How Much Does an RN Make in Denver, CO in 2026?
Typical pay for RNs 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 RN in Denver, Colorado earns $48.62 per hour, or $101,130 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $8,428 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $81,210, and the top 10% of earners make over $125,870.
That pay is 1% above the Colorado figure of $100,260 and 4% above the national figure of $97,550. Denver ranks 2nd of 7 metro areas in Colorado for RN pay. About 30,380 RNs 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 Centennial and Aurora share these figures.
RN pay in Denver at a glance
- Typical pay is $48.62 an hour, or $101,130 a year.
- That is 1% above the Colorado figure, ranking 2nd of 7 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $81,210; the top 10% make over $125,870.
- Typical pay rose +43% from 2015 to 2025, against +46% for Colorado as a whole.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does an RN make in Denver?
Pay in Denver runs from entry-level positions at around $39.04 an hour to more than $60.52 for the top 10% of earners. The table sets each career stage against the Colorado and national figures.
RN pay by career stage in Denver
| Career stage | Denver | Colorado | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $81,210$39.04 an hour | $79,500$38.22 an hour | $68,940$33.14 an hour |
| First years | $85,390$41.05 an hour | $84,590$40.67 an hour | $80,330$38.62 an hour |
| Typical RN | $101,130$48.62 an hour | $100,260$48.20 an hour | $97,550$46.90 an hour |
| Experienced | $109,760$52.77 an hour | $108,930$52.37 an hour | $112,350$54.02 an hour |
| Top 10% | $125,870$60.52 an hour | $124,940$60.07 an hour | $137,470$66.09 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the Denver · Aurora · Centennial area as BLS defines it
RN pay growth in Denver
Typical (median) annual wage for RNs 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 RN pay in Denver was $70,580 a year. By 2025 it had reached $101,130, a change of +43%, compared with +46% for Colorado over the same years.
How Denver compares with other Colorado cities
Boulder pays RNs the most in Colorado at $103,290 a year, $2,160 more than Denver. The lowest-paying area in the state is Pueblo at $95,720.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs Denver | RNs employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Boulder | $103,290 | $49.66 | +2% | 3,140 |
| 2 | Denver metro incl. Centennial · Aurora | $101,130 | $48.62 | this city | 30,380 |
| 3 | Fort Collins metro incl. Loveland | $97,600 | $46.92 | -3% | — |
| 4 | Greeley | $96,300 | $46.30 | -5% | 1,390 |
| 5 | Colorado Springs | $96,140 | $46.22 | -5% | 6,800 |
| 6 | Grand Junction | $95,990 | $46.15 | -5% | 2,130 |
| 7 | Pueblo | $95,720 | $46.02 | -5% | 2,040 |
Every metro area in Colorado with RN wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · Colorado typical pay $100,260
Is Denver a good place to work as an RN?
RN pay in Denver sits close to the national figure: $101,130 a year, 4% above the national rate. For every 1,000 jobs in the Denver · Aurora · Centennial area, about 19 are RN positions; nationally, the figure is closer to 22. RN jobs make up about the same share of the job market as they do across the country.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does an RN make in Denver, CO?
- A typical RN in Denver earns $101,130 a year, or $48.62 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $81,210 and the top 10% earn over $125,870.
- How much does an RN make an hour in Denver?
- Typical hourly pay for RNs in Denver is $48.62. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $39.04, and the top 10% earn over $60.52 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for an RN in Denver?
- Entry-level RN positions in Denver typically offer around $39.04 an hour, or $81,210 a year.
- Is RN pay in Denver higher than in the rest of Colorado?
- Denver pay is 1% above the Colorado figure of $100,260 a year, ranking 2nd of 7 metro areas in the state. Boulder pays the most in Colorado at $103,290.