Financial Risk Specialists Salary
Financial Risk Specialists in Boulder, CO make a median of $102,380 a year, or about $49.22 an hour. The range runs from $66K at the entry level to $186K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 105.2), so that salary is closer to $97,319 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,033/month, about 30.8% of take-home, which is tight.
Where the paycheck goes
What $102K actually covers in Boulder, month by month
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Boulder’s Regional Price Parity (105.2). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About financial risk specialists
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What this looks like in Boulder
Pay for financial risk specialists in Boulder runs about 13% below the U.S. median of $117K. Rent runs $2,033/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 32.1% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost-of-living overall is 5% above the national average (BEA RPP 105.2), so groceries and services cost more too. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for financial risk specialists in metros near Boulder, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial | $119K | $112K |
| Colorado Springs | $127K | $126K |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler | $102K | $99K |
| Salt Lake City-Murray | $81K | $81K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Boulder, CO
Entry-level financial risk specialists (10th percentile) start around $66K. Mid-career wages sit at $102K. Top earners bring in $186K or more, a $120K spread from bottom to top.
Financial Risk Specialists pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Financial Risk Specialists salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Hampshire | $158K | +35% | 300 |
| Maine | $141K | +20% | N/A |
| Delaware | $139K | +19% | 1,160 |
| New York | $137K | +17% | 12,060 |
| North Carolina | $132K | +13% | 3,200 |
| Massachusetts | $130K | +11% | 1,440 |
| New Jersey | $129K | +10% | 2,760 |
| California | $129K | +10% | 5,740 |
| Virginia | $127K | +8% | 1,770 |
| Washington | $123K | +5% | 900 |
| Colorado | $120K | +3% | 1,050 |
| Wyoming | $120K | +2% | 170 |
| Maryland | $117K | -0% | 890 |
| Connecticut | $114K | -3% | 660 |
| Oregon | $110K | -7% | 430 |
| Iowa | $106K | -10% | 530 |
| Minnesota | $105K | -10% | 1,190 |
| Rhode Island | $104K | -11% | 450 |
| Illinois | $104K | -11% | 2,920 |
| Michigan | $104K | -11% | 1,150 |
| Texas | $104K | -12% | 4,780 |
| Pennsylvania | $103K | -12% | 2,370 |
| Arizona | $103K | -12% | 1,700 |
| Montana | $101K | -14% | 50 |
| Missouri | $101K | -14% | 1,070 |
| Georgia | $101K | -14% | 2,180 |
| Nevada | $100K | -15% | 570 |
| Florida | $100K | -15% | 3,770 |
| South Carolina | $100K | -15% | 560 |
| Indiana | $99K | -15% | 380 |
| District of Columbia | $99K | -15% | 210 |
| Ohio | $99K | -16% | 2,110 |
| Wisconsin | $98K | -17% | 610 |
| Mississippi | $96K | -18% | 230 |
| West Virginia | $94K | -20% | 50 |
| Nebraska | $94K | -20% | 250 |
| Tennessee | $91K | -22% | 540 |
| Hawaii | $90K | -23% | 90 |
| New Mexico | $87K | -26% | 180 |
| Alaska | $85K | -27% | 50 |
| Oklahoma | $85K | -27% | 330 |
| Kansas | $85K | -28% | 150 |
| Alabama | $82K | -30% | 180 |
| South Dakota | $79K | -33% | 130 |
| Utah | $78K | -34% | 630 |
| Idaho | $77K | -34% | 270 |
| Kentucky | $75K | -36% | 500 |
| North Dakota | $75K | -36% | 90 |
| Arkansas | $66K | -44% | 150 |
| Louisiana | $58K | -50% | 520 |
Showing 1–10 of 50 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track financial risk specialists salary changes
BLS updates this data annually. We'll email you when Boulder numbers change.
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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a financial risk specialist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Boulder?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $102K, rent takes 32.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,033/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,900/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for financial risk specialists in Boulder?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new financial risk specialists typically earn — is $66K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,340/month. At HUD’s $2,033/month FMR, rent would take 47% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is financial risk specialist a high-paying job in Boulder?
Local pay runs 13% below the national median — $102K here vs. $117K nationally.
How does Boulder compare to the national average for financial risk specialists?
Boulder pays $102K median vs. the U.S. average of $117K — that’s -13%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 105.2), the purchasing-power equivalent is $97K — below the national median.
How much do financial risk specialists make in Boulder, CO?
The median is $102,380 a year, that works out to about $49 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $66,260, and experienced financial risk specialists can clear $186,400. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $102K enough to live in Boulder?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $6,325/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,033/month, which eats 32.1% 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 financial risk specialists salary go in Boulder?
Boulder has a Regional Price Parity of 105.2 (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 financial risk specialists salary is worth about $97,319 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do financial risk specialists 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.