SOC 11-9033

Education Administrators, Postsecondary Salary in Denver-Aurora, CO

Data updated · Sources: BLS OEWS May 2025, HUD FY 2027 Fair Market Rents, EPI 2026 Family Budget, 2026 tax tables · Methodology

Tax Tables: 2026 Fed + CO
COL Index: 137.11 (+37.1% vs US)
Net Compensation Yield 69.4% Realized
$83,655 / net annual direct deposit
Gross Adjusted $120,560 $57.96/hr
Effective Tax Drag 24.61% Combined Jurisdictions
Marginal Top Bracket 22% Federal Statutory
Total Withheld -$29,672 $1,141.22/check
Category 1 of 6

Wage Benchmarking & After-Tax Paycheck Engine

Dynamic statutory tax calculations based on IRS Publication 15-T and state statutory schedules.

$
2,080 annual statutory base hours $57.96 / hour
0 hrs/wk (+$0/yr)
0 hrs (Standard) 10 hrs OT 20 hrs OT 25 hrs Max
6% (-$7,234/yr)
0% Tax Shield: ~$1,591/yr 15% (IRS limit: $24,500)
Itemized Statutory Withholdings Ledger
Federal Income Tax (IRS)
Progressive 10%–37%
-$16,102
Social Security (FICA OASDI)
Statutory 6.20% (Cap $184,500)
-$7,475
Medicare Hospital Insurance
Statutory 1.45%
-$1,748
Colorado Individual Income Tax
State Marginal Bracket
-$4,278
Denver Occupational Privilege Tax
LOCAL
-$69
Net Take-Home Annual Realized
$83,655 ($3,217.49 / check)
Category 2 of 6

Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO Education Administrators, Postsecondary Wage Distribution

Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) Percentiles & Career Ladders

Your Salary: $120,560
MIDDLE 50% (IQR RANGE) 10th $81.3k 25th $86.7k Median: $120,560 50th (Median) $121k 75th $179k 90th $317k You: $120,560
10th (Entry) $81,270 $39.07/hr
25th (Junior) $86,740 $41.70/hr
50th (Median) $120,560 $57.96/hr
75th (Senior) $179,230 $86.17/hr
90th (Lead/Master) $316,690 $152.25/hr
Career Progression & Licensing Milestones for Education Administrators, Postsecondary in Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO
1
Program CoordinatorMaster's degree (most common O*NET requirement); entry into the field
$74,464$35.80/hr · 2-5 Years
2
Assistant DirectorDemonstrated results in role; works independently on core responsibilities
$93,253$44.83/hr · 5-9 Years
3
DirectorFull professional competence; leads projects or a small team
$120,572$57.97/hr · 9-14 Years
4
Associate DeanOwns budget, hiring and outcomes for a department or large program
$166,449$80.02/hr · 14-20 Years
5
Dean / Vice PresidentExecutive or principal scope; sets strategy across the organization or profession
$248,520$119.48/hr · 20+ Years
Adjacent Career Pivots & National Pay Differences
Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary+$1,280/yr
National median: $105,870
Skill overlap: 91%View Salary
Education Teachers, Postsecondary-$29,240/yr
National median: $75,350
Skill overlap: 89%
Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors-$40,260/yr
National median: $64,330
Skill overlap: 88%
Teaching Assistants, Postsecondary-$61,680/yr
National median: $42,910
Skill overlap: 72%
Category 3 of 6

HUD Fair Market Rent & EPI Living Wage Affordability Index

Evaluating housing affordability vs. net take-home pay in Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO under the HUD 30% housing cost guideline.

Rent-to-Take-Home Ratio (HUD 30% Standard)
26% of Net Income
✓ Passes 30% Housing Affordability Standard
HUD Fair Market Rent (1-Bedroom) $1,831/month Requires minimum annual gross of $73,240
HUD Fair Market Rent (2-Bedroom) $2,169/month Requires minimum annual gross of $86,760
Hourly Living Wage Benchmark (EPI model)
1 Adult Earner: $30.32/hr
Per adult, 2 working adults + 1 child: $28.13/hr
Category 4 of 6

Hourly Wage to Annual & Overtime Matrix

Translating base hourly pay and 1.5× overtime into net take-home pay based on 2,080 annual work hours in Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO.

Swipe horizontally to inspect full pay schedule
Schedule Total Hours/Wk Gross Annual Est. Taxes Net Take-Home Bi-Weekly Check
Standard (40 hrs)40 hrs$120,560-$29,672$83,655$3,217.49
+5h Overtime/Wk45 hrs$143,165-$37,266$97,309$3,742.66
+10h Overtime/Wk50 hrs$165,770-$45,030$110,794$4,261.30
+15h Overtime/Wk55 hrs$188,375-$52,554$124,519$4,789.19
+20h Overtime/Wk60 hrs$210,980-$59,015$139,306$5,357.94
Category 5 of 6

Interstate MSA Relocation & State Tax Migration Comparator

Calculate required compensation, cost-of-living differences, and annual state/local tax savings between two metropolitan areas.

Equivalent Salary in Austin, TX $83,505 Cost of Living Ratio: 69.6%
Annual State & Local Tax Delta +$8,331/yr Tax savings in Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX
Annual Rent Difference (1BR) -$17,676/yr Based on HUD Fair Market Rents
Net Discretionary Cash Flow Impact

Combining state tax savings and annual rent variance when relocating from San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA to Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX.

+$26,007/year
Category 6 of 6 · Executive Economic Briefing
2026 Fiscal Intelligence

Education Administrators, Postsecondary in Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO: Compensation & Purchasing Power Briefing (2026)

Estimates compiled from BLS OEWS wages, IRS 2026 withholding rules, HUD Fair Market Rents, and Colorado tax codes.

Market Baseline
$120,560/yr
$57.96/hr · SOC 11-9033
Statutory Tax Drag
24.61% Effective
-$29,672 in Total Taxes
HUD 1BR Shelter Ratio
26% Net Pay
✓ Passes 30% HUD Rule
Monthly Discretionary
+$5,140/mo
Post-$1,831/mo 1BR Rent

Key Economic & Compensation Takeaways

Statutory Withholding Architecture

Frequently Asked Questions

Verified Government Data Sources & Statutory Attribution

Wages sourced from US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS OEWS). Rents calibrated to HUD Fair Market Rents. Tax schedules calibrated to IRS IRC Title 26, IRS Pub 15-T, and state statutory revenue codes.

BLS OEWS May 2025 HUD FY2027 FMR IRS 15-T
Metro Pay Comparison SOC 11-9033
2026 Statutory Thresholds
  • Federal Standard Deduction (Single) $16,100
  • FICA OASDI Wage Base Cap $184,500
  • Pre-Tax 401(k) Elective Deferral $24,500
  • HSA Individual Annual Limit $4,400

Education Administrators, Postsecondary in Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO: Market Snapshot

Education Administrators, Postsecondary roles in Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO report a median annual wage of $120,560, 15.3% above the national median of $104,590. The 10th to 90th percentile band runs from $81,270 to $316,690, and HUD’s $1,831 monthly one-bedroom fair market rent equals 18.2% of that median gross pay. The single-adult living wage benchmark for the area is $30.32 per hour.

Highest-paying metropolitan areas for Education Administrators, Postsecondary

Metropolitan areaMedian annual wageVs this market
Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC$177,150+46.9%
Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA$172,410+43.0%
Binghamton, NY$166,660+38.2%
Yakima, WA$166,310+37.9%
Merced, CA$165,620+37.4%
Lansing-East Lansing, MI$158,720+31.7%
Visalia, CA$156,010+29.4%
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$154,140+27.9%
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA$153,950+27.7%
Ann Arbor, MI$144,340+19.7%

Top-paying occupations benchmarked in Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO

OccupationMedian annual wageMedian hourly
Computer and Information Systems Managers$203,340$97.76/hr
Financial Manager$193,400$92.98/hr
Architectural and Engineering Managers$191,440$92.04/hr
Marketing Managers$182,470$87.73/hr
Sales Managers$181,580$87.30/hr
Purchasing Managers$180,000$86.54/hr
Public Relations Managers$174,260$83.78/hr
Human Resources Managers$170,940$82.18/hr
Compensation and Benefits Managers$168,850$81.18/hr
Advertising and Promotions Managers$165,000$79.33/hr

Wage data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS May 2025, 240 metropolitan areas publishing this occupation; HUD FY2027 Fair Market Rents; EPI Family Budget Calculator. Taxes use 2026 federal and state rules. Data last updated .

Regional Labor Market & Career Mobility Network

Explore adjacent occupations and neighboring metropolitan wage benchmarks for peer compensation analysis.

Education Administrators, Postsecondary Salary in Denver-Aurora, CO Overview

Education Administrators, Postsecondary median pay in Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO is $120,560 a year ($57.96/hr). See take-home pay after 2026 taxes, BLS wage. Official 2026 economic data for Education Administrators, Postsecondary in Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO compiled from Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS surveys, HUD Fair Market Rents, and statutory tax codes.

Quick answers
What is the median salary for an Education Administrators, Postsecondary in Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO?

The median annual wage is $120,560 ($57.96 per hour). The middle 80% of earners make between $81,270 and $316,690. Source: BLS OEWS (May 2025).

What is the take-home pay for an Education Administrators, Postsecondary in Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO after taxes?

On the median wage of $120,560, a single filer with no pre-tax deductions takes home about $88,979 a year ($7,415 a month) after $31,581 in federal, FICA, state and local taxes, an effective rate of 26.2%, using 2026 tax rules.