SOC 29-1141

Registered Nurse (RN) 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 70.9% Realized
$71,699 / net annual direct deposit
Gross Adjusted $101,130 $48.62/hr
Effective Tax Drag 23.1% Combined Jurisdictions
Marginal Top Bracket 22% Federal Statutory
Total Withheld -$23,363 $898.60/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 $48.62 / hour
0 hrs/wk (+$0/yr)
0 hrs (Standard) 10 hrs OT 20 hrs OT 25 hrs Max
6% (-$6,068/yr)
0% Tax Shield: ~$1,335/yr 15% (IRS limit: $24,500)
Itemized Statutory Withholdings Ledger
Federal Income Tax (IRS)
Progressive 10%–37%
-$12,084
Social Security (FICA OASDI)
Statutory 6.20% (Cap $184,500)
-$6,270
Medicare Hospital Insurance
Statutory 1.45%
-$1,466
Colorado Individual Income Tax
State Marginal Bracket
-$3,474
Denver Occupational Privilege Tax
LOCAL
-$69
Net Take-Home Annual Realized
$71,699 ($2,757.64 / check)
Category 2 of 6

Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO Registered Nurse (RN) Wage Distribution

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

Your Salary: $101,130
MIDDLE 50% (IQR RANGE) 10th $81.2k 25th $85.4k Median: $101,130 50th (Median) $101k 75th $110k 90th $126k You: $101,130
10th (Entry) $81,210 $39.04/hr
25th (Junior) $85,390 $41.05/hr
50th (Median) $101,130 $48.62/hr
75th (Senior) $109,760 $52.77/hr
90th (Lead/Master) $125,870 $60.51/hr
Career Progression & Licensing Milestones for Registered Nurse (RN) in Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO
1
Staff Nurse (Med-Surg RN)ADN or BSN, passing NCLEX-RN exam, state licensing
$72,051$34.64/hr · 0-2 Years
2
Specialty RN (ICU / ER / OR)BLS/ACLS certifications, critical care nursing experience
$92,266$44.36/hr · 2-5 Years
3
Charge Nurse / Nurse SupervisorClinical leadership, unit patient flow management, staffing oversight
$108,853$52.33/hr · 5-8 Years
4
Nurse Practitioner (MSN/DNP)Master''s/Doctorate in Nursing, advanced prescriptive authority
$133,216$64.05/hr · 7+ Years
Scaled to the Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO medianView National Registered Nurse (RN) Salary Data
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)
31% 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$101,130-$23,363$71,699$2,757.64
+5h Overtime/Wk45 hrs$120,092-$29,520$83,367$3,206.41
+10h Overtime/Wk50 hrs$139,054-$35,854$94,857$3,648.33
+15h Overtime/Wk55 hrs$158,016-$42,367$106,168$4,083.39
+20h Overtime/Wk60 hrs$176,978-$48,879$117,480$4,518.44
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

Registered Nurse (RN) 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
$101,130/yr
$48.62/hr · SOC 29-1141
Statutory Tax Drag
23.1% Effective
-$23,363 in Total Taxes
HUD 1BR Shelter Ratio
31% Net Pay
⚠️ Exceeds 30% HUD Rule
Monthly Discretionary
+$4,144/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 29-1141
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

Registered Nurse (RN) in Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO: Market Snapshot

Registered Nurse (RN) roles in Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO report a median annual wage of $101,130, 3.7% above the national median of $97,550. The 10th to 90th percentile band runs from $81,210 to $125,870, and HUD’s $1,831 monthly one-bedroom fair market rent equals 21.7% of that median gross pay. The single-adult living wage benchmark for the area is $30.32 per hour.

Highest-paying metropolitan areas for Registered Nurse (RN)

Metropolitan areaMedian annual wageVs this market
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$216,740+114.3%
Vallejo, CA$203,290+101.0%
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$186,610+84.5%
Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA$174,550+72.6%
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA$171,460+69.5%
Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA$170,960+69.0%
Yuba City, CA$149,320+47.7%
Kahului-Wailuku, HI$144,350+42.7%
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA$139,520+38.0%
Urban Honolulu, HI$139,260+37.7%

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, 380 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.

Registered Nurse (RN) Salary in Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO (2026) Overview

Registered Nurse (RN) median pay in Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO is $101,130 a year ($48.62/hr). See take-home pay after 2026 taxes, BLS wage percentiles, HUD. Official 2026 economic data for Registered Nurse (RN) 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 Registered Nurse (RN) in Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO?

The median annual wage is $101,130 ($48.62 per hour). The middle 80% of earners make between $81,210 and $125,870. Source: BLS OEWS (May 2025).

What is the take-home pay for a Registered Nurse (RN) in Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO after taxes?

On the median wage of $101,130, a single filer with no pre-tax deductions takes home about $76,165 a year ($6,347 a month) after $24,965 in federal, FICA, state and local taxes, an effective rate of 24.69%, using 2026 tax rules.