How to Become a Registered Nurse (RN) in Colorado: Salary & Requirements (2026)
Quick answer: The median registered nurse salary in Colorado is $100,260 per year - 3% above the national median of $97,550 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The career requires a 4-year degree: Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN); ADN accepted by some employers.
How to Become a Registered Nurse (RN) in Colorado
1. Earn a nursing degree
Complete an ADN (2 years) or BSN (4 years) from an accredited program. Hospitals increasingly prefer or require the BSN.
2. Pass the NCLEX-RN
Every state requires the National Council Licensure Examination for registered nurses.
3. Get your state license
Apply to your state board of nursing; most states participate in the Nurse Licensure Compact for multistate practice.
4. Start in a staff RN role
Hospitals, clinics, and home-health agencies hire new grads into residency or preceptorship programs.
5. Specialize or advance
Experienced RNs move into ICU, ER, informatics, case management, or continue to an MSN for nurse practitioner roles.
Requirements in Colorado
The education path is national - Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN); ADN accepted by some employers - while licensing runs through the Colorado state board of nursing: NCLEX-RN exam + state board of nursing license (required in every state). Verify current requirements with the Colorado state board of nursing before enrolling, as details change.
Registered Nurse (RN) Salary in Colorado
| Wage level | Annual salary |
|---|---|
| Colorado entry level (10th percentile) | $79,500 |
| Colorado 25th-75th percentile | $84,590 - $108,930 |
| Colorado median | $100,260 |
| Colorado top earners (90th percentile) | $124,940 |
| U.S. median | $97,550 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025. State employment: 54,490.
The Colorado Job Market: Registered Nurse (RN)
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Employed in Colorado | 54,490 |
| Jobs per 1,000 in the state | 18.96 |
| Concentration vs U.S. (location quotient) | 0.87 |
| Mean annual wage in Colorado | $99,370 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025. With a location quotient of 0.87, Colorado’s demand for registered nurses tracks close to the national average.
Salary Nationwide
| Percentile | Annual wage |
|---|---|
| 10th | $68,940 |
| 25th | $80,330 |
| 50th (median) | $97,550 |
| 75th | $112,350 |
| 90th | $137,470 |
Job Outlook
| Year | Employment |
|---|---|
| 2024 | 3,391,000 |
| 2034 projected | 3,557,100 |
| Percent change | +4.9% |
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a registered nurse make in Colorado?
The median annual wage for registered nurses in Colorado is $100,260 (BLS OEWS, May 2025), 3% above the national median of $97,550.
How to become a registered nurse in Colorado?
The core path is the same nationwide - Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN); ADN accepted by some employers - with licensing through the Colorado state board of nursing: NCLEX-RN exam + state board of nursing license (required in every state). See the steps on this page.
How many registered nurses work in Colorado?
BLS counts about 54,490 registered nurses employed in Colorado (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Registered Nurse (RN) in Nearby States
- Registered Nurse (RN) in Arkansas
- Registered Nurse (RN) in California
- Registered Nurse (RN) in Connecticut
- Registered Nurse (RN) in Delaware
Related
- How to Become a Registered Nurse (RN) (national guide)
- All Trade Careers That Require a 4-Year Degree
Sources
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 - Registered Nurses (SOC 29-1141), Colorado and national
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, 2024-34
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/.
Data sources
Figures on this page are sourced from the federal and state datasets below. Methodology: how we rank and source data.
| Data | Provider | Vintage |
|---|---|---|
| Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) | U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics | May 2025 |
| Employment Projections | U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics | 2024-2034 |
| Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System | National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS) | 2024 |
| College Scorecard (school-level outcomes) | U.S. Department of Education | latest release |
| College Scorecard (field-of-study earnings) | U.S. Department of Education | latest release (updated 2026-06-12) |
| Occupational licensing requirements | CareerOneStop (U.S. Department of Labor) | latest release (updated 2026-02-22) |
| Registered apprenticeship programs | CareerOneStop / Apprenticeship.gov (U.S. Department of Labor) | latest release (updated 2025-10-25) |
| O*NET occupation profiles (skills, tasks, tools, job zones) | U.S. Department of Labor (O*NET / Employment & Training Admin.) | O*NET 29.1 (updated 2026-06-13) |