The average lawyer salary in Colorado is $206,440 per year. Because a small number of very high earners pull that figure up, the median of $168,520 is the more useful anchor when you are setting an offer for a typical hire. Use the mean as a ceiling reference for senior or specialized roles rather than a default starting point.
Lawyer salary in Colorado (2026)
The average lawyer salary in Colorado is $206,440 per year. A small pool of very high earners pulls that average upward, so the median of $168,520 gives employers a more reliable starting point for most hiring decisions. Colorado employs 16,720 lawyers across the state, and the $37,920 gap between the mean and median reflects real variation in the candidate pool you will be evaluating. Junior lawyers in Colorado typically earn around $83,350, while senior specialists reach and exceed the $336,970 level at the 90th percentile. Plan for a range rather than a single number when budgeting for a lawyer hire in Colorado, and anchor that range to the seniority and specialization of the role you are filling.
Metric / Value
Metric | Value |
Median Annual Salary | $168,520 |
Average Annual Salary | $206,440 |
vs. National Average | 11.1% above the national mean of $185,840 |
Data comes from the BLS OEWS and covers 16,720 employed lawyers across Colorado.
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Lawyer salary percentiles in Colorado
Percentile | Annual Salary |
10th Percentile | $83,350 |
25th Percentile | $107,420 |
75th Percentile | $233,910 |
90th Percentile | $336,970 |
Employers hiring entry-level lawyers in Colorado should expect offers starting around $83,350, while experienced specialists command $233,910 to $336,970 and beyond. The wide spread between the 25th and 90th percentiles means that role scope and practice area will drive your offer more than geography alone.
Lawyer salary by city in Colorado
City | Average Annual Salary |
Denver | $203,690 |
Fort Collins | $165,560 |
Greeley | $152,970 |
Colorado Springs | $138,450 |
Employers hiring outside Denver can expect to set meaningfully lower compensation budgets than those competing in the metro market. Denver averages $203,690 per year, while Colorado Springs averages $138,450, a difference that gives employers in smaller markets real room to attract talent at lower cost. If your role is remote-eligible, that gap also creates an opportunity to hire Denver-caliber candidates at regional rates.
How Colorado compares to other states
State | Average Annual Salary | Median Annual Salary |
Colorado | $206,440 | $168,520 |
California | $230,040 | $195,080 |
Texas | $180,370 | $154,200 |
Washington | $169,940 | $154,130 |
Utah | $169,480 | $132,830 |
Arizona | $157,190 | $134,260 |
Colorado sits above most regional peers in lawyer compensation, which means employers here need to budget more carefully than counterparts in Texas, Washington, Utah, or Arizona. Colorado's mean of $206,440 trails only California at $230,040 among the states shown, so employers competing for talent across state lines face a relatively high bar. Budgeting at or above the Colorado median of $168,520 keeps offers competitive without reaching California-level spend.
Frequently asked questions about lawyer salary in Colorado
What is the average lawyer salary in Colorado?
What is the salary range for a lawyer in Colorado?
Lawyer salaries in Colorado range from $83,350 at the 10th percentile to $336,970 at the 90th percentile. The 25th percentile sits at $107,420 and the 75th at $233,910, so the bulk of the market falls within that band. Anchor your offer to where the role falls on the seniority and specialization spectrum to stay competitive without overpaying.
How does Colorado compare to other states for lawyer salary?
Colorado pays lawyers more than most nearby states, with a mean of $206,440 that exceeds Texas ($180,370), Washington ($169,940), Utah ($169,480), and Arizona ($157,190). Only California, at $230,040, ranks higher among the comparison states. Employers in Colorado should expect compensation expectations to run higher than those in most regional markets when candidates are evaluating cross-state opportunities.
What do the top-earning lawyers make in Colorado?
Lawyers at the 90th percentile in Colorado earn $336,970 per year. The 75th percentile sits at $233,910, so employers competing for senior or highly specialized talent should budget well above the state median of $168,520. Offers below the 75th percentile may struggle to attract candidates with deep expertise or significant book of business.
Lawyer salary by state
Data sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), 2025, SOC code 23-1011 (Lawyers).
Disclaimer
Rippling and its affiliates do not provide tax, accounting, or legal advice. This material has been prepared for informational purposes only, and is not intended to provide or be relied on for tax, accounting, or legal advice. You should consult your own tax, accounting, and legal advisors before engaging in any related activities or transactions.
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