What’s the highest paying jobs in Colorado (that you can apply for today)?

“What’s the highest paying job in Colorado?”

In a literal sense, it most likely belongs to an out-of-state billionaire with a vacation home in Aspen and the net worth of a small country. If we limit the pool to people who earn money from their work rather than the stock market, the highest annual salary probably goes to a C-suite executive from one of the state’s nine Fortune 500 companies or possibly even the Denver Bronco’s $245 million quarterback.

When people ask the above question, they don’t care about these outliers. They want to know the highest paying job in Colorado that they can realistically apply for and obtain.

Though the answer varies greatly based on skills, experience, and education level, we’ve put together a list of some lucrative opportunities for salaried employees in CO.

5 High Paying Jobs in Colorado

1. Aerospace Engineer 

If you have an advanced degree in engineering, we’ve got good news: the highest paying job in Colorado is often the one you studied for. Across the state, engineering jobs routinely clear $100,000 per year and have the potential to go much higher with seniority.

One of the best options? Aerospace engineer. Thanks to the headquarters of Ball Aerospace in Broomfield, an aerospace research center at the University of Colorado Boulder, and a significant statewide presence of aerospace giants like Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, and Raytheon Technologies, Colorado boasts thousands of high paying jobs in the sector.

 

2. Artificial Intelligence Jobs 

Between ChatGPT and the potential for automation to result in widespread white-collar job loss, it’s hard to go anywhere these days without hearing about artificial intelligence. A.I. is undoubtedly growing in prevalence and transforming our economy.

For job seekers with a background in computer science, artificial intelligence jobs present a unique opportunity to get in early on an emerging technology and obtain the highest paying job in Colorado before it reaches its apex. Base salaries for computer vision engineers already average around $140,000 per year and that number is only going to go up.

 

3. IT Leadership Roles 

For tech workers who are already established in the field, switching to a new discipline like machine learning can be more trouble than it’s worth. The time and money spent developing new skills can be significant.

Fortunately, IT leadership roles are also among the highest paying tech jobs in the state. Unlike the IT help desk and other entry-level support positions, IT has less risk of being offshored or automated. This is particularly notable with six-figure cybersecurity jobs, as local firms often prefer to hire senior cybersecurity analysts within the state.

If the 500-word count is important, just drop warehousing and tech sales (or IT leadership) and make the list 3 instead of 5.

 

4. Technical Sales 

When looking for the highest paying job in Colorado, technical sales positions might not jump out and grab you immediately. With base pay that nets around $75,000 annually in Denver, that’s understandable.

Here’s the thing: the real money in technical sales comes from bonuses and commissions. If you can skillfully convince enterprise buyers to purchase CRM tools, business intelligence platforms, and cloud services from select vendors, you can easily earn $100,000 (or more).

 

5. Warehouse Associate 

The other entries on this list are great for earning six-figure incomes, but let’s face it: not everyone has had the opportunity to study engineering or computer science in university. When looking for the highest paying job in Colorado that you can get quickly with no experience, warehouse jobs are tough to beat.

Despite having virtually no barriers to entry, warehouse associates and parts associates can earn $40,000-$60,000 with no experience or education. This might pale in comparison to the jobs listed above, but there is room to grow – warehouse workers with forklift tickets, first aid certifications, and OSHA training can boost their pay significantly.

The highest paying job you can get in Colorado varies based on your skills, qualifications, and experience.

A warehouse job is great for a recent immigrant or someone fresh out of high school, but a skilled and experienced neurosurgeon is going to want to stick to medicine…

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