BLS May 2025
Mechanic Salary in Colorado
Mechanic pay in Colorado is beaten by only 1 state. For automotive service technicians and mechanics (SOC 49-3023), the Bureau of Labor Statistics May 2025 median is $61,280 a year, $10,660 above the national median of $50,620, and 12,300 wage and salary jobs sit behind it. That is 1.7 percent of the 704,640 jobs nationwide, with the 10th percentile at $39,550 and the 90th at $93,830.
By Trevor Rupe, Contributor at Savo Media Group
At a Glance
- 2nd of 50 states on median pay for automotive service technicians and mechanics (SOC 49-3023), $61,280 against $50,620 nationally.
- $82,080 for aircraft mechanics, 34 percent over automotive technicians.
- A $54,280 spread between the 10th and 90th percentiles, 8th widest of 50.
Mechanic Salary in Colorado Spans a $54,280 Range
The pay floor of $39,550 runs $4,890 ahead of national pay and the ceiling of $93,830 runs $12,040 ahead of national pay. The $54,280 spread from bottom tenth to top tenth exceeds the country's range by $7,150. For the top tenth of earners, Colorado stands 5th nationally.
| Measure | Colorado | United States | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $39,550 | $34,660 | +$4,890 |
| 25th percentile | $46,170 | $38,900 | +$7,270 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $61,280 | $50,620 | +$10,660 |
| 75th percentile | $78,300 | $70,430 | +$7,870 |
| 90th percentile | $93,830 | $81,790 | +$12,040 |
| Mean | $63,980 | $56,420 | +$7,560 |
| Wage and salary jobs | 12,300 | 704,640 |
Half of Colorado mechanics fall between $46,170 and $78,300, and each edge beats its national counterpart (+$7,270, +$7,870).
The average, $63,980, sits just $2,700 over the median.
The 10th percentile figure of $39,550 says where the bottom tenth ends, not what a beginner is paid.
Pay Holds Close Across Metro Areas in Colorado
7 areas are priced, and the one with the most jobs, Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO (6,340), pays $61,960, $680 more than the $61,280 state median.
Pay is nearly uniform from place to place: $3,240 separates Boulder, CO ($63,950) from Colorado Springs, CO ($60,710) among areas with at least 500 jobs.
Outside the metros the picture is mixed: $47,960 to $63,510 across 3 areas and 1,560 jobs, with Northwest Colorado nonmetropolitan area the largest.
| Area | Median | Against Colorado | 10th to 90th percentile | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $61,960 | +$680 | $41,010 to $94,990 | 6,340 |
| Colorado Springs, CO | $60,710 | -$570 | $38,060 to $89,840 | 1,600 |
| Fort Collins-Loveland, CO | $61,610 | +$330 | $39,440 to $95,920 | 790 |
| Boulder, CO | $63,950 | +$2,670 | $44,150 to $98,510 | 670 |
| Greeley, CO | $60,920 | -$360 | $39,010 to $93,970 | 600 |
| Grand Junction, CO | $58,200 | -$3,080 | $36,430 to $78,980 | 400 |
| Pueblo, CO | $58,480 | -$2,800 | $37,940 to $79,420 | 290 |
| Northwest Colorado nonmetropolitan area | $63,510 | +$2,230 | $42,440 to $93,890 | 580 |
| Southwest Colorado nonmetropolitan area | $47,960 | -$13,320 | $37,470 to $82,920 | 560 |
| Eastern and Southern Colorado nonmetropolitan area | $48,050 | -$13,230 | $36,250 to $78,330 | 420 |
12 Ranked Mechanic Programs in Colorado
Colorado has 12 ranked programs at 11 schools: 8 automotive, 1 diesel, 1 collision repair and 2 aviation maintenance. The top scorer is Spartan College of Aeronautics and Technology (Broomfield, CO) in Broomfield, CO at 71.2 out of 100 in aviation maintenance.
Among 12 priced programs the range is $2,258 per year, in-district at Aims Community College (Greeley, CO) to $37,010 for the 14-month program at Lincoln College of Technology-Denver (Denver, CO).
3 ranked programs are in Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO, where the median is $61,960.
- Spartan College of Aeronautics and Technology (Broomfield, CO) Broomfield, CO, aviation maintenance, score 71.2, #3 of 148
- Front Range Community College Westminster, CO, automotive, score 64.8, #33 of 415
- Pickens Technical College Aurora, CO, automotive, score 63.3, #54 of 415
- Arapahoe Community College Littleton, CO, automotive, score 57.0, #121 of 415
- Aims Community College Greeley, CO, collision repair, score 56.9, #26 of 59
- Lincoln College of Technology-Denver Denver, CO, diesel, score 49.8, #55 of 76
- Lincoln College of Technology-Denver Denver, CO, automotive, score 49.3, #237 of 415
- Morgan Community College Fort Morgan, CO, automotive, score 46.8, #282 of 415
- Pikes Peak State College Colorado Springs, CO, automotive, score 44.5, #316 of 415
- Colorado Mesa University Grand Junction, CO, automotive, score 44.4, #318 of 415
- Colorado Northwestern Community College Rangely, CO, aviation maintenance, score 44.0, #113 of 148
- Pueblo Community College Pueblo, CO, automotive, score 42.4, #344 of 415
Best Mechanic Schools in Colorado lists all 12 with scores
Aircraft Mechanics Lead Trade Pay by $20,800 in Colorado
The trade a mechanic chooses moves pay by 34 percent: aircraft mechanics at $82,080 compared with $61,280 for automotive technicians, with heavy equipment mechanics next at $71,830.
| Trade | Colorado median | U.S. median | Rank of 50 | Jobs | Best metro |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aircraft Mechanic | $82,080 | $79,870 | 17th | 2,690 | Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO, $86,830 |
| Heavy Equipment Mechanic | $71,830 | $65,510 | 14th | 4,060 | Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO, $74,420 |
| Diesel Mechanic | $70,480 | $61,770 | 9th | 4,600 | Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO, $72,800 |
| Auto Mechanic | $61,280 | $50,620 | 2nd | 12,300 | Boulder, CO, $63,950 |
| Collision Repair Technician | $59,880 | $54,890 | 10th | 3,120 | Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO, $60,770 |
Heavy equipment mechanics ($71,830, +$6,320), diesel mechanics ($70,480, +$8,710) and collision repair technicians ($59,880, +$4,990) beat their national medians.
Level with the nation: aircraft mechanics ($82,080, +$2,210).
Nationally, diesel mechanics rank 9th of 50 at $70,480, the best national standing of any trade here.
In Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO, aircraft mechanics come to $86,830, the best metro figure for the trade in Colorado.
Where 12,300 Mechanics Work in Colorado
4.3 of every 1,000 jobs are technician jobs, within 6 percent of the national rate; the location quotient is 0.94. That puts Colorado 38th among 50 states on concentration.
The most concentrated trade is heavy equipment mechanics with a quotient of 1.24, and diesel mechanics the least at 0.86.
Mechanic Licensing in Colorado
The CDPHE Air Pollution Control Division; Colorado Department of Revenue issues vehicle emissions inspector (certified by CDPHE, licensed by Department of Revenue) for state inspection or emissions work, which is separate from general repair.
Official Colorado source (cdphe.colorado.gov), read October 23, 2026.
Colorado Between California and Alaska on Mechanic Pay
Alaska sits closest, $60,840 ($440 below); California sits farther up at $64,980, $3,700 away.
5 states land within $2,500 of $61,280; 2 are inside $1,000.
Questions About Mechanic Salary in Colorado
What is the mechanic salary in Colorado?
Half earn more than $61,280 per year, or $29.46 an hour, $10,660 above the nation. Pay runs $39,550 to $93,830 from the 10th to the 90th percentile.
Do aircraft mechanics out-earn auto mechanics in Colorado?
By $20,800 at the median, $82,080 next to $61,280, across 2,690 jobs.
Which mechanic school in Colorado ranks highest?
The top score belongs to Spartan College of Aeronautics and Technology (Broomfield, CO) in Broomfield, CO, at 71.2 out of 100, from 12 ranked programs.
The figures here are the Bureau of Labor Statistics median for wage and salary workers, so the mechanic salary in Colorado for any one job depends on the employer, the metro area and the trade.
Sources for Mechanic Salary in Colorado
- BLS OEWS, Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics May 2025, read October 23, 2026.
- BLS OEWS technical notes Wage and salary workers only.
- Official Colorado source (cdphe.colorado.gov) Read October 23, 2026.