 min
Median Home Price
$750,000
Median Rent
$2,200/mo
Job Growth
+2.8%
Sales Tax
8.85%
Boulder is located in Colorado with a population of 105,673. The median annual wage across all occupations is $69,580 ($33.45/hour, BLS OEWS May 2025, Boulder, CO metro), which is $18,600 above the national median of $50,980. The national median is the BLS OEWS May 2025 all-occupations median annual wage. The average commute time is 24 minutes, and the city has a job growth rate of +2.8%.
Boulder Salary by Experience Level (2026)
Wage distribution in Boulder, CO built around the $69,580 median salary (BLS OEWS May 2025, all occupations, Boulder, CO metro). Entry-level represents 10th–25th percentile; mid-level is the median; senior-level represents 75th–90th percentile. The non-median rows are Salario estimates.
| Experience Level | Annual Salary | Hourly Wage | Years Exp |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entry-Level | $43,140 | $20.74/hr | 0–2 years |
| Mid-Level (Median) | $69,580 | $33.45/hr | 3–7 years |
| Senior-Level | $98,804 | $47.50/hr | 8–15 years |
| Top 10% (90th Percentile) | $123,852 | $59.54/hr | 15+ years / leadership |
Percentile multipliers (62%, 100%, 142%, 178%) are Salario approximations of the typical all-occupations wage spread in BLS OEWS metro tables; only the median row is a published BLS value. Specific roles vary; see jobs by city for role-specific data.
Boulder Paycheck Calculator
Enter your annual salary to see your estimated take-home pay in Boulder, CO, after federal, state, and local taxes.
Estimated Annual Take-Home Pay
$55,426
$4,618.87/month · $2,131.79/biweekly · Effective Rate: 20.3%
Biweekly paycheck estimate: this salary equals about $2,131.79 take-home per paycheck after estimated Colorado and federal taxes. For the 26-paycheck formula, three-paycheck months, and withholding examples, see the Biweekly Paycheck Calculator.
Gross Pay
$69,580
Federal Tax
-$6,478
State Tax
-$2,353
Local Tax
$0
FICA
-$5,323
Net Pay
$55,426
Pay Breakdown
| Item | Monthly | Annual |
|---|---|---|
| Gross Salary | $5,798.33 | $69,580.00 |
| Federal Income Tax | -$539.80 | -$6,477.60 |
| Colorado State Tax (3.38% eff.) | -$196.09 | -$2,353.12 |
| Social Security (6.2%) | -$359.50 | -$4,313.96 |
| Medicare (1.45%) | -$84.08 | -$1,008.91 |
| Net Take-Home Pay | $4,618.87 | $55,426.41 |
Salary Comparison: Boulder vs Other Cities
See how Boulder's median salary and cost of living compare to the national average and similar cities.
| City | Median Salary | COL Index | Adj. Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boulder, CO | $69,580 | 138 | $50,420 |
| National Average | $50,980 | 100 | $50,980 |
| Longmont, CO | $69,580 | 105.8 | $65,766 |
| Lafayette, CO | $69,580 | 96.7 | $71,954 |
| Bristol, CT | $69,592 | 114.5 | $60,779 |
| Willingboro, NJ | $69,523 | 113.1 | $61,470 |
Adjusted salary reflects purchasing power when cost of living is factored in. A higher adjusted salary means your money goes further.
Cost of Living in Boulder
Boulder's cost of living index is 138 (national average = 100). Living in Boulder is 38% more expensive than the national average.
Median Home Price
$750,000
Median Monthly Rent
$2,200
Annual Rent Cost
$26,400
Your Salary's Purchasing Power
Your $55,426 annual take-home pay in Boulder has the purchasing power of approximately $40,164 in an average-cost US area. You would need to earn $96,020 in Boulder to match a $69,580 salary in an average-cost city.
Top Industries in Boulder
Boulder's economy is driven by these key industries. Workers in top industries often earn significantly above the median salary of $69,580.
Salary Tips for Boulder Workers
- Negotiate for cost of living. Boulder has a cost of living 38% above the national average. When negotiating salary, factor in the higher housing and living costs to ensure your real purchasing power stays competitive.
- Research top industries. Boulder's top industries include Technology, Education, Aerospace. Targeting roles in these sectors can help you earn above the $69,580 median salary.
- Review your W-4 withholding. If you regularly receive large tax refunds, adjust your W-4 to increase your per-paycheck take-home pay instead of giving the government an interest-free loan.
Methodology & Local Economy Data Sources
How we calculate Boulder salary data: The median annual wage, median hourly wage and mean wage are the official BLS OEWS May 2025 all-occupations values for the Boulder, CO metropolitan statistical area, retrieved from the BLS Public Data API on September 17, 2026. BLS does not publish city-level wages, so every city inside that metro shows the same figure. The entry/senior/top-10% rows, the paycheck estimate and the purchasing-power conversion are Salario calculations built on that median. Cost-of-living adjustments use the C2ER Cost of Living Index baseline of 100 (national average), with Boulder indexed at 138.
- Median salary: $69,580 annual, $33.45 hourly, BLS OEWS May 2025, all occupations, Boulder, CO MSA (192,390 jobs surveyed). Mean wage $91,760 (BLS). Salario's previous modeled median for Boulder was $82,500.
- Tax burden reflects Colorado 2026 state income tax brackets and standard deduction (top rate 4.4%) (no local income tax), sales tax (8.85%), and federal taxes per IRS 2026 brackets.
- Unemployment rate for Boulder: 2.5%, sourced from BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS).
- Top industries: Technology, Education, Aerospace, based on QCEW employment concentration data.
- Job growth: 2.8% projected through 2034, derived from BLS Employment Projections program for Colorado.
- Housing context: median home price $750,000, median rent $2,200/mo, sourced from Census American Community Survey 5-year estimates.
Authoritative US data sources for Boulder, CO:
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), metropolitan area salary data
- BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics, Boulder unemployment rate
- U.S. Census Bureau, Boulder QuickFacts, population, housing, demographics
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW), county-level industry employment
- BLS Economy at a Glance, Colorado, state economic indicators
- U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA), local GDP and personal income data
- BLS Consumer Price Index (CPI-U), regional inflation tracking
Disclaimer: Salary and cost data are estimates for general guidance. Individual compensation varies by employer, experience, education, negotiation, and skills. Boulder's rapidly changing economy can shift these baselines, always verify with current job listings, employer offers, and recent Colorado labor market reports for the most current figures.
Reviewed by Harlan Voss · Last updated September 17, 2026 · Wage figures: BLS OEWS May 2025 release (published May 2026) · Census data current as of latest releases
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the hourly wage in Boulder, CO?
The median hourly wage in Boulder, CO is $33.45 per hour, the BLS OEWS May 2025 median for all occupations in the Boulder, CO metropolitan area, and the BLS median annual wage is $69,580. Entry-level workers are estimated around $20.74/hr, while senior-level workers are estimated around $47.50/hr before overtime, bonuses, or benefits (Salario estimates, not BLS percentiles).
What is the median salary in Boulder, CO?
The median salary in Boulder, CO is $69,580 per year, or $33.45 per hour (BLS OEWS May 2025, all occupations, Boulder, CO metro area). The BLS mean salary is $91,760. This is $18,600 above the BLS national median of $50,980.
What is the cost of living in Boulder, CO?
Boulder's cost of living index is 138 (national average = 100), meaning it is 38% more expensive compared to the national average. The median home price is $750,000 and the median monthly rent is $2,200.
What are the best industries in Boulder?
The top industries in Boulder, CO include Technology, Education, Aerospace. The city has a job growth rate of 2.8% and an unemployment rate of 2.5%. Workers in these industries often earn above the city's median salary of $69,580.
How does Boulder's salary compare to other cities?
Boulder's median salary of $69,580 is 36.5% above the national median of $50,980. However, when adjusted for cost of living (index: 138), the real purchasing power is approximately $50,420.
What is the minimum wage in Boulder, CO?
The minimum wage in Boulder, CO is $14.81 per hour. This equals approximately $30,805 per year for a full-time worker (40 hours/week). This is $7.56 above the federal minimum wage of $7.25/hour.