Nurse practitioner salary in Colorado
Colorado nurse practitioners earn a median of $132,930 a year ($63.91 an hour), according to BLS data for May 2025. That is about the same as the national median of $132,300, and ranks 20th of 51 states.
Median, Colorado
$132,930
Mean $132,540
Middle half earns
$118,410 to $150,990
US: $117,990 to $156,700
Employed in Colorado
4,270
0.72x the national concentration
Where Colorado sits in the range
Colorado
Statewide
United States
National
Denver
Metro area
Colorado Springs
Metro area
Boulder
Metro area
Fort Collins
Metro area
Nurse practitioner pay by percentile
Ten percent of Colorado nurse practitioners earned less than $87,770 and ten percent earned more than $170,310, a spread of $82,540. Where you land depends mostly on specialty, setting, experience and how the productivity pay is built, which is why two offers in the same city can be far apart.
| Percentile | Colorado | United States | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $87,770 | $101,340 | -13.4% |
| 25th | $118,410 | $117,990 | +0.4% |
| Median | $132,930 | $132,300 | +0.5% |
| 75th | $150,990 | $156,700 | -3.6% |
| 90th | $170,310 | $174,420 | -2.4% |
Nurse practitioner pay by metro area
BLS published NP pay for 7 metro areas that include part of Colorado. Boulder, CO has the highest median at $138,820. Metro estimates rest on smaller samples than the statewide figure, so treat a low-precision row as a direction, not a number.
| Metro area | Employed | Median | Middle half |
|---|---|---|---|
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | 2,310 | $134,040 | $122,100 to $151,330 |
| Colorado Springs, CO | 470 | $129,950 | $121,160 to $141,110 |
| Boulder, COmoderate precision | 300 | $138,820 | $79,540 to $151,300 |
| Fort Collins-Loveland, COmoderate precision | 210 | $130,330 | $107,340 to $151,370 |
| Pueblo, CO | 200 | $130,650 | $120,340 to $146,630 |
| Grand Junction, CO | 140 | $120,710 | $96,470 to $134,040 |
| Greeley, CO | 140 | $130,950 | $103,230 to $138,610 |
How NP pay compares with other clinicians in Colorado
| Occupation | Colorado | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Nurse practitioner | $132,930 | $132,300 |
| Physician assistant | $134,540 | $135,880 |
| Nurse anesthetist (CRNA) | not published | $236,590 |
| Registered nurse | $100,260 | $97,550 |
The Colorado NP workforce
BLS counts 4,270 nurse practitioners on Colorado payrolls, or 1.49 for every 1,000 jobs in the state, less concentrated than in the country as a whole. The federal NPI registry, which also counts self-employed and part-time clinicians, lists 7,736 nurse practitioners with a Colorado practice address, and 432 new NP NPIs there in the past twelve months.
Using these numbers when you negotiate
A state median is a reference point, not a target. If an offer comes in under $118,410, it sits in the bottom quarter of what Colorado nurse practitioners earn, and you should know why before you sign: a new-grad rate, a light schedule, or a base kept low because a productivity bonus is supposed to make up the difference. If it is above $150,990, ask what is expected in return, such as call, volume targets or a longer non-compete.
Compare the whole package, not the base: how the bonus is calculated, call pay, CME, PTO and who pays malpractice tail coverage. The negotiation guide and the contract checklist walk through each term.
Questions about NP pay in Colorado
How much does a NP make in Colorado?
The median annual wage for nurse practitioners in Colorado was $132,930 in May 2025, and the mean was $132,540, per the BLS. The middle half earned between $118,410 and $150,990.
What is the hourly rate for nurse practitioners in Colorado?
The median hourly wage was $63.91 and the mean was $63.72. BLS computes hourly figures from annual pay assuming a full-time year, so per-shift or per-diem rates can differ.
Where do NPs earn the most in Colorado?
Among Colorado metro areas with published data, Boulder, CO had the highest median at $138,820, and Grand Junction, CO the lowest at $120,710.
How does Colorado rank for NP pay?
Colorado ranks 20th of 51 states (including DC) by median NP pay, about the same as the national median of $132,300. Pay is only half the picture: compare it with what housing and taxes cost where you would live.
How many nurse practitioners work in Colorado?
BLS estimated 4,270 nurse practitioners employed in Colorado in May 2025. The federal NPI registry lists 7,736 with a Colorado practice address.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 (bls.gov/oes), SOC 29-1171, all industries and ownerships. NPI counts: NPPES monthly file, August 2026 (CMS, public domain). BLS wages are straight-time pay: they include production bonuses but leave out overtime, shift differentials, non-production bonuses and benefits, and they exclude the self-employed.
Have an offer on the table?
Book a free intro call with Max. Tell him what you are weighing, and he will tell you whether coaching would help, or whether you just need a few answers.