Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers Salary
The median pay for a aircraft structure, surfaces, rigging, and systems assemblers in Colorado is $70,870/year ($34.07/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $37K at the entry level to $90K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 103.71), that's roughly $68,335 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,832/month, about 38.6% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. This is an aggregate across all of Colorado. BLS does not publish metro-level data for this occupation in this state.
Where the paycheck goes
What $71K actually covers in Colorado, month by month
About aircraft structure, surfaces, rigging, and systems assemblers
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What this looks like in Colorado
Aircraft structure, surfaces, rigging, and systems assemblers pay in Colorado tracks closely to the national median, $71K locally vs. $65K nationwide, a 8% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,832/month, which is 39.9% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 103.71) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Colorado
Entry-level aircraft structure, surfaces, rigging, and systems assemblers (10th percentile) start around $37K. Mid-career wages sit at $71K. Top earners bring in $90K or more, a $53K spread from bottom to top.
Compare to other states
Track aircraft structure, surfaces, rigging, and systems assemblers salary changes
BLS updates this data annually. We'll email you when Colorado numbers change.
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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a aircraft structure, surfaces, rigging, and systems assembler afford a 2BR apartment alone in Colorado?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $71K, rent takes 39.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,832/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,400/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for aircraft structure, surfaces, rigging, and systems assemblers in Colorado?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new aircraft structure, surfaces, rigging, and systems assemblers typically earn — is $37K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,514/month. At HUD’s $1,832/month FMR, rent would take 73% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is aircraft structure, surfaces, rigging, and systems assembler a high-paying job in Colorado?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $71K locally vs. $65K nationally, a 8% difference.
How does Colorado compare to the national average for aircraft structure, surfaces, rigging, and systems assemblers?
Colorado pays $71K median vs. the U.S. average of $65K — that’s +8%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 103.71), the purchasing-power equivalent is $68K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do aircraft structure, surfaces, rigging, and systems assemblers make in Colorado?
The median is $70,870 a year, that works out to about $34 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $37,030, and experienced aircraft structure, surfaces, rigging, and systems assemblers can clear $89,630. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $71K enough to live in Colorado?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,594/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,832/month, which eats 39.9% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a aircraft structure, surfaces, rigging, and systems assemblers salary go in Colorado?
Colorado has a Regional Price Parity of 103.71 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median aircraft structure, surfaces, rigging, and systems assemblers salary is worth about $68,335 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do aircraft structure, surfaces, rigging, and systems assemblers get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.