Cost of hiring in Boulder, CO
Sales Development Representative is the largest of these 17 jobs in Boulder, with about 3,230 people1. Medians run from $42,800 a year for virtual receptionists to $122,040 for project coordinators.
Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Median pay by role in Boulder
| Role | Median per year | vs US median | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sales Development Representative | +42.9% | 3,230 | |
| Marketing Specialist | +23.9% | 3,130 | |
| Data Entry Specialist | +20.8% | 90 | |
| Accountant | +19.5% | 2,380 | |
| Project Coordinator | +19.3% | 2,920 | |
| HR Assistant | +17.9% | 80 | |
| Office Manager | +14.3% | 1,910 | |
| Payroll Specialist | +13.5% | n/a | |
| Recruiter | +13.5% | 1,480 | |
| Bookkeeper | +13.1% | 1,440 | |
| Virtual Receptionist | +12.6% | 980 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | +8.6% | 840 | |
| E-commerce Order Specialist | +8.2% | 170 | |
| Administrative Assistant | +7.4% | 1,510 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | +6.8% | 2,070 | |
| Paralegal | +5.1% | 400 | |
| Executive Assistant | +3.4% | 880 |
The employer pays more than the wage: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, so a $99,990 median for sales development representatives, the largest of these jobs here, comes to about $129,019 a year. That is an estimate: benefit levels vary by employer.
Boulder against the US
Boulder pays above the US median for all 17 roles, most of all for sales development representatives (+42.9%) and marketing specialists (+23.9%); the smallest premium is for executive assistants (+3.4%). The middle gap across all 17 is +13.5%: for most of these roles, hiring costs more here than at the US median. Its best national standing is for sales development representatives, #3 of 520 areas by median pay; its lowest is for administrative assistants, #59 of 520.
Compared with the US mix of these jobs, Boulder has more marketing specialists (13.3% of these jobs here, against 5.7% nationally) and project coordinators (12.4% against 6.8%), and fewer data entry specialists (0.4% against 0.8%) and customer support specialists (8.8% against 16.5%). Metro areas in other states with the closest overall pay level, measured the same way, are listed below; Sacramento-Roseville, CA is nearest, at +13.0%.
| Area | Middle gap to the US | Roles with data | Jobs in these roles |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vallejo, CA | +14.4% | 17 | 10,190 |
| Boulder, CO | +13.5% (this area) | 17 | 23,510 |
| Sacramento-Roseville, CA | +13.0% | 17 | 97,010 |
| Olympia-Lacey, WA | +12.6% | 17 | 13,500 |
| Bridgeport-Stamford, CT | +12.0% | 17 | 47,420 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA | +11.9% | 17 | 610,130 |
How far pay spreads inside each role
From the 10th to the 90th percentile, sales development representatives in Boulder span $48,620–$184,770, the widest band (3.8×); medical administrative assistants the narrowest, $42,020–$61,000. Wider than nationally for administrative assistants and office managers, narrower for paralegals and payroll specialists. Budget from the median for recruiters, office managers, paralegals and 1 more role: a few well-paid jobs lift the average ($99,420 against a $86,200 median for recruiters).
Boulder against Colorado
Against Colorado as a whole, Boulder pays more for 14 of 17 roles, led by sales development representatives (+25.3%) and executive assistants (+20.2%), and less only for paralegals (-15.5%). It has the highest median in Colorado for project coordinators, sales development representatives and recruiters and 6 more roles.
Other areas in Colorado
By jobs in these roles, Boulder is #3 of 10 areas in Colorado. The table shows the other 9.
| Area | Jobs in these roles | Roles with data |
|---|---|---|
| Denver-Aurora, CO | 190,810 | 17 |
| Colorado Springs, CO | 31,880 | 17 |
| Fort Collins-Loveland, CO | 17,200 | 17 |
| Northwest Colorado (Nonmetro) | 11,790 | 16 |
| Greeley, CO | 10,220 | 17 |
| Southwest Colorado (Nonmetro) | 9,690 | 17 |
| Grand Junction, CO | 6,320 | 16 |
| Eastern and Southern Colorado (Nonmetro) | 5,500 | 16 |
| Pueblo, CO | 5,280 | 16 |
Questions
Which role costs the most to hire in Boulder?
Of the 17 roles we track, Project Coordinator: a median of $122,040 a year, about $157,471 with benefits; the lowest is Virtual Receptionist, $42,800.
Is hiring in Boulder cheaper than the US median?
No: all 17 medians we track are at or above the US figure, the highest premium for sales development representatives (+42.9%).
Sources
2 sources, with links
How these pages are built: methodology and data sources. Last updated 2026-11-12.