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Mechanical Engineer Salary in Colorado

Colorado pays mechanical engineers a mean of $112,790 per year, ninth in the nation. The state employs 5,800 mechanical engineers, with aerospace and defense as the dominant cluster. Lockheed Waterton, Ball Aerospace, and the Space Force HQ anchor the labor market.

Data as of May 2026, sourced from BLS OES May 2024 (SOC 17-2141).

CO Mean Wage

$112,790

vs national $101,560 (+11.1%)

CO Employment

5,800

71% on Front Range

COL-Adjusted

$102,536

CO COL 110 vs national 100

A space-and-defense labor market

The Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics tables for SOC 17-2141, May 2024 release, report a Colorado annual mean wage of $112,790 for 5,800 employed engineers. That puts Colorado ninth nationally by mean pay, 11.1 percent above the national mean of $101,560.

Colorado's ME labor market is unusually concentrated on aerospace and defense relative to its size. Lockheed Martin's Waterton campus south of Denver (satellites, missile defense, deep-space exploration) is the largest single-site aerospace ME employer in the Mountain West. Ball Aerospace HQ in Boulder runs the commercial and scientific space-imaging business. Colorado Springs is the headquarters of US Space Force, NORAD, NORTHCOM, and a long tail of federal space-related contractors. The smaller Northern Colorado cluster (Fort Collins, Loveland) is HP Inc.'s printing R&D, Woodward (aerospace propulsion controls), and the CSU mechanical engineering research orbit.

Metro-by-metro pay

Metro	Mean Wage	MEs Employed	Driver Employers
Denver, Aurora, Lakewood	$116,200	4,100	Lockheed Martin Waterton (the largest single-site aerospace ME employer in the Mountain West), Ball Aerospace, Raytheon Aurora, Northrop Grumman Aurora.
Boulder	$112,400	720	Ball Aerospace HQ, Sierra Nevada Corporation, plus University of Colorado aerospace research.
Colorado Springs	$108,600	950	Space Force / NORAD / NORTHCOM, plus L3Harris Geospatial and the Boeing space subcontractors. Federal premium plus clearance premium.
Fort Collins, Loveland	$102,400	480	HP Inc. printing R&D, Woodward, plus the CSU mechanical engineering research orbit.

The cost-of-living math, honestly

Colorado's housing costs have risen sharply over the last decade, especially in the Front Range. Using Regional Price Parities published by the Bureau of Economic Analysis, the state runs around 110, with Boulder the highest at 122.

Metro	Nominal Pay	COL Index	Adjusted
Denver, Aurora, Lakewood	$116,200	113	$102,832
Boulder	$112,400	122	$92,131
Colorado Springs	$108,600	102	$106,471
Fort Collins, Loveland	$102,400	106	$96,604
Colorado state average	$112,790	110	$102,536

Colorado Springs is the surprise: $108,600 nominal at COL 102 produces $106,471 in adjusted purchasing power, beating Denver, Boulder, and Fort Collins on a real basis. The federal-civilian and cleared-defense workforce in Colorado Springs sees a stronger lifestyle outcome than Boulder for the same job title.

PE licensing in Colorado

The Colorado State Board of Licensure for Architects, Professional Engineers, and Professional Land Surveyors administers PE licensure under Colorado Revised Statutes Title 12 Article 25. The path is ABET-accredited BS, FE exam, four years of qualifying experience under a licensed PE, then the PE exam. Colorado's application fee is $75, biennial renewal is $50, and the NCEES PE exam fee runs around $375. PE licensure is highly valued in the Denver consulting market (AECOM, Stantec, HDR) and the Colorado Department of Transportation. In aerospace and Space Force contracting, PE licensure adds little compensation premium.

Frequently asked questions

How much do mechanical engineers make in Colorado?+

Colorado mechanical engineers earn a mean of $112,790 per year and a median hourly wage of $54.23, per BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics for May 2024. The state ranks ninth nationally by mean pay and employs 5,800 mechanical engineers, with aerospace as the dominant industry.

Which Colorado metro pays mechanical engineers the most?+

Denver, Aurora, and Lakewood leads at a mean of $116,200 for 4,100 employed engineers, anchored by Lockheed Martin Waterton (satellites, missile defense), Ball Aerospace, and Raytheon Aurora. Boulder follows at $112,400 with the Ball Aerospace HQ and Sierra Nevada Corporation.

Is Colorado mechanical engineering pay worth it after cost of living?+

Mixed. Denver's $116,200 mean adjusted for the metro's COL index of 113 lands at roughly $102,832 in national-equivalent purchasing power. Boulder at $112,400 with COL 122 adjusts to $92,131 (below national). Colorado Springs at COL 102 adjusts to $106,471 (the best in the state). Engineers comparing Colorado offers should weight Colorado Springs above Boulder unless the specific employer compensates for the Boulder COL gap.

What is the aerospace cluster premium in Colorado?+

Aerospace and defense engineering pays $5,000 to $12,000 above the Colorado state mean depending on clearance level. Active secret clearance adds roughly $5,000 to $8,000, top-secret with SCI adds $10,000 to $15,000 over the unclearcred base for the same role. The largest cleared workforces sit at Lockheed Waterton, Raytheon Aurora, and L3Harris Colorado Springs.

Do mechanical engineers need a PE license to work in Colorado?+

Most aerospace, hardware, and research roles do not require a PE license. The license is mandatory for engineers who sign off on building HVAC, structural mechanical, or public infrastructure designs under Colorado Revised Statutes Title 12 Article 25. The Colorado State Board of Licensure for Architects, Professional Engineers, and Professional Land Surveyors administers licensing. The application fee is $75 plus an exam fee set by NCEES (around $375).

What is the entry-level mechanical engineer salary in Colorado?+

Entry-level mechanical engineers in Colorado (0 to 2 years experience) typically earn $66,000 to $82,000. Lockheed, Ball, and Raytheon new-grad offers cluster around $72,000 to $88,000 base. Colorado Springs federal civilian roles start at GS-7 to GS-9, which translates to roughly $58,000 to $72,000 base plus locality pay.

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