Grand Junction Hourly Wage & Salary 2026
Grand Junction, CO: $23.32/hr median hourly wage, $48,510 median annual salary, cost of living index 111.5, and $14.42/hr minimum wage. Calculate take-home pay with federal and Colorado taxes.
Grand Junction Hourly Wage Quick Answer
The median hourly wage in Grand Junction, CO is $23.32/hr,and the median annual wage is $48,510. Entry-level pay estimates around $14.46/hr, senior-level pay estimates around $33.11/hr, and the local minimum wage is $14.42/hr.
Median figures: BLS OEWS May 2025, all occupations, Grand Junction, CO metropolitan statistical area (67,170 jobs). BLS publishes wages by metro area, not by city, so Grand Junction shares this figure with the rest of its metro. Entry and senior levels are Salario estimates.
Median Salary
$48,510
$23.32/hr
Cost of Living
111.5
US avg = 100
Minimum Wage
$14.42
per hour
Unemployment
3.1%
rate
Grand Junction, CO Overview
Population
65,560
Median Salary
$48,510
Average Salary
$62,570
Avg Commute
16 min
Median Home Price
$488,000
Median Rent
$1,985/mo
Job Growth
+0.6%
Sales Tax
2.9%
Grand Junction is located in Colorado with a population of 65,560. The median annual wage across all occupations is $48,510 ($23.32/hour, BLS OEWS May 2025, Grand Junction, CO metro), which is $2,470 below 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 16 minutes, and the city has a job growth rate of +0.6%.
Grand Junction Salary by Experience Level (2026)
Wage distribution in Grand Junction, CO built around the $48,510 median salary (BLS OEWS May 2025, all occupations, Grand Junction, 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 | $30,076 | $14.46/hr | 0–2 years |
| Mid-Level (Median) | $48,510 | $23.32/hr | 3–7 years |
| Senior-Level | $68,884 | $33.11/hr | 8–15 years |
| Top 10% (90th Percentile) | $86,348 | $41.51/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.
Grand Junction Paycheck Calculator
Enter your annual salary to see your estimated take-home pay in Grand Junction, CO, after federal, state, and local taxes.
Estimated Annual Take-Home Pay
$39,732
$3,310.98/month · $1,528.14/biweekly · Effective Rate: 18.1%
Biweekly paycheck estimate: this salary equals about $1,528.14 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
$48,510
Federal Tax
-$3,641
State Tax
-$1,426
Local Tax
$0
FICA
-$3,711
Net Pay
$39,732
Pay Breakdown
| Item | Monthly | Annual |
|---|---|---|
| Gross Salary | $4,042.50 | $48,510.00 |
| Federal Income Tax | -$303.43 | -$3,641.20 |
| Colorado State Tax (2.94% eff.) | -$118.84 | -$1,426.04 |
| Social Security (6.2%) | -$250.64 | -$3,007.62 |
| Medicare (1.45%) | -$58.62 | -$703.40 |
| Net Take-Home Pay | $3,310.98 | $39,731.75 |
Salary Comparison: Grand Junction vs Other Cities
See how Grand Junction's median salary and cost of living compare to the national average and similar cities.
| City | Median Salary | COL Index | Adj. Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grand Junction, CO | $48,510 | 111.5 | $43,507 |
| National Average | $50,980 | 100 | $50,980 |
| Kalamazoo, MI | $48,510 | 86 | $56,407 |
| Portage, MI | $48,510 | 88.3 | $54,938 |
| South Bend, IN | $48,500 | 84 | $57,738 |
| Davenport, IA | $48,550 | 85 | $57,118 |
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 Grand Junction
Grand Junction's cost of living index is 111.5 (national average = 100). Living in Grand Junction is 11.5% more expensive than the national average.
Median Home Price
$488,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,985
Annual Rent Cost
$23,820
Your Salary's Purchasing Power
Your $39,732 annual take-home pay in Grand Junction has the purchasing power of approximately $35,634 in an average-cost US area. You would need to earn $54,089 in Grand Junction to match a $48,510 salary in an average-cost city.
Top Industries in Grand Junction
Grand Junction's economy is driven by these key industries. Workers in top industries often earn significantly above the median salary of $48,510.
Salary Tips for Grand Junction Workers
- Research top industries. Grand Junction's top industries include Technology, Aerospace, Energy. Targeting roles in these sectors can help you earn above the $48,510 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 Grand Junction salary data: The median annual wage, median hourly wage and mean wage are the official BLS OEWS May 2025 all-occupations values for the Grand Junction, 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 Grand Junction indexed at 111.5.
- Median salary: $48,510 annual, $23.32 hourly, BLS OEWS May 2025, all occupations, Grand Junction, CO MSA (67,170 jobs surveyed). Mean wage $62,570 (BLS). Salario's previous modeled median for Grand Junction was $61,171.
- Tax burden reflects Colorado 2026 state income tax brackets and standard deduction (top rate 4.4%) (no local income tax), sales tax (2.9%), and federal taxes per IRS 2026 brackets.
- Unemployment rate for Grand Junction: 3.1%, sourced from BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS).
- Top industries: Technology, Aerospace, Energy, based on QCEW employment concentration data.
- Job growth: 0.6% projected through 2034, derived from BLS Employment Projections program for Colorado.
- Housing context: median home price $488,000, median rent $1,985/mo, sourced from Census American Community Survey 5-year estimates.
Authoritative US data sources for Grand Junction, CO:
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), metropolitan area salary data
- BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics, Grand Junction unemployment rate
- U.S. Census Bureau, Grand Junction 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. Grand Junction'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 Grand Junction, CO?
The median hourly wage in Grand Junction, CO is $23.32 per hour, the BLS OEWS May 2025 median for all occupations in the Grand Junction, CO metropolitan area, and the BLS median annual wage is $48,510. Entry-level workers are estimated around $14.46/hr, while senior-level workers are estimated around $33.11/hr before overtime, bonuses, or benefits (Salario estimates, not BLS percentiles).
What is the median salary in Grand Junction, CO?
The median salary in Grand Junction, CO is $48,510 per year, or $23.32 per hour (BLS OEWS May 2025, all occupations, Grand Junction, CO metro area). The BLS mean salary is $62,570. This is $2,470 below the BLS national median of $50,980.
What is the cost of living in Grand Junction, CO?
Grand Junction's cost of living index is 111.5 (national average = 100), meaning it is 11.5% more expensive compared to the national average. The median home price is $488,000 and the median monthly rent is $1,985.
What are the best industries in Grand Junction?
The top industries in Grand Junction, CO include Technology, Aerospace, Energy. The city has a job growth rate of 0.6% and an unemployment rate of 3.1%. Workers in these industries often earn above the city's median salary of $48,510.
How does Grand Junction's salary compare to other cities?
Grand Junction's median salary of $48,510 is 4.8% below the national median of $50,980. However, when adjusted for cost of living (index: 111.5), the real purchasing power is approximately $43,507.
What is the minimum wage in Grand Junction, CO?
The minimum wage in Grand Junction, CO is $14.42 per hour. This equals approximately $29,994 per year for a full-time worker (40 hours/week). This is $7.17 above the federal minimum wage of $7.25/hour.