Denver Hourly Wage & Salary 2026
Denver, CO: $29.96/hr median hourly wage, $62,320 median annual salary, cost of living index 118, and $14.81/hr minimum wage. Calculate take-home pay with federal and Colorado taxes.
Denver Hourly Wage Quick Answer
The median hourly wage in Denver, CO is $29.96/hr,and the median annual wage is $62,320. Entry-level pay estimates around $18.58/hr, senior-level pay estimates around $42.54/hr, and the local minimum wage is $14.81/hr.
Median figures: BLS OEWS May 2025, all occupations, Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO metropolitan statistical area (1,609,350 jobs). BLS publishes wages by metro area, not by city, so Denver shares this figure with the rest of its metro. Entry and senior levels are Salario estimates.
Median Salary
$62,320
$29.96/hr
Cost of Living
118
US avg = 100
Minimum Wage
$14.81
per hour
Unemployment
3%
rate
Denver, CO Overview
Population
715,522
Median Salary
$62,320
Average Salary
$81,690
Avg Commute
27 min
Median Home Price
$550,000
Median Rent
$1,850/mo
Job Growth
+2.5%
Sales Tax
8.81%
Denver is located in Colorado with a population of 715,522. The median annual wage across all occupations is $62,320 ($29.96/hour, BLS OEWS May 2025, Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO metro), which is $11,340 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 27 minutes, and the city has a job growth rate of +2.5%.
Denver Salary by Experience Level (2026)
Wage distribution in Denver, CO built around the $62,320 median salary (BLS OEWS May 2025, all occupations, Denver-Aurora-Centennial, 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 | $38,638 | $18.58/hr | 0–2 years |
| Mid-Level (Median) | $62,320 | $29.96/hr | 3–7 years |
| Senior-Level | $88,494 | $42.54/hr | 8–15 years |
| Top 10% (90th Percentile) | $110,930 | $53.33/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.
Denver Paycheck Calculator
Enter your annual salary to see your estimated take-home pay in Denver, CO, after federal, state, and local taxes.
Estimated Annual Take-Home Pay
$50,220
$4,185.04/month · $1,931.56/biweekly · Effective Rate: 19.4%
Biweekly paycheck estimate: this salary equals about $1,931.56 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
$62,320
Federal Tax
-$5,298
State Tax
-$2,034
Local Tax
$0
FICA
-$4,767
Net Pay
$50,220
Pay Breakdown
| Item | Monthly | Annual |
|---|---|---|
| Gross Salary | $5,193.33 | $62,320.00 |
| Federal Income Tax | -$441.53 | -$5,298.40 |
| Colorado State Tax (3.26% eff.) | -$169.47 | -$2,033.68 |
| Social Security (6.2%) | -$321.99 | -$3,863.84 |
| Medicare (1.45%) | -$75.30 | -$903.64 |
| Net Take-Home Pay | $4,185.04 | $50,220.44 |
Salary Comparison: Denver vs Other Cities
See how Denver's median salary and cost of living compare to the national average and similar cities.
| City | Median Salary | COL Index | Adj. Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| Denver, CO | $62,320 | 118 | $52,814 |
| National Average | $50,980 | 100 | $50,980 |
| Aurora, CO | $62,320 | 105 | $59,352 |
| Lakewood, CO | $62,320 | 110 | $56,655 |
| Arvada, CO | $62,320 | 110 | $56,655 |
| Westminster, CO | $62,320 | 108 | $57,704 |
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 Denver
Denver's cost of living index is 118 (national average = 100). Living in Denver is 18% more expensive than the national average.
Median Home Price
$550,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,850
Annual Rent Cost
$22,200
Your Salary's Purchasing Power
Your $50,220 annual take-home pay in Denver has the purchasing power of approximately $42,560 in an average-cost US area. You would need to earn $73,538 in Denver to match a $62,320 salary in an average-cost city.
Top Industries in Denver
Denver's economy is driven by these key industries. Workers in top industries often earn significantly above the median salary of $62,320.
Salary Tips for Denver Workers
- Research top industries. Denver's top industries include Technology, Energy, Healthcare. Targeting roles in these sectors can help you earn above the $62,320 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.
Job Salaries in Denver, CO
Browse occupation-specific salaries for Denver. Figures marked BLS are the BLS OEWS May 2025 median annual wage for that occupation in the Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO metro area (80 of 338); the rest are Salario estimates adjusted for Denver's cost of living. Each page connects the benchmark with local take-home pay and market context.
Other Cities in Colorado
Englewood
Erie
Fort Collins
Fountain
Grand Junction
Greeley
Highlands Ranch
Ken Caryl
Lafayette
Lakewood
Littleton
Longmont
Methodology & Local Economy Data Sources
How we calculate Denver salary data: The median annual wage, median hourly wage and mean wage are the official BLS OEWS May 2025 all-occupations values for the Denver-Aurora-Centennial, 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 Denver indexed at 118.
- Median salary: $62,320 annual, $29.96 hourly, BLS OEWS May 2025, all occupations, Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO MSA (1,609,350 jobs surveyed). Mean wage $81,690 (BLS). Salario's previous modeled median for Denver was $78,500.
- Tax burden reflects Colorado 2026 state income tax brackets and standard deduction (top rate 4.4%) (no local income tax), sales tax (8.81%), and federal taxes per IRS 2026 brackets.
- Unemployment rate for Denver: 3%, sourced from BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS).
- Top industries: Technology, Energy, Healthcare, based on QCEW employment concentration data.
- Job growth: 2.5% projected through 2034, derived from BLS Employment Projections program for Colorado.
- Housing context: median home price $550,000, median rent $1,850/mo, sourced from Census American Community Survey 5-year estimates.
Authoritative US data sources for Denver, CO:
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), metropolitan area salary data
- BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics, Denver unemployment rate
- U.S. Census Bureau, Denver 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. Denver'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 Denver, CO?
The median hourly wage in Denver, CO is $29.96 per hour, the BLS OEWS May 2025 median for all occupations in the Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO metropolitan area, and the BLS median annual wage is $62,320. Entry-level workers are estimated around $18.58/hr, while senior-level workers are estimated around $42.54/hr before overtime, bonuses, or benefits (Salario estimates, not BLS percentiles).
What is the median salary in Denver, CO?
The median salary in Denver, CO is $62,320 per year, or $29.96 per hour (BLS OEWS May 2025, all occupations, Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO metro area). The BLS mean salary is $81,690. This is $11,340 above the BLS national median of $50,980.
What is the cost of living in Denver, CO?
Denver's cost of living index is 118 (national average = 100), meaning it is 18% more expensive compared to the national average. The median home price is $550,000 and the median monthly rent is $1,850.
What are the best industries in Denver?
The top industries in Denver, CO include Technology, Energy, Healthcare. The city has a job growth rate of 2.5% and an unemployment rate of 3%. Workers in these industries often earn above the city's median salary of $62,320.
How does Denver's salary compare to other cities?
Denver's median salary of $62,320 is 22.2% above the national median of $50,980. However, when adjusted for cost of living (index: 118), the real purchasing power is approximately $52,814.
What is the minimum wage in Denver, CO?
The minimum wage in Denver, 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.