Fort Collins Hourly Wage & Salary 2026
Fort Collins, CO: $26.59/hr median hourly wage, $55,310 median annual salary, cost of living index 108, and $14.81/hr minimum wage. Calculate take-home pay with federal and Colorado taxes.
Fort Collins Hourly Wage Quick Answer
The median hourly wage in Fort Collins, CO is $26.59/hr,and the median annual wage is $55,310. Entry-level pay estimates around $16.49/hr, senior-level pay estimates around $37.76/hr, and the local minimum wage is $14.81/hr.
Median figures: BLS OEWS May 2025, all occupations, Fort Collins-Loveland, CO metropolitan statistical area (169,430 jobs). BLS publishes wages by metro area, not by city, so Fort Collins shares this figure with the rest of its metro. Entry and senior levels are Salario estimates.
Median Salary
$55,310
$26.59/hr
Cost of Living
108
US avg = 100
Minimum Wage
$14.81
per hour
Unemployment
2.8%
rate
Fort Collins, CO Overview
Population
169,810
Median Salary
$55,310
Average Salary
$70,620
Avg Commute
22 min
Median Home Price
$480,000
Median Rent
$1,600/mo
Job Growth
+2.3%
Sales Tax
7.55%
Fort Collins is located in Colorado with a population of 169,810. The median annual wage across all occupations is $55,310 ($26.59/hour, BLS OEWS May 2025, Fort Collins-Loveland, CO metro), which is $4,330 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 22 minutes, and the city has a job growth rate of +2.3%.
Fort Collins Salary by Experience Level (2026)
Wage distribution in Fort Collins, CO built around the $55,310 median salary (BLS OEWS May 2025, all occupations, Fort Collins-Loveland, 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 | $34,292 | $16.49/hr | 0–2 years |
| Mid-Level (Median) | $55,310 | $26.59/hr | 3–7 years |
| Senior-Level | $78,540 | $37.76/hr | 8–15 years |
| Top 10% (90th Percentile) | $98,452 | $47.33/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.
Fort Collins Paycheck Calculator
Enter your annual salary to see your estimated take-home pay in Fort Collins, CO, after federal, state, and local taxes.
Estimated Annual Take-Home Pay
$44,896
$3,741.36/month · $1,726.78/biweekly · Effective Rate: 18.8%
Biweekly paycheck estimate: this salary equals about $1,726.78 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
$55,310
Federal Tax
-$4,457
State Tax
-$1,725
Local Tax
$0
FICA
-$4,231
Net Pay
$44,896
Pay Breakdown
| Item | Monthly | Annual |
|---|---|---|
| Gross Salary | $4,609.17 | $55,310.00 |
| Federal Income Tax | -$371.43 | -$4,457.20 |
| Colorado State Tax (3.12% eff.) | -$143.77 | -$1,725.24 |
| Social Security (6.2%) | -$285.77 | -$3,429.22 |
| Medicare (1.45%) | -$66.83 | -$802.00 |
| Net Take-Home Pay | $3,741.36 | $44,896.35 |
Salary Comparison: Fort Collins vs Other Cities
See how Fort Collins's median salary and cost of living compare to the national average and similar cities.
| City | Median Salary | COL Index | Adj. Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fort Collins, CO | $55,310 | 108 | $51,213 |
| National Average | $50,980 | 100 | $50,980 |
| Salem, OR | $55,310 | 103 | $53,699 |
| Loveland, CO | $55,310 | 102.5 | $53,961 |
| Keizer, OR | $55,310 | 103.6 | $53,388 |
| Cheektowaga, NY | $55,308 | 133.1 | $41,554 |
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 Fort Collins
Fort Collins's cost of living index is 108 (national average = 100). Living in Fort Collins is 8% more expensive than the national average.
Median Home Price
$480,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,600
Annual Rent Cost
$19,200
Your Salary's Purchasing Power
Your $44,896 annual take-home pay in Fort Collins has the purchasing power of approximately $41,571 in an average-cost US area. You would need to earn $59,735 in Fort Collins to match a $55,310 salary in an average-cost city.
Top Industries in Fort Collins
Fort Collins's economy is driven by these key industries. Workers in top industries often earn significantly above the median salary of $55,310.
Salary Tips for Fort Collins Workers
- Research top industries. Fort Collins's top industries include Education, Technology, Manufacturing. Targeting roles in these sectors can help you earn above the $55,310 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.
Other Cities in Colorado
Fountain
Grand Junction
Greeley
Highlands Ranch
Ken Caryl
Lafayette
Lakewood
Littleton
Longmont
Loveland
Northglenn
Parker
Methodology & Local Economy Data Sources
How we calculate Fort Collins salary data: The median annual wage, median hourly wage and mean wage are the official BLS OEWS May 2025 all-occupations values for the Fort Collins-Loveland, 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 Fort Collins indexed at 108.
- Median salary: $55,310 annual, $26.59 hourly, BLS OEWS May 2025, all occupations, Fort Collins-Loveland, CO MSA (169,430 jobs surveyed). Mean wage $70,620 (BLS). Salario's previous modeled median for Fort Collins was $68,000.
- Tax burden reflects Colorado 2026 state income tax brackets and standard deduction (top rate 4.4%) (no local income tax), sales tax (7.55%), and federal taxes per IRS 2026 brackets.
- Unemployment rate for Fort Collins: 2.8%, sourced from BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS).
- Top industries: Education, Technology, Manufacturing, based on QCEW employment concentration data.
- Job growth: 2.3% projected through 2034, derived from BLS Employment Projections program for Colorado.
- Housing context: median home price $480,000, median rent $1,600/mo, sourced from Census American Community Survey 5-year estimates.
Authoritative US data sources for Fort Collins, CO:
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), metropolitan area salary data
- BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics, Fort Collins unemployment rate
- U.S. Census Bureau, Fort Collins 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. Fort Collins'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 Fort Collins, CO?
The median hourly wage in Fort Collins, CO is $26.59 per hour, the BLS OEWS May 2025 median for all occupations in the Fort Collins-Loveland, CO metropolitan area, and the BLS median annual wage is $55,310. Entry-level workers are estimated around $16.49/hr, while senior-level workers are estimated around $37.76/hr before overtime, bonuses, or benefits (Salario estimates, not BLS percentiles).
What is the median salary in Fort Collins, CO?
The median salary in Fort Collins, CO is $55,310 per year, or $26.59 per hour (BLS OEWS May 2025, all occupations, Fort Collins-Loveland, CO metro area). The BLS mean salary is $70,620. This is $4,330 above the BLS national median of $50,980.
What is the cost of living in Fort Collins, CO?
Fort Collins's cost of living index is 108 (national average = 100), meaning it is 8% more expensive compared to the national average. The median home price is $480,000 and the median monthly rent is $1,600.
What are the best industries in Fort Collins?
The top industries in Fort Collins, CO include Education, Technology, Manufacturing. The city has a job growth rate of 2.3% and an unemployment rate of 2.8%. Workers in these industries often earn above the city's median salary of $55,310.
How does Fort Collins's salary compare to other cities?
Fort Collins's median salary of $55,310 is 8.5% above the national median of $50,980. However, when adjusted for cost of living (index: 108), the real purchasing power is approximately $51,213.
What is the minimum wage in Fort Collins, CO?
The minimum wage in Fort Collins, 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.