Editors Salary
In Colorado, editors earn $77,870 at the median, or about $37.44 an hour. The range runs from $45K at the entry level to $116K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 103.71), that's roughly $75,084 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,832/month, about 35.1% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Colorado. Jump to a metro for precise data:
Where the paycheck goes
What $78K actually covers in Colorado, month by month
About editors
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What this looks like in Colorado
Editors pay in Colorado tracks closely to the national median, $78K locally vs. $78K nationwide, a 0% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,832/month, which is 36.8% 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 editors (10th percentile) start around $45K. Mid-career wages sit at $78K. Top earners bring in $116K or more, a $71K spread from bottom to top.
Editors salary by metro in Colorado
4 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boulder | $81K | +4% | 220 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial | $79K | +1% | 1,090 |
| Fort Collins-Loveland | $76K | -2% | 80 |
| Colorado Springs | $76K | -3% | 200 |
Compare to other states
Track editors 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 editor afford a 2BR apartment alone in Colorado?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $78K, rent takes 36.8% 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 $1,500/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for editors in Colorado?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new editors typically earn — is $45K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,991/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 editor a high-paying job in Colorado?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $78K locally vs. $78K nationally, a 0% difference.
How does Colorado compare to the national average for editors?
Colorado pays $78K median vs. the U.S. average of $78K — that’s +0%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 103.71), the purchasing-power equivalent is $75K — below the national median.
How much do editors make in Colorado?
The median is $77,870 a year, that works out to about $37 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $44,570, and experienced editors can clear $115,940. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $78K enough to live in Colorado?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,979/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,832/month, which eats 36.8% 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 editors 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 editors salary is worth about $75,084 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do editors 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.