How Much Does an NP Make in Boulder, CO in 2026?
Typical pay for NPs 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 NP in Boulder, Colorado earns $66.74 per hour, or $138,820 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $11,568 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $74,510, and the top 10% of earners make over $175,700.
That pay is 4% above the Colorado figure of $132,930 and 5% above the national figure of $132,300. Boulder ranks 1st of 7 metro areas in Colorado for NP pay. About 300 NPs work in the Boulder area.
NP pay in Boulder at a glance
- Typical pay is $66.74 an hour, or $138,820 a year.
- That is 4% above the Colorado figure, ranking 1st of 7 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $74,510; the top 10% make over $175,700.
- Typical pay rose +26% from 2015 to 2025, against +32% for Colorado as a whole.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does an NP make in Boulder?
Pay in Boulder runs from entry-level positions at around $35.82 an hour to more than $84.47 for the top 10% of earners. The table sets each career stage against the Colorado and national figures.
NP pay by career stage in Boulder
| Career stage | Boulder | Colorado | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $74,510$35.82 an hour | $87,770$42.20 an hour | $101,340$48.72 an hour |
| First years | $79,540$38.24 an hour | $118,410$56.93 an hour | $117,990$56.73 an hour |
| Typical NP | $138,820$66.74 an hour | $132,930$63.91 an hour | $132,300$63.61 an hour |
| Experienced | $151,300$72.74 an hour | $150,990$72.59 an hour | $156,700$75.34 an hour |
| Top 10% | $175,700$84.47 an hour | $170,310$81.88 an hour | $174,420$83.86 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the Boulder area as BLS defines it
NP pay growth in Boulder
Typical (median) annual wage for NPs in the Boulder area · BLS OES May estimates, 2015 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
In 2015, typical NP pay in Boulder was $110,610 a year. By 2025 it had reached $138,820, a change of +26%, compared with +32% for Colorado over the same years.
How Boulder compares with other Colorado cities
Boulder pays NPs the most of any metro area in Colorado. The lowest-paying area in the state is Grand Junction at $120,710.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs Boulder | NPs employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Boulder | $138,820 | $66.74 | this city | 300 |
| 2 | Denver metro incl. Aurora · Centennial | $134,040 | $64.44 | -3% | 2,310 |
| 3 | Greeley | $130,950 | $62.96 | -6% | 140 |
| 4 | Pueblo | $130,650 | $62.81 | -6% | 200 |
| 5 | Loveland metro incl. Fort Collins | $130,330 | $62.66 | -6% | 210 |
| 6 | Colorado Springs | $129,950 | $62.48 | -6% | 470 |
| 7 | Grand Junction | $120,710 | $58.03 | -13% | 140 |
Every metro area in Colorado with NP wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · Colorado typical pay $132,930
Is Boulder a good place to work as an NP?
NPs in Boulder earn a strong wage by national standards: typical pay is $138,820 a year, 5% above the national figure. For every 1,000 jobs in the Boulder area, about 1.6 are NP positions; nationally, the figure is closer to 2.1. That makes NPs 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 an NP make in Boulder, CO?
- A typical NP in Boulder earns $138,820 a year, or $66.74 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $74,510 and the top 10% earn over $175,700.
- How much does an NP make an hour in Boulder?
- Typical hourly pay for NPs in Boulder is $66.74. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $35.82, and the top 10% earn over $84.47 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for an NP in Boulder?
- Entry-level NP positions in Boulder typically offer around $35.82 an hour, or $74,510 a year.
- Is NP pay in Boulder higher than in the rest of Colorado?
- Boulder pay is 4% above the Colorado figure of $132,930 a year, ranking 1st of 7 metro areas in the state.