Average Salary in Denver: Median Income by Job & City
Median annual wage, all jobs
$62,320
Half of workers in the Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO metro area earn more than $62,320 a year and half earn less, 22% above the U.S. median of $50,980. The average (mean) wage is $81,690.
Wages in Denver vs. the U.S.
| Measure | Denver | U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| Median annual wage | $62,320 | $50,980 |
| Mean annual wage | $81,690 | $69,770 |
| Median hourly wage | $29.96 | $24.51 |
| 10th percentile (annual) | $37,490 | $31,200 |
| 25th percentile (annual) | $45,460 | $37,590 |
| 75th percentile (annual) | $99,420 | $80,520 |
| 90th percentile (annual) | $149,200 | $128,560 |
| Jobs counted | 1,609,350 | 155,495,730 |
All occupations combined. Wages exclude self-employed workers and owners. BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
What is a good salary in Denver?
In the Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO metro area, the lowest-paid 10% of workers earn under $37,490 a year and the top 10% earn over $149,200. A salary above the median of $62,320 puts you in the upper half of earners there.
The mean ($81,690) is higher than the median because a smaller number of very high earners pulls the average up. The median is the better guide to what a typical worker earns.
Median pay by occupation group in Denver
| Occupation group | Median annual | U.S. median | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Management | $160,810 | $126,520 | 94,010 |
| Legal | $132,690 | $102,500 | 18,270 |
| Computer and Mathematical | $129,100 | $109,280 | 86,530 |
| Architecture and Engineering | $104,060 | $99,520 | 43,820 |
| Healthcare Practitioners and Technical | $99,840 | $86,530 | 83,870 |
| Business and Financial Operations | $96,450 | $82,660 | 169,260 |
| Life, Physical, and Social Science | $85,440 | $82,530 | 17,880 |
| Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media | $71,600 | $62,750 | 24,480 |
| Educational Instruction and Library | $66,710 | $60,570 | 79,390 |
| Installation, Maintenance, and Repair | $64,920 | $59,620 | 58,860 |
| Construction and Extraction | $63,120 | $59,540 | 71,570 |
| Community and Social Service | $62,420 | $58,300 | 29,860 |
| Protective Service | $56,360 | $50,080 | 34,860 |
| Office and Administrative Support | $53,050 | $47,450 | 168,520 |
| Production | $50,510 | $46,990 | 41,720 |
| Sales and Related | $49,730 | $38,530 | 165,560 |
| Transportation and Material Moving | $47,720 | $44,350 | 132,620 |
| Healthcare Support | $44,970 | $38,340 | 56,210 |
| Building and Grounds Cleaning and Maintenance | $42,890 | $37,680 | 45,500 |
| Personal Care and Service | $40,610 | $36,410 | 44,020 |
| Farming, Fishing, and Forestry | $38,990 | $36,630 | 1,820 |
| Food Preparation and Serving Related | $38,710 | $35,050 | 140,720 |
Groups follow the Standard Occupational Classification. Each group mixes many jobs, so a single job can pay well above or below its group. Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
Highest and lowest paying fields in Denver
The best-paid occupation groups by median wage are management ($160,810), legal ($132,690), computer and mathematical ($129,100), architecture and engineering ($104,060), healthcare practitioners and technical ($99,840).
The lowest-paid groups are food preparation and serving related ($38,710), farming, fishing, and forestry ($38,990), personal care and service ($40,610).
Where these numbers come from
BLS reports wages for metropolitan areas, not city limits. The figures here cover the Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO metro area, which includes the surrounding counties.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics surveys employers about the wages they pay each job. The figures are pre-tax and count wage and salary workers only, so they leave out self-employed people and business owners. They also do not include benefits such as health insurance.
Frequently asked questions
What is the average salary in Denver?
The median annual wage for all jobs is $62,320 and the mean is $81,690.
What is the median hourly wage in Denver?
$29.96 an hour, across all occupations.
Do people in Denver earn more than the national average?
The median wage in the Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO metro area is 22% above the U.S. median of $50,980.
Which jobs pay the most in Denver?
Among broad occupation groups, management jobs have the highest median wage, at $160,810 a year.