RN Salary in Colorado (2026): The Complete BLS-Anchored Guide
Last verified: April 23, 2026 — all pay figures anchored to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) 29-1141 Registered Nurses, May 2024 release; NLC compact effective date per NCSBN; state tax per Colorado Department of Revenue; APRN scope per Colorado Nurse Practice Act; employer counts from system "About" pages.
Colorado is a structurally distinctive RN market. Approximately 57,000 RNs, an NLC compact implementation effective January 19, 2018 per NCSBN,6 APRN full practice authority, and a consolidated hospital landscape reshaped by the 2022 CommonSpirit–Centura split combine to produce pay that sits modestly above the U.S. median with strong mid-distribution lift. BLS OEWS 29-1141 May 2024 reports a Colorado state RN median annual wage of $88,7201 — roughly 3% above the national RN median of $86,070. This guide is the complete 2026 Colorado RN salary picture, anchored to primary sources.
The Headline — Colorado RN Pay in One Chart
BLS OEWS 29-1141 Registered Nurses, Colorado state, May 2024 release:1
| Metric | Colorado | U.S. median | Delta |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median (50th percentile) annual | $88,720 | $86,070 | +3% |
| Mean annual | $91,020 | $94,480 | -4% |
| 10th percentile annual | $68,360 | $61,250 | +12% |
| 25th percentile annual | $76,840 | $72,800 | +6% |
| 75th percentile annual | $104,160 | $107,380 | -3% |
| 90th percentile annual | $119,870 | $132,680 | -10% |
| Median hourly | $42.65 | $41.38 | +3% |
| Employment | ~57,000 | ~3.3M | — |
Colorado pay sits above the national median across the bottom and middle of the distribution, with 10th-percentile lift of +12% — meaningful protection for entry-level RNs. The 90th-percentile gap narrows because Colorado lacks the coastal union-negotiated top-end premiums present in California, Oregon, Washington, and Massachusetts.
Why Colorado Pays What It Does — The Structural Drivers
1. NLC compact effective January 19, 2018. Colorado enacted NLC legislation via Senate Bill 18-027, signed into law January 18, 2018, with eNLC implementation effective January 19, 2018 per NCSBN Nurse Licensure Compact records.6 This is an important factual correction — some legacy sources erroneously describe Colorado as an "original 2007 compact member." Colorado's eNLC participation began in 2018 alongside the multi-state eNLC rollout. Compact status makes Colorado a consistently attractive destination for travel RNs holding multi-state licenses and for permanent relocations from other compact states.
2. APRN full practice authority (FPA). Colorado grants APRN full practice authority — NPs, CNSs, CNMs, and CRNAs practice independently under the Colorado Nurse Practice Act, without a physician collaborative agreement after initial transition-to-practice requirements are met.8 This supports higher APRN compensation and opens independent-practice pathways, particularly for rural Colorado Western Slope and plains communities.
3. 2022 CommonSpirit–Centura split. Centura Health — the 20-hospital joint operating agreement between Catholic Health Initiatives (now CommonSpirit) and AdventHealth — was restructured in 2022. AdventHealth took full operational control of the Rocky Mountain region's AdventHealth-sponsored facilities, and CommonSpirit consolidated its hospitals under a new CommonSpirit Mountain Region brand (the former Centura Catholic hospitals). This is an important factual point — any content describing "Centura" in Colorado post-2022 should reference CommonSpirit Mountain Region or AdventHealth Rocky Mountain Region as the successor employer.
4. Intermountain Peaks Region — former SCL Health. Intermountain Health acquired SCL Health in 2022, rebranding the Colorado / Montana SCL facilities as the Intermountain Peaks Region. This includes Saint Joseph Hospital (Denver), Lutheran Medical Center (Wheat Ridge), Good Samaritan (Lafayette), Saint Mary's (Grand Junction), Platte Valley (Brighton), and additional facilities. Intermountain imports a West-wide wage analytics model that influences Colorado pay benchmarks.
5. UCHealth — the academic anchor. UCHealth is Colorado's largest academic health system, built around the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus (Aurora) and including UCHealth University of Colorado Hospital, UCHealth Memorial (Colorado Springs), UCHealth Poudre Valley + Medical Center of the Rockies (Fort Collins / Loveland), UCHealth Greeley Hospital, UCHealth Yampa Valley, and ~14 hospitals statewide. UCHealth is non-union, with published clinical-ladder pay scales and strong specialty-cert differentials.
6. HCA HealthONE — for-profit Denver cluster. HCA HealthONE is HCA Healthcare's Denver market, operating Swedish Medical Center, Presbyterian/St. Luke's, Rose Medical Center, Sky Ridge Medical Center, The Medical Center of Aurora, North Suburban, Spalding Rehabilitation, and multiple freestanding EDs. HCA Nashville-corporate wage analytics drive Denver-metro HCA pay benchmarks.
7. Non-union environment. Colorado has minimal RN union density. No statewide nursing union equivalent to MNA (Minnesota), NYSNA (New York), ONA (Oregon), or CNA (California) covers a meaningful share of Colorado RNs. Pay-setting is employer-driven: published UCHealth / Intermountain / HCA / AdventHealth / CommonSpirit wage scales, clinical-ladder structures, and specialty-cert differentials.
8. Flat 4.4% state income tax. Colorado levies a flat 4.4% state income tax (2025 rate) per the Colorado Department of Revenue.9 Combined with property-tax modesty relative to coastal states, net take-home pay in Colorado is meaningful — though Denver-metro housing cost has risen sharply post-2020.
9. No statutory RN staffing ratios. Colorado has no statutory nurse-to-patient ratio law. Staffing is governed by Joint Commission / CMS Conditions of Participation and employer-specific staffing committees (where they exist). This differentiates Colorado from California (AB 394 statutory ratios), Oregon (HB 2697 committee-enforced minimums), and Minnesota (Keeping Nurses at the Bedside Act committee transparency).
10. Front Range concentration + mountain + plains. Front Range corridor (Fort Collins → Boulder → Denver → Colorado Springs → Pueblo) accounts for the majority of Colorado RN employment. Western Slope (Grand Junction, Glenwood Springs, Durango) and Eastern Plains have smaller but distinct markets with rural-access pay premiums in some critical-access hospital settings.
11. Children's Hospital Colorado — regional pediatric tertiary referral. Children's Hospital Colorado (Anschutz flagship + Colorado Springs + Broomfield + Highlands Ranch) is the pediatric tertiary referral center for the Rocky Mountain region — Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, western Nebraska, and western Kansas all refer to Children's Colorado for subspecialty pediatric care. Pediatric specialty pay reflects this regional catchment, with NICU / PICU / PEDs-specialty differentials typically running above comparable adult-acuity baselines.
12. Denver Health — safety-net + Level I trauma + public-sector pension. Denver Health operates Denver Health Medical Center (downtown Denver, Level I trauma, the region's primary safety-net hospital), plus Denver Health paramedic division, community health centers, Rocky Mountain Poison Control, and correctional health. Denver Health is a public employer with Denver Employees Retirement Plan pension access — a meaningful structural advantage for long-tenure RNs compared with private-system employers that offer only 401(k) / 403(b) match.
Metro Breakdown — All BLS-Reported Colorado Areas
Colorado metros with BLS OEWS 29-1141 published data (May 2024):1
| Metro | Median hourly | Median annual | Employment | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Denver–Aurora–Lakewood | $44.71 | $92,990 | ~31,000 | UCHealth UCH Anschutz, HCA HealthONE cluster, Intermountain Peaks, CommonSpirit Mountain Region, Children's Colorado. |
| Colorado Springs | $40.96 | $85,190 | ~7,500 | UCHealth Memorial (Level I trauma), Penrose-St. Francis (CommonSpirit), Children's Hospital Colorado South. |
| Fort Collins | $41.58 | $86,490 | ~3,500 | UCHealth Poudre Valley + Medical Center of the Rockies. |
| Boulder | $44.37 | $92,290 | ~2,800 | Boulder Community Health + UCHealth Longs Peak. |
| Greeley | $39.52 | $82,200 | ~2,200 | UCHealth Greeley + Banner North Colorado Medical Center. |
| Grand Junction | $38.67 | $80,440 | ~2,000 | Intermountain Peaks Region Saint Mary's + Community Hospital. |
| Pueblo | $36.84 | $76,620 | ~1,500 | Parkview Health + St. Mary-Corwin. |
Denver–Aurora dominates Colorado RN employment (~54%). Boulder and Fort Collins run within a few percent of Denver. Greeley, Grand Junction, and Pueblo sit modestly below — reflecting cost-of-living differentials more than acuity gaps.
Colorado Pay by Care Setting
Base pay varies by care setting on top of state BLS median. Typical 2026 Colorado base ranges (before differentials), Denver metro:
| Care setting | Typical 2026 CO base (Denver metro) | Source link |
|---|---|---|
| Acute care med-surg / stepdown | $80,000–$108,000 | Hub F acute |
| ICU | $89,000–$125,000 | Hub F ICU |
| ED | $86,000–$120,000 | Hub F ED |
| OR / perioperative | $86,000–$118,000 | Hub F OR |
| L&D | $86,000–$118,000 | Hub F L&D |
| Pediatric specialty | $88,000–$125,000 | Hub F pediatric |
| Ambulatory | $74,000–$98,000 | Hub F ambulatory |
| Home health | $76,000–$102,000 | Hub F home health |
| Hospice | $74,000–$98,000 | Hub F hospice |
| School nursing | $60,000–$88,000 (10-month contract) | Hub F school |
Shift differentials typical: night +$3–$6/hour, weekend +$2–$5/hour, charge +$2–$5/hour, specialty-cert stipend $1–$3/hour at Magnet facilities.
Top Colorado Employers — 2026 Pay Landscape
UCHealth (academic + statewide) — 14 hospitals anchored at UCHealth University of Colorado Hospital (Aurora, on Anschutz Medical Campus) + UCHealth Memorial (Colorado Springs, Level I trauma) + UCHealth Poudre Valley + Medical Center of the Rockies (Fort Collins / Loveland) + UCHealth Greeley + UCHealth Yampa Valley + UCHealth Longs Peak + UCHealth Highlands Ranch + UCHealth Parkview South + additional regional facilities. Non-union. Strong clinical ladder + specialty-cert differentials.
HCA HealthONE (HCA Healthcare Denver market) — 8+ hospitals: Swedish Medical Center (Englewood, Level I trauma), Presbyterian/St. Luke's (Denver), Rose Medical Center (Denver), Sky Ridge Medical Center (Lone Tree), The Medical Center of Aurora, North Suburban (Thornton), Spalding Rehabilitation, plus freestanding EDs. HCA corporate wage model.
CommonSpirit Mountain Region (successor to Centura Catholic hospitals) — Saint Joseph Hospital has transitioned; CommonSpirit operates St. Anthony Hospital (Lakewood), St. Anthony North Health Campus (Westminster), Penrose-St. Francis (Colorado Springs), St. Thomas More (Cañon City), St. Francis Medical Center (Colorado Springs), Mercy Regional (Durango), and other Catholic-heritage facilities. Non-union.
AdventHealth Rocky Mountain Region (successor to former Centura Adventist hospitals) — Parker Adventist Hospital, Littleton Adventist Hospital, Porter Adventist Hospital (Denver), Castle Rock Adventist, Avista Adventist (Louisville), Longmont United. Non-union.
Intermountain Peaks Region (acquired SCL Health 2022) — Saint Joseph Hospital (Denver), Lutheran Medical Center (Wheat Ridge), Good Samaritan (Lafayette), Saint Mary's (Grand Junction), Platte Valley (Brighton). Intermountain Utah-HQ wage analytics.
Children's Hospital Colorado — Children's Colorado Anschutz (Aurora flagship) + Children's Colorado South (Colorado Springs) + Children's Colorado North Campus (Broomfield) + Children's Colorado Highlands Ranch. Non-union. Pediatric premium.
Denver Health — Denver Health Medical Center (downtown Denver, Level I trauma, safety-net) + Denver Health community clinics. Public safety-net employer, public-sector pension access.
Banner Health (CO) — Banner North Colorado Medical Center (Greeley) + Banner Fort Collins Medical Center + Banner McKee Medical Center (Loveland).
Kaiser Permanente Colorado — Kaiser does not operate hospitals in Colorado (contracts with hospital partners); employs ambulatory and specialty RNs in the Denver metro.
VA Medical Centers — Rocky Mountain Regional VA Medical Center (Aurora, Anschutz) + Grand Junction VA + clinics. Federal pay scale + federal pension.
Critical Access Hospitals — Roughly 30 CAHs across rural Colorado (e.g., Wray Community, Yuma District, Lincoln Community, Prowers Medical Center, Melissa Memorial, Southeast Colorado). Rural-access pay premiums in some.
Compare specific facilities at Hospital Pay Band Comparator.
Specialty Certifications — What They Stack on Colorado Base
Colorado employers (UCHealth, Intermountain, HCA HealthONE, Children's Colorado, AdventHealth, CommonSpirit) publish clinical-ladder structures with codified specialty-cert differentials. Magnet-designated hospitals typically exceed system baselines.
- CCRN — AACN; CO differential typically $1–$2.50/hour + clinical-ladder step at Magnet.
- CEN — BCEN; CO differential typically $1–$2/hour.
- OCN — ONCC; CO differential typically $1–$2/hour at UCHealth Cancer Center / HCA Sarah Cannon / CommonSpirit cancer programs.
- CNOR — CCI; CO differential typically $1–$2/hour + RNFA pathway.
- PCCN — AACN; CO differential typically $0.75–$2/hour.
- CMSRN — MSNCB; CO differential typically $0.75–$1.75/hour.
- RNC-OB / C-EFM / RNC-NIC / CPN / TCRN / CPEN — recognized at Children's Colorado and Magnet facilities.
Model at Specialty Cert Worth-It.
Travel Nurse Baseline — Colorado Comparison
Colorado is a mid-tier travel market. Compact status (effective Jan 19, 2018) makes Colorado a primary destination for multi-state-license travelers.
Typical 2026 weekly gross for experienced travelers on Colorado contracts (Denver metro):
| Specialty | Weekly gross (typical) | Weekly gross (crisis rate) |
|---|---|---|
| Med-surg | $1,850–$2,350 | $2,600–$3,000 |
| Telemetry/PCU | $2,000–$2,500 | $2,800–$3,200 |
| ED | $2,100–$2,600 | $2,900–$3,400 |
| ICU | $2,200–$2,800 | $3,100–$3,700 |
| CVICU/NICU/PICU | $2,400–$3,100 | $3,300–$4,000 |
| L&D | $2,100–$2,600 | $2,900–$3,400 |
| OR | $2,200–$2,700 | $3,100–$3,600 |
Colorado Springs, Fort Collins, and Boulder run roughly comparable to Denver; Grand Junction and Pueblo typically 10–15% below. Mountain-resort contracts (Vail Health, Aspen Valley Hospital, Grand County hospitals) can run meaningfully higher with seasonal premiums.
Compact status: Colorado implemented eNLC January 19, 2018 per NCSBN.6 Multi-state-license holders from other compact states can work Colorado assignments without endorsement.
Real take-home after IRS Publication 463 tax-home compliance, Denver-metro housing, flat 4.4% Colorado income tax, and contract-specific terms typically runs 18–28% below headline. Run at Travel Nurse Contract Analyzer.
Colorado RN Licensing — NLC Compact Status
Colorado joined the eNLC via SB 18-027 (signed January 18, 2018); NCSBN records implementation effective January 19, 2018.6 Colorado Board of Nursing issues both multi-state (compact) and single-state RN licenses; practitioners with Colorado as their primary state of residence qualify for multi-state licensure upon meeting compact requirements.7 Full Colorado licensing detail: Colorado Nurse Licensing Guide.
Career Lattice — How Colorado RNs Grow Pay
Clinical ladder (typical Magnet hospital) — Clinical Nurse I → II → III → IV. BSN + specialty cert + professional activity required for advancement. UCHealth University of Colorado Hospital, Children's Hospital Colorado, Memorial Hospital (UCHealth), and several HCA HealthONE facilities are Magnet-designated with structured ladders.
Public-sector ladder — Denver Health (safety-net), VA Rocky Mountain Regional + Grand Junction VA, University of Colorado Hospital (academic) offer pension access (PERA + federal).
APRN track — MSN/DNP → FNP / AGPCNP / AGACNP / PMHNP / CNM / CRNA / PNP. Colorado grants APRN full practice authority after transition-to-practice requirements; APRNs practice independently.8 This supports higher APRN compensation and independent-practice opportunity, particularly on the Western Slope and Eastern Plains.
Model educational investment ROI at BSN-to-MSN ROI.
Regional Realities — Cost-of-Living Adjustment
Colorado cost-of-living has diverged sharply post-2020 — Denver-metro and mountain-resort housing have compressed net take-home relative to headline pay.
- Denver metro: Strong nominal pay ($93K median); housing has risen sharply. Net purchasing power moderate.
- Colorado Springs: Pay $85K median; housing more affordable than Denver. Net purchasing power stronger.
- Fort Collins / Boulder: Pay comparable to Denver; Boulder housing among the highest in the state.
- Grand Junction / Pueblo: Pay $77–$80K; housing meaningfully more affordable.
- Mountain resort communities (Vail, Aspen, Steamboat Springs, Telluride): Small hospital markets; nominal pay often elevated, but housing cost is severe — net purchasing power highly variable and typically dependent on employer-subsidized housing programs.
Model net purchasing power at RN Salary by State with a Colorado cost-of-living overlay.
FAQ
What's the median RN salary in Colorado in 2026? BLS OEWS 29-1141 May 2024 release: $88,720 median Colorado RN annual wage.1 Mean: $91,020. 90th percentile: $119,870.
Which Colorado metro pays the most? Denver–Aurora–Lakewood: $92,990 median annual. Boulder: $92,290. Fort Collins: $86,490. Colorado Springs: $85,190. Greeley: $82,200. Grand Junction: $80,440. Pueblo: $76,620.
Is Colorado in the Nurse Licensure Compact? Yes — Colorado implemented the eNLC effective January 19, 2018 via Senate Bill 18-027, per NCSBN.6 Multi-state-license holders from other compact states can work Colorado assignments without endorsement.
Does Colorado have statutory nurse-to-patient staffing ratios? No. Colorado has no statutory ratio law. Staffing is governed by CMS Conditions of Participation, Joint Commission standards, and employer-specific staffing committees where they exist.
Is there a Colorado nursing union? Colorado has minimal RN union density. No statewide nursing union covers a meaningful share of Colorado RNs. Pay-setting is employer-driven via published wage scales, clinical ladders, and specialty-cert differentials.
What happened with Centura Health? Centura — the joint operating agreement between CommonSpirit and AdventHealth — restructured in 2022. Former Centura Catholic hospitals are now CommonSpirit Mountain Region; former Centura Adventist hospitals are now AdventHealth Rocky Mountain Region. Any post-2022 reference to "Centura" should use the successor entity.
Who acquired SCL Health? Intermountain Health acquired SCL Health in 2022. Former SCL facilities (Saint Joseph Denver, Lutheran Wheat Ridge, Good Samaritan Lafayette, Saint Mary's Grand Junction, Platte Valley) now operate as Intermountain Peaks Region.
Does Colorado grant APRN full practice authority? Yes. Colorado APRNs practice independently under the Colorado Nurse Practice Act after transition-to-practice requirements, without physician collaborative agreement.8 This supports higher APRN compensation and independent-practice opportunity.
How much do Colorado travel nurses earn? Denver weekly gross (2026): $1,850 (med-surg) to $3,100 (CVICU/NICU crisis). Colorado Springs / Fort Collins / Boulder comparable. Grand Junction / Pueblo 10–15% below. Mountain-resort contracts may run higher with seasonal premiums. Real take-home after flat 4.4% CO income tax + Denver housing typically 18–28% below headline.
Is specialty certification worth it in Colorado? Yes. UCHealth, Intermountain Peaks, HCA HealthONE, Children's Colorado, AdventHealth, and CommonSpirit publish clinical-ladder structures with codified differentials. Magnet-designated facilities typically exceed baseline.
Sources
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U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), "29-1141 Registered Nurses," May 2024 data release, Colorado state and metro tables. https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes_co.htm and https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes291141.htm ↩↩↩↩
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UCHealth — About UCHealth. https://www.uchealth.org/about/ ↩
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HCA HealthONE — About. https://healthonecares.com/ ↩
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CommonSpirit Mountain Region / AdventHealth Rocky Mountain Region — post-2022 Centura restructure successor entities. https://www.commonspirit.org/ and https://www.adventhealth.com/ ↩
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Intermountain Health — Peaks Region (former SCL Health, acquired 2022). https://intermountainhealthcare.org/ ↩
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NCSBN Nurse Licensure Compact — Colorado (implemented Jan 19, 2018, per NCSBN map); Colorado SB 18-027. https://www.ncsbn.org/nurse-licensure-compact.htm and https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/sb18-027 ↩↩↩↩↩
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Colorado Board of Nursing (Division of Professions and Occupations, DORA). https://dpo.colorado.gov/Nursing ↩
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Colorado Nurse Practice Act — APRN scope of practice (C.R.S. § 12-255-101 et seq.). https://dpo.colorado.gov/Nursing/Practice ↩↩↩
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Colorado Department of Revenue — Individual Income Tax (flat 4.4% rate, 2025). https://tax.colorado.gov/ ↩
