Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement Teachers, Postsecondary Salary
Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement Teachers, Postsecondaries in Colorado make a median of $122,050 a year. The range runs from $45K at the entry level to $149K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 103.71), that's roughly $117,684 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,832/month, or 24.2% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Colorado. Jump to a metro for precise data:
Where the paycheck goes
What $122K actually covers in Colorado, month by month
About criminal justice and law enforcement teachers, postsecondaries
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What this looks like in Colorado
Colorado sits well above the national pay line for criminal justice and law enforcement teachers, postsecondary, local pay runs about 59% higher than the U.S. median of $77K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,832/month, 24.8% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Cost of living (RPP 103.71) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Combined with manageable housing costs, Colorado offers a genuinely strong financial position for criminal justice and law enforcement teachers, postsecondary at the median.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Colorado
Entry-level criminal justice and law enforcement teachers, postsecondaries (10th percentile) start around $45K. Mid-career wages sit at $122K. Top earners bring in $149K or more, a $104K spread from bottom to top.
Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement Teachers, Postsecondary salary by metro in Colorado
1 metro area with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial | $137K | +13% | 230 |
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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 criminal justice and law enforcement teachers, postsecondary afford a 2BR apartment alone in Colorado?
Yes — at the median salary of $122K, rent takes 24.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,832/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for criminal justice and law enforcement teachers, postsecondaries in Colorado?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new criminal justice and law enforcement teachers, postsecondaries typically earn — is $45K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,021/month. At HUD’s $1,832/month FMR, rent would take 61% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is criminal justice and law enforcement teachers, postsecondary a high-paying job in Colorado?
Local pay is 59% above the national median — $122K here vs. $77K nationally.
How does Colorado compare to the national average for criminal justice and law enforcement teachers, postsecondaries?
Colorado pays $122K median vs. the U.S. average of $77K — that’s +59%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 103.71), the purchasing-power equivalent is $118K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do criminal justice and law enforcement teachers, postsecondaries make in Colorado?
The median is $122,050 a year. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $45,050, and experienced criminal justice and law enforcement teachers, postsecondaries can clear $148,710. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $122K enough to live in Colorado?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $7,400/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,832/month, which eats 24.8% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a criminal justice and law enforcement teachers, postsecondary 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 criminal justice and law enforcement teachers, postsecondary salary is worth about $117,684 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do criminal justice and law enforcement teachers, postsecondaries 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.