Quick answer: The Boulder metro employs about 3,140 registered nurses (BLS OEWS, May 2025), and licensing is set at the state level, through your state board of nursing.
Licensing is a state matter, not a city one. 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.
See the Colorado licensing and pay overview for the statewide picture, and confirm current requirements with your state board of nursing.
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 37 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 the Boulder area earn a median $103,290 per year, above the national median of $97,550 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
| Metric | Boulder metro | Colorado | National |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median annual wage | $103,290 | $100,260 | $97,550 |
| 10th percentile | $84,530 | $79,500 | $68,940 |
| 25th percentile | $89,760 | $84,590 | $80,330 |
| 75th percentile | $110,430 | $108,930 | $112,350 |
| 90th percentile | $128,260 | $124,940 | $137,470 |
| Employment | 3,140 | 54,490 | 3,379,720 |
| Location quotient | 0.75 | - | 1.00 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Metro figures cover the Boulder, CO metropolitan statistical area.
The Boulder median of $103,290 is above the national median of $97,550, and above the Colorado statewide median of $100,260 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
The metro’s location quotient of 0.75 means registered nurses are less concentrated here than in the average U.S. labor market (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Higher concentration generally means more employers competing for the same people, and an easier job change later.
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.
| Metro area | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Denver | $101,130 | 30,380 |
| Colorado Springs | $96,140 | 6,800 |
| Grand Junction | $95,990 | 2,130 |
| Pueblo | $95,720 | 2,040 |
| Greeley | $96,300 | 1,390 |
Figures: BLS OEWS, May 2025.
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 the Boulder, CO metro area is $103,290, above the national median of $97,550 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
The Boulder, CO metro area employs about 3,140 registered nurses (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Licensing is handled at state level rather than by city. 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. Confirm current requirements with your state board of nursing.
The academic portion of these programs is widely available online for working adults, while labs, clinical hours or supervised field work are completed in person. Check that the program's accreditation satisfies your state board of nursing.
The Boulder metro median is $103,290 against a statewide median of $100,260 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Compare that gap with the difference in living costs before treating it as a raise.
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/.
