Lawyers Salary in Colorado
The median for lawyers in Colorado is $168,520 a year, somewhat above the national $159,670 (+6%); the state ranks 6th of 51 states by median. Lawyers earn 2.8 times the median across all occupations in Colorado ($59,800). Colorado pays more than every neighbouring state: Arizona, Utah, New Mexico, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma and Wyoming range from $100,130 in Wyoming to $134,260 in Arizona. Colorado employs 16,720 lawyers, 5.82 per 1,000 jobs, the 14th largest count of any state. A location quotient of 1.20 means the occupation is more concentrated in Colorado than nationally.
Colorado vs the United States, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Colorado | Hourly | $40.07 | $51.65 | $81.02 | $112.46 | $162.01 | $99.25 | 16,720 | 5.82 | 1.20 |
| Annual | $83,350 | $107,420 | $168,520 | $233,910 | $336,970 | $206,440 | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $37.67 | $49.51 | $76.76 | $106.43 | $169.04 | $89.35 | 754,500 | – | – |
| Annual | $78,360 | $102,990 | $159,670 | $221,370 | $351,600 | $185,840 | ||||
- Rank by median
- 6th of 51 states
- Rank by employment
- 14th of 51 states
- Location quotient
- 1.20
- Jobs per 1,000
- 5.82
Ranks count the 50 states and DC with a published value. The location quotient is the occupation's share of Colorado's employment divided by its national share; 1.00 means the same share as the nation. Take-home pay at these wages: FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Metropolitan areas in Colorado
7 metropolitan areas and 3 nonmetropolitan areas touching Colorado publish a row for lawyers, sorted by median. Areas crossing a state line are listed under every state they touch; a linked metro has its own profile.
| Area | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $85.28 | $177,380 | $90,640 | $337,050 | 11,860 | 7.37 | 1.52 |
| Greeley, CO | $63.94 | $132,990 | $79,310 | $240,260 | 260 | 2.17 | 0.45 |
| Fort Collins-Loveland, CO | $63.16 | $131,380 | $77,860 | $312,840 | 500 | 2.96 | 0.61 |
| Grand Junction, CO | $54.62 | $113,610 | $73,410 | $215,330 | 260 | 3.93 | 0.81 |
| Pueblo, CO | $54.41 | $113,170 | $77,410 | $226,760 | 140 | 2.21 | 0.46 |
| Colorado Springs, CO | $51.11 | $106,320 | $74,990 | $230,820 | 1,390 | 4.40 | 0.91 |
| Boulder, CO | * | * | * | * | 1,160 | 6.05 | 1.25 |
| Northwest Colorado nonmetropolitan area | $71.23 | $148,160 | $89,300 | $363,780 | 380 | 2.91 | 0.60 |
| Southwest Colorado nonmetropolitan area | $65.01 | $135,220 | $53,430 | $198,790 | 460 | 4.23 | 0.87 |
| Eastern and Southern Colorado nonmetropolitan area | $64.08 | $133,280 | $84,400 | $198,790 | 210 | 3.00 | 0.62 |
Neighbouring states
| State | Median hourly | Median annual | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colorado | $81.02 | $168,520 | 16,720 | 1.20 |
| Arizona | $64.55 | $134,260 | 11,640 | 0.74 |
| Kansas | $51.28 | $106,650 | 4,190 | 0.60 |
| Nebraska | $52.49 | $109,170 | 3,490 | 0.70 |
| New Mexico | $57.54 | $119,680 | 3,380 | 0.80 |
| Oklahoma | $49.55 | $103,060 | 6,980 | 0.84 |
| Utah | $63.86 | $132,830 | 7,020 | 0.83 |
| Wyoming | $48.14 | $100,130 | 900 | 0.66 |
See the national page for Lawyers (every state ranked) and the Colorado wage profile (every occupation in the state).
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS Colorado estimates.
*- Wage estimate not available.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.