Cost of hiring in the Northwest Colorado nonmetro area
Accountant is the largest of these 16 jobs in the Northwest Colorado nonmetro area, with about 1,620 people1. Medians run from $37,880 a year for data entry specialists to $100,970 for project coordinators.
Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Median pay by role in the Northwest Colorado nonmetro area
| Role | Median per year | vs US median | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paralegal | +18.0% | 100 | |
| Virtual Receptionist | +12.7% | 380 | |
| Sales Development Representative | +11.1% | 1,190 | |
| HR Assistant | +6.9% | 60 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | +6.7% | 1,210 | |
| Office Manager | +5.3% | 1,300 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | +4.5% | 430 | |
| Bookkeeper | +3.7% | 1,350 | |
| Administrative Assistant | +3.6% | 1,600 | |
| E-commerce Order Specialist | +2.9% | 40 | |
| Accountant | -0.9% | 1,620 | |
| Project Coordinator | -1.3% | 820 | |
| Recruiter | -3.5% | 580 | |
| Marketing Specialist | -7.4% | 740 | |
| Data Entry Specialist | -8.4% | 60 | |
| Executive Assistant | -13.6% | 310 |
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 $82,890 median for accountants, the largest of these jobs here, comes to about $106,955 a year. That is an estimate: benefit levels vary by employer.
the Northwest Colorado nonmetro area against the US
The Northwest Colorado nonmetro area pays above the US median for 10 of the 16 roles, most of all for paralegals (+18.0%) and virtual receptionists (+12.7%), and below it for 5, furthest for executive assistants (-13.6%). For accountants it is within 1% of the US figure. The middle gap across all 16 is +3.7%: for most of these roles, hiring costs more here than at the US median. Its best national standing is for paralegals, #21 of 506 areas by median pay; its lowest is for data entry specialists, #258 of 394.
Compared with the US mix of these jobs, the Northwest Colorado nonmetro area has more accountants (13.7% of these jobs here, against 9.2% nationally) and bookkeepers (11.5% against 8.7%), and fewer paralegals (0.8% against 2.5%) and virtual receptionists (3.2% against 5.8%). Metro areas in other states with the closest overall pay level, measured the same way, are listed below; Baltimore-Columbia, MD is nearest, at +3.5%.
| Area | Middle gap to the US | Roles with data | Jobs in these roles |
|---|---|---|---|
| Walla Walla, WA | +4.3% | 13 | 1,740 |
| Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA | +4.0% | 17 | 23,440 |
| Northwest Colorado (Nonmetro) | +3.7% (this area) | 16 | 11,790 |
| Baltimore-Columbia, MD | +3.5% | 17 | 156,430 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino, CA | +3.3% | 17 | 121,300 |
| Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN | +3.0% | 17 | 456,940 |
How far pay spreads inside each role
From the 10th to the 90th percentile, sales development representatives in the Northwest Colorado nonmetro area span $44,380–$212,680, the widest band (4.8×); e-commerce order specialists the narrowest, $38,660–$61,390. Wider than nationally for HR assistants and sales development representatives, narrower for marketing specialists and recruiters. Budget from the median for sales development representatives, accountants, marketing specialists and 1 more role: a few well-paid jobs lift the average ($94,700 against a $77,730 median for sales development representatives).
the Northwest Colorado nonmetro area against Colorado
Against Colorado as a whole, the Northwest Colorado nonmetro area pays more for 3 of 16 roles, led by medical administrative assistants (+2.3%) and virtual receptionists (+2.0%), and less for 11, most of all marketing specialists (-21.6%). Its best rank within Colorado is #2 of 10 areas, for medical administrative assistants.
Other areas in Colorado
By jobs in these roles, the Northwest Colorado nonmetro area is #5 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 |
| Boulder, CO | 23,510 | 17 |
| Fort Collins-Loveland, CO | 17,200 | 17 |
| 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 the Northwest Colorado nonmetro area?
Of the 16 roles we track, Project Coordinator: a median of $100,970 a year, about $130,284 with benefits; the lowest is Data Entry Specialist, $37,880.
Is hiring in the Northwest Colorado nonmetro area cheaper than the US median?
For 5 of the 16 roles, yes, most of all executive assistants (-13.6%). 10 pay more than the US median, led by paralegals (+18.0%).
Sources
2 sources, with links
How these pages are built: methodology and data sources. Last updated 2026-11-12.