SOC 51-9061

Quality Control Inspector Salary in Denver-Aurora-Centennial, 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 75.8% Realized
$44,266 / net annual direct deposit
Gross Adjusted $58,430 $28.09/hr
Effective Tax Drag 18.24% Combined Jurisdictions
Marginal Top Bracket 12% Federal Statutory
Total Withheld -$10,658 $409.93/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 $28.09 / hour
0 hrs/wk (+$0/yr)
0 hrs (Standard) 10 hrs OT 20 hrs OT 25 hrs Max
6% (-$3,506/yr)
0% Tax Shield: ~$421/yr 15% (IRS limit: $24,500)
Itemized Statutory Withholdings Ledger
Federal Income Tax (IRS)
Progressive 10%–37%
-$4,411
Social Security (FICA OASDI)
Statutory 6.20% (Cap $184,500)
-$3,623
Medicare Hospital Insurance
Statutory 1.45%
-$847
Colorado Individual Income Tax
State Marginal Bracket
-$1,708
Denver Occupational Privilege Tax
LOCAL
-$69
Net Take-Home Annual Realized
$44,266 ($1,702.54 / check)
Category 2 of 6

Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO Quality Control Inspector Wage Distribution

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

Your Salary: $58,430
MIDDLE 50% (IQR RANGE) 10th $45.0k 25th $48.3k Median: $58,430 50th (Median) $58.4k 75th $72.3k 90th $82.4k You: $58,430
10th (Entry) $45,050 $21.66/hr
25th (Junior) $48,310 $23.23/hr
50th (Median) $58,430 $28.09/hr
75th (Senior) $72,320 $34.77/hr
90th (Lead/Master) $82,420 $39.63/hr
Career Progression & Licensing Milestones for Quality Control Inspector in Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO
1
QC Inspector ApprenticeVisual inspection, measurement calipers, rejection log documentation
$38,496$18.51/hr · 0-2 Years
2
Certified Quality InspectorCMM operation, blueprint GD&T interpretation, non-conformance reports
$55,338$26.60/hr · 2-5 Years
3
Senior Quality Assurance TechSix Sigma green belt, statistical process control (SPC), ISO 9001 audits
$74,586$35.86/hr · 5-8 Years
4
Quality Assurance ManagerPlant quality management system, vendor audits, compliance signoff
$98,646$47.43/hr · 8+ Years
Scaled to the Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO medianView National Quality Control Inspector Salary Data
Adjacent Career Pivots & National Pay Differences
Engine and Other Machine Assemblers+$5,140/yr
National median: $53,710
Skill overlap: 84%
Industrial Machinery Mechanics+$15,950/yr
National median: $64,520
Skill overlap: 81%View Salary
Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers+$16,810/yr
National median: $65,380
Skill overlap: 81%
Weighers, Measurers, Checkers, and Samplers, Recordkeeping-$2,190/yr
National median: $46,380
Skill overlap: 78%
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)
50% 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$58,430-$10,658$44,266$1,702.54
+5h Overtime/Wk45 hrs$69,386-$13,185$52,037$2,001.44
+10h Overtime/Wk50 hrs$80,341-$16,614$58,907$2,265.64
+15h Overtime/Wk55 hrs$91,297-$20,171$65,648$2,524.92
+20h Overtime/Wk60 hrs$102,253-$23,728$72,389$2,784.21
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

Quality Control Inspector 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
$58,430/yr
$28.09/hr · SOC 51-9061
Statutory Tax Drag
18.24% Effective
-$10,658 in Total Taxes
HUD 1BR Shelter Ratio
50% Net Pay
⚠️ Exceeds 30% HUD Rule
Monthly Discretionary
+$1,858/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 51-9061
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

Quality Control Inspector in Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO: Market Snapshot

Quality Control Inspector roles in Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO report a median annual wage of $58,430, 20.3% above the national median of $48,570. The 10th to 90th percentile band runs from $45,050 to $82,420, and HUD’s $1,831 monthly one-bedroom fair market rent equals 37.6% of that median gross pay. The single-adult living wage benchmark for the area is $30.32 per hour.

Highest-paying metropolitan areas for Quality Control Inspector

Metropolitan areaMedian annual wageVs this market
Lexington Park, MD$92,000+57.5%
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$76,800+31.4%
Savannah, GA$72,800+24.6%
Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA$71,950+23.1%
Anchorage, AK$71,470+22.3%
Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA$68,060+16.5%
Flagstaff, AZ$65,840+12.7%
Bismarck, ND$63,910+9.4%
Lake Charles, LA$63,570+8.8%
Gulfport-Biloxi, MS$63,520+8.7%

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, 388 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.

Quality Control Inspector Salary in Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO Overview

Quality Control Inspector median pay in Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO is $58,430 a year ($28.09/hr). See take-home pay after 2026 taxes, BLS wage percentiles. Official 2026 economic data for Quality Control Inspector 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 Quality Control Inspector in Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO?

The median annual wage is $58,430 ($28.09 per hour). The middle 80% of earners make between $45,050 and $82,420. Source: BLS OEWS (May 2025).

What is the take-home pay for a Quality Control Inspector in Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO after taxes?

On the median wage of $58,430, a single filer with no pre-tax deductions takes home about $47,197 a year ($3,933 a month) after $11,233 in federal, FICA, state and local taxes, an effective rate of 19.22%, using 2026 tax rules.