How Much Does a CNA Make in Denver, CO in 2026?
Typical pay for CNAs in Denver, from federal wage data (May 2025), with the ten-year trend and how the city compares across Colorado.
BLS OES May 2025 · Denver · Aurora · Centennial metro area
A typical CNA in Denver, Colorado earns $23.61 per hour, or $49,110 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $4,093 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $41,910, and the top 10% of earners make over $57,460.
That pay is 4% above the Colorado figure of $47,380 and 16% above the national figure of $42,260. Denver ranks 2nd of 7 metro areas in Colorado for CNA pay. About 10,350 CNAs work in the Denver · Aurora · Centennial area. Denver is part of the Denver · Aurora · Centennial metro area, and BLS reports pay for the metro as a whole, so Aurora and Centennial share these figures.
CNA pay in Denver at a glance
- Typical pay is $23.61 an hour, or $49,110 a year.
- That is 4% above the Colorado figure, ranking 2nd of 7 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $41,910; the top 10% make over $57,460.
- Typical pay rose +61% from 2015 to 2025, against +65% for Colorado as a whole.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does a CNA make in Denver?
Pay in Denver runs from entry-level positions at around $20.15 an hour to more than $27.62 for the top 10% of earners. The table sets each career stage against the Colorado and national figures.
CNA pay by career stage in Denver
| Career stage | Denver | Colorado | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $41,910$20.15 an hour | $38,690$18.60 an hour | $33,940$16.32 an hour |
| First years | $46,230$22.22 an hour | $44,550$21.42 an hour | $37,260$17.91 an hour |
| Typical CNA | $49,110$23.61 an hour | $47,380$22.78 an hour | $42,260$20.32 an hour |
| Experienced | $51,250$24.64 an hour | $49,920$24.00 an hour | $47,220$22.70 an hour |
| Top 10% | $57,460$27.62 an hour | $56,070$26.96 an hour | $51,980$24.99 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the Denver · Aurora · Centennial area as BLS defines it
CNA pay growth in Denver
Typical (median) annual wage for CNAs in the Denver · Aurora · Centennial area · BLS OES May estimates, 2015 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
In 2015, typical CNA pay in Denver was $30,480 a year. By 2025 it had reached $49,110, a change of +61%, compared with +65% for Colorado over the same years.
How Denver compares with other Colorado cities
Boulder pays CNAs the most in Colorado at $49,860 a year, $750 more than Denver. The lowest-paying area in the state is Grand Junction at $44,980.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs Denver | CNAs employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Boulder | $49,860 | $23.97 | +2% | 1,030 |
| 2 | Denver metro incl. Aurora · Centennial | $49,110 | $23.61 | this city | 10,350 |
| 3 | Greeley | $46,670 | $22.44 | -5% | 700 |
| 4 | Colorado Springs | $46,120 | $22.17 | -6% | 4,910 |
| 5 | Fort Collins metro incl. Loveland | $45,970 | $22.10 | -6% | — |
| 6 | Pueblo | $45,270 | $21.77 | -8% | 920 |
| 7 | Grand Junction | $44,980 | $21.62 | -8% | 710 |
Every metro area in Colorado with CNA wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · Colorado typical pay $47,380
Is Denver a good place to work as a CNA?
CNAs in Denver earn a strong wage by national standards: typical pay is $49,110 a year, 16% above the national figure. For every 1,000 jobs in the Denver · Aurora · Centennial area, about 6.4 are CNA positions; nationally, the figure is closer to 9.3. 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 Denver, CO?
- A typical CNA in Denver earns $49,110 a year, or $23.61 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $41,910 and the top 10% earn over $57,460.
- How much does a CNA make an hour in Denver?
- Typical hourly pay for CNAs in Denver is $23.61. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $20.15, and the top 10% earn over $27.62 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for a CNA in Denver?
- Entry-level CNA positions in Denver typically offer around $20.15 an hour, or $41,910 a year.
- Is CNA pay in Denver higher than in the rest of Colorado?
- Denver pay is 4% above the Colorado figure of $47,380 a year, ranking 2nd of 7 metro areas in the state. Boulder pays the most in Colorado at $49,860.