How Much Does a CNA Make in Boulder, CO in 2026?
Typical pay for CNAs in Boulder, from federal wage data (May 2025), with the ten-year trend and how the city compares across Colorado.
BLS OES May 2025 · Boulder metro area
A typical CNA in Boulder, Colorado earns $23.97 per hour, or $49,860 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $4,155 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $41,140, and the top 10% of earners make over $57,080.
That pay is 5% above the Colorado figure of $47,380 and 18% above the national figure of $42,260. Boulder ranks 1st of 7 metro areas in Colorado for CNA pay. About 1,030 CNAs work in the Boulder area.
CNA pay in Boulder at a glance
- Typical pay is $23.97 an hour, or $49,860 a year.
- That is 5% above the Colorado figure, ranking 1st of 7 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $41,140; the top 10% make over $57,080.
- Typical pay rose +79% from 2015 to 2025, against +65% for Colorado as a whole.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does a CNA make in Boulder?
Pay in Boulder runs from entry-level positions at around $19.78 an hour to more than $27.44 for the top 10% of earners. The table sets each career stage against the Colorado and national figures.
CNA pay by career stage in Boulder
| Career stage | Boulder | Colorado | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $41,140$19.78 an hour | $38,690$18.60 an hour | $33,940$16.32 an hour |
| First years | $46,120$22.17 an hour | $44,550$21.42 an hour | $37,260$17.91 an hour |
| Typical CNA | $49,860$23.97 an hour | $47,380$22.78 an hour | $42,260$20.32 an hour |
| Experienced | $53,510$25.73 an hour | $49,920$24.00 an hour | $47,220$22.70 an hour |
| Top 10% | $57,080$27.44 an hour | $56,070$26.96 an hour | $51,980$24.99 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the Boulder area as BLS defines it
CNA pay growth in Boulder
Typical (median) annual wage for CNAs in the Boulder area · BLS OES May estimates, 2015 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
In 2015, typical CNA pay in Boulder was $27,820 a year. By 2025 it had reached $49,860, a change of +79%, compared with +65% for Colorado over the same years.
How Boulder compares with other Colorado cities
Boulder pays CNAs the most of any metro area in Colorado. The lowest-paying area in the state is Grand Junction at $44,980.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs Boulder | CNAs employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Boulder | $49,860 | $23.97 | this city | 1,030 |
| 2 | Denver metro incl. Aurora · Centennial | $49,110 | $23.61 | -2% | 10,350 |
| 3 | Greeley | $46,670 | $22.44 | -6% | 700 |
| 4 | Colorado Springs | $46,120 | $22.17 | -8% | 4,910 |
| 5 | Fort Collins metro incl. Loveland | $45,970 | $22.10 | -8% | — |
| 6 | Pueblo | $45,270 | $21.77 | -9% | 920 |
| 7 | Grand Junction | $44,980 | $21.62 | -10% | 710 |
Every metro area in Colorado with CNA wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · Colorado typical pay $47,380
Is Boulder a good place to work as a CNA?
CNAs in Boulder earn a strong wage by national standards: typical pay is $49,860 a year, 18% above the national figure. For every 1,000 jobs in the Boulder area, about 5.4 are CNA positions; nationally, the figure is closer to 9.2. That makes CNAs a smaller part of the local job market than usual, so employers draw from a smaller pool of qualified candidates.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a CNA make in Boulder, CO?
- A typical CNA in Boulder earns $49,860 a year, or $23.97 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $41,140 and the top 10% earn over $57,080.
- How much does a CNA make an hour in Boulder?
- Typical hourly pay for CNAs in Boulder is $23.97. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $19.78, and the top 10% earn over $27.44 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for a CNA in Boulder?
- Entry-level CNA positions in Boulder typically offer around $19.78 an hour, or $41,140 a year.
- Is CNA pay in Boulder higher than in the rest of Colorado?
- Boulder pay is 5% above the Colorado figure of $47,380 a year, ranking 1st of 7 metro areas in the state.