SOC 11-9051

Food Service Managers Salary in Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO (2026)

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 73.4% Realized
$58,383 / net annual direct deposit
Gross Adjusted $79,490 $38.22/hr
Effective Tax Drag 20.55% Combined Jurisdictions
Marginal Top Bracket 22% Federal Statutory
Total Withheld -$16,338 $628.38/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 $38.22 / hour
0 hrs/wk (+$0/yr)
0 hrs (Standard) 10 hrs OT 20 hrs OT 25 hrs Max
6% (-$4,769/yr)
0% Tax Shield: ~$1,049/yr 15% (IRS limit: $24,500)
Itemized Statutory Withholdings Ledger
Federal Income Tax (IRS)
Progressive 10%–37%
-$7,609
Social Security (FICA OASDI)
Statutory 6.20% (Cap $184,500)
-$4,928
Medicare Hospital Insurance
Statutory 1.45%
-$1,153
Colorado Individual Income Tax
State Marginal Bracket
-$2,579
Denver Occupational Privilege Tax
LOCAL
-$69
Net Take-Home Annual Realized
$58,383 ($2,245.49 / check)
Category 2 of 6

Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO Food Service Managers Wage Distribution

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

Your Salary: $79,490
MIDDLE 50% (IQR RANGE) 10th $68.0k 25th $68.8k Median: $79,490 50th (Median) $79.5k 75th $96.4k 90th $113k You: $79,490
10th (Entry) $68,020 $32.70/hr
25th (Junior) $68,750 $33.05/hr
50th (Median) $79,490 $38.22/hr
75th (Senior) $96,360 $46.33/hr
90th (Lead/Master) $113,270 $54.46/hr
Career Progression & Licensing Milestones for Food Service Managers in Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO
1
Shift SupervisorHigh school diploma or equivalent (most common O*NET requirement); entry into the field
$52,695$25.33/hr · 0-1 Years
2
Assistant ManagerDemonstrated results in role; works independently on core responsibilities
$65,182$31.34/hr · 1-3 Years
3
Food Service ManagerFull professional competence; leads projects or a small team
$79,501$38.22/hr · 3-6 Years
4
General ManagerOwns budget, hiring and outcomes for a department or large program
$99,434$47.80/hr · 6-10 Years
5
Regional ManagerExecutive or principal scope; sets strategy across the organization or profession
$123,262$59.26/hr · 10+ Years
Scaled to the Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO medianView National Food Service Managers Salary Data
Adjacent Career Pivots & National Pay Differences
First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers-$25,310/yr
National median: $44,080
Skill overlap: 89%
Chefs and Head Cooks-$6,920/yr
National median: $62,470
Skill overlap: 82%
Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria-$31,940/yr
National median: $37,450
Skill overlap: 69%
Cooks, Restaurant-$32,000/yr
National median: $37,390
Skill overlap: 50%
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)
38% of Net Income
⚠️ Cost-Burdened (Exceeds 30% Rule)
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$79,490-$16,338$58,383$2,245.49
+5h Overtime/Wk45 hrs$94,394-$21,177$67,554$2,598.23
+10h Overtime/Wk50 hrs$109,299-$26,016$76,725$2,950.97
+15h Overtime/Wk55 hrs$124,203-$30,854$85,897$3,303.71
+20h Overtime/Wk60 hrs$139,108-$35,872$94,889$3,649.56
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

Food Service Managers 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
$79,490/yr
$38.22/hr · SOC 11-9051
Statutory Tax Drag
20.55% Effective
-$16,338 in Total Taxes
HUD 1BR Shelter Ratio
38% Net Pay
⚠️ Exceeds 30% HUD Rule
Monthly Discretionary
+$3,034/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 11-9051
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

Food Service Managers in Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO: Market Snapshot

Food Service Managers roles in Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO report a median annual wage of $79,490, 14.6% above the national median of $69,390. The 10th to 90th percentile band runs from $68,020 to $113,270, and HUD’s $1,831 monthly one-bedroom fair market rent equals 27.6% of that median gross pay. The single-adult living wage benchmark for the area is $30.32 per hour.

Highest-paying metropolitan areas for Food Service Managers

Metropolitan areaMedian annual wageVs this market
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$98,800+24.3%
Kennewick-Richland, WA$94,890+19.4%
Bellingham, WA$93,610+17.8%
Kahului-Wailuku, HI$93,550+17.7%
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH$92,650+16.6%
Salt Lake City-Murray, UT$92,420+16.3%
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$89,900+13.1%
Napa, CA$89,870+13.1%
Barnstable Town, MA$89,090+12.1%
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$88,290+11.1%

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, 372 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.

Food Service Managers Salary in Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO (2026) Overview

Food Service Managers median pay in Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO is $79,490 a year ($38.22/hr). See take-home pay after 2026 taxes, BLS wage percentiles, HUD. Official 2026 economic data for Food Service Managers 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 a Food Service Managers in Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO?

The median annual wage is $79,490 ($38.22 per hour). The middle 80% of earners make between $68,020 and $113,270. Source: BLS OEWS (May 2025).

What is the take-home pay for a Food Service Managers in Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO after taxes?

On the median wage of $79,490, a single filer with no pre-tax deductions takes home about $61,893 a year ($5,158 a month) after $17,597 in federal, FICA, state and local taxes, an effective rate of 22.14%, using 2026 tax rules.