How Much Does an NP Make in Colorado in 2026?

A typical NP in Colorado earns about $63.91 per hour, or $132,930 per year, per the latest government wage data (May 2025). Broken down further, that works out to roughly $11,078 a month and $2,556 a week, calculated from the annual figure. These numbers describe typical pay in the state, not a fixed figure for every job. Actual pay still varies by employer, setting, and city within Colorado.

Colorado's typical NP pay is about the same as the national figure of $132,300 a year, per the same May 2025 data. That places the state 20th among the 51 states and D.C. for NP pay. Colorado employs about 4,270 NPs, compared with 323,040 nationwide, giving a sense of scale for the state's workforce.

Entry-level NP positions in Colorado typically offer around $42.20 an hour, or about $87,770 a year, according to the same wage data. That's the starting range for NPs newer to practice or working in lower-paying settings. Pay tends to move toward the state's typical figure of $132,930 within the first several years of practice. Location, specialty, and employer type all play a role in how quickly that happens.

Experienced NPs in Colorado often earn upwards of $150,990 a year, and the top 10% of earners make over $170,310. That's a spread of $82,540 between entry-level and top pay. Experience, practice setting, and city all factor into where an individual NP falls within that range, along with specialty and employer type.

Colorado NP pay rose from $101,080 in 2015 to $132,930 in 2025, a gain of $31,850 over the decade. That's a 32% increase in typical pay over ten years. The rise wasn't perfectly steady; pay dipped slightly in 2016 and again in 2021 before climbing through recent years. By 2025, pay had recovered and moved well past its earlier levels.

Nationally, NP pay climbed 35% over the same ten years, a slightly faster rise than Colorado's. That puts Colorado's growth close to, but a bit behind, the national pace. For someone starting as an NP in Colorado now, pay has moved up steadily over the past decade. That trend doesn't guarantee future gains, but it reflects real growth already realized.

Boulder pays NPs the most in Colorado, with typical pay of $138,820 a year ($66.74 an hour), about 4% above the state figure of $132,930. Denver and its metro area, which includes Aurora and Centennial, follow closely at $134,040 a year. These figures reflect each city's full metro area, not just the city center. Pay across Colorado's largest metro areas stays fairly close to the state figure overall.

Grand Junction pays the least among Colorado's tracked cities, with typical NP pay of $120,710 a year. That's an $18,110 spread between the highest and lowest-paying cities in the state. Denver has the largest NP workforce in Colorado, with about 2,310 NPs, more than any other metro area. Lower pay in smaller cities like Grand Junction usually tracks a lower cost of living compared with Boulder or Denver.

Among Colorado's neighbors, New Mexico pays NPs more, at $137,520 a year, about 3% above Colorado. Kansas pays less, at $126,650, about 5% below Colorado, the widest gap among the bordering states. Arizona, Wyoming, Nebraska, Oklahoma, and Utah all land within a few percentage points of Colorado's figure. Licensure requirements differ by state, but many NPs can transfer or endorse an existing license into a neighboring state rather than starting over.

Colorado NPs typically earn $132,930 a year, close to the national figure, after a 32% rise over the past decade. Pay varies by city and experience level within that overall picture. Readers considering a move should check Colorado's NP licensing and registry requirements for details on scope of practice and certification, and review city-level pages for local pay figures before deciding where to practice.