Quick answer: Colorado employs about 54,490 registered nurses (BLS OEWS, May 2025), and licensing runs through your state board of nursing. Programs, the careers this degree opens, and what they pay are below.
Every state licenses registered nurses through its own board of nursing. The national constants are the degree (an ADN or BSN from a CCNE- or ACEN-accredited program) and the NCLEX-RN examination administered through NCSBN. Many states also participate in the Nurse Licensure Compact, which can allow practice across member states on one multistate license.
Requirements are set at state level and are amended periodically. Before you enroll in any program, confirm with your state board of nursing that the specific program you are considering satisfies the education requirement, and ask what it accepts from any training you have already completed. Get the answer in writing.
Most people reading this already have a job in the field, and the practical question is whether the credential can be earned without leaving it. Programs designed for working adults deliver the academic portion online or in the evening, while any labs, clinical hours or supervised field experience happen in person and locally. Prior college credit, military training, apprenticeship coursework and industry certifications can all shorten the path, so request a written transfer credit evaluation before you commit to any school.
Schools in our database near this area, ranked by BOC Score. The list favors schools with a related program on record, but program availability and delivery format change, so confirm directly with any school that it currently offers the program you want.
This page lists 10 schools within 44 miles, closest group first, then ordered by BOC Score with the highest at the top. 9 of them carry a score. 1 does not have enough federal outcome data to score, and appears last rather than being hidden.
Scores come from IPEDS (2024) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Earnings are for all graduates of a school, not one program, so treat them as a signal about the institution rather than about this subject. Sponsored listings are paid placements and are labelled as such; they are separate from this ranking and never change it. Read the full methodology.
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Registered Nurses in Colorado earn a median $100,260 per year, above the national median of $97,550 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
| Metric | Colorado | National | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median annual wage | $100,260 | $97,550 | BLS OEWS, May 2025 |
| 10th percentile | $79,500 | $68,940 | BLS OEWS, May 2025 |
| 25th percentile | $84,590 | $80,330 | BLS OEWS, May 2025 |
| 75th percentile | $108,930 | $112,350 | BLS OEWS, May 2025 |
| 90th percentile | $124,940 | $137,470 | BLS OEWS, May 2025 |
| Employment | 54,490 | 3,379,720 | BLS OEWS, May 2025 |
| Location quotient | 0.87 | 1.00 | BLS OEWS, May 2025 |
| Projected change (2024-34) | not published by state | 4.9% | BLS Employment Projections, 2024-34 |
The Colorado median of $100,260 sits above the national median of $97,550 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Percentiles matter more than the midpoint when you are deciding whether a degree pays for itself: the 10th percentile is roughly where people start, and the 90th is what the top of the local market looks like after years of experience.
A location quotient of 0.87 puts Colorado slightly below the national average, so the occupation is a little less common here than in the typical state (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The measure compares how concentrated the occupation is here against the national average of 1.00.
| Metro area | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Boulder | $103,290 | 3,140 |
| Denver | $101,130 | 30,380 |
| Greeley | $96,300 | 1,390 |
| Colorado Springs | $96,140 | 6,800 |
| Grand Junction | $95,990 | 2,130 |
| Pueblo | $95,720 | 2,040 |
Figures: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Nursing is the one degree on this site where the training itself is geographically anchored: clinical rotations are completed in local hospitals and clinics, so program availability tracks the local health system.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics ( OES data), registered nurses wages in Colorado vary by metro area.
| Metro Area | Employment | Median Annual Wage | Avg. Annual Wage | Entry Level (10th pctile) | Experienced (90th pctile) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial | 30,380 | $101,130 | $100,920 | $81,210 | $125,870 |
| Colorado Springs | 6,800 | $96,140 | $96,320 | $77,460 | $123,250 |
| Boulder | 3,140 | $103,290 | $105,650 | $84,530 | $128,260 |
| Grand Junction | 2,130 | $95,990 | $98,460 | $78,050 | $123,500 |
| Pueblo | 2,040 | $95,720 | $94,340 | $78,050 | $120,110 |
| Greeley | 1,390 | $96,300 | $93,490 | $75,960 | $119,490 |
| Fort Collins-Loveland | N/A | $97,600 | $97,420 | $72,410 | $123,590 |
Wages reflect survey data and vary based on experience, credentials, employer, and local market conditions. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May .
Boulder * Colorado Springs * Denver * Grand Junction * Greeley * Pueblo
Wage and employment figures describe the occupation as measured by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, not the graduates of any particular program, and individual outcomes may vary. Licensing rules change; confirm current requirements with the responsible state board before enrolling.
The median annual wage for registered nurses in Colorado is $100,260, above the national median of $97,550 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The middle of the range runs from $84,590 at the 25th percentile to $108,930 at the 75th.
Colorado holds about 54,490 registered nurse jobs (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Nationally the occupation employs 3,379,720, and BLS projects about 189,100 openings per year through 2034 (BLS Employment Projections, 2024-34).
Every state licenses registered nurses through its own board of nursing. The national constants are the degree (an ADN or BSN from a CCNE- or ACEN-accredited program) and the NCLEX-RN examination administered through NCSBN. Many states also participate in the Nurse Licensure Compact, which can allow practice across member states on one multistate license. Requirements are set at the state level and change periodically, so confirm the current rules with your state board of nursing before you enroll in any program.
Often yes. Programs built for working adults deliver coursework online or in the evenings, though any required labs, clinical hours or supervised field experience are completed in person. Confirm that the program's accreditation satisfies your state board of nursing.
Among Colorado metro areas with published data, Boulder reports the highest median at $103,290 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
On pay, the state median of $100,260 sits above the national $97,550 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). A location quotient of 0.87 means the occupation is less concentrated here than in the average state. Weigh that against cost of living and how concentrated the work is near where you actually want to live.
About this guide: Researched and written by the TradeCareerPath Editorial Team. Our editorial team researches and sources every trade school and career guide using federal labor and education data, including BLS OEWS and Employment Projections, DOL apprenticeship records, IPEDS, College Scorecard, and state licensing boards. We follow the editorial standards documented at /editorial-policy/.
