Hazardous Materials Removal Workers Salary
In Colorado, hazardous materials removal workers earn $59,920 at the median, or about $28.81 an hour. The range runs from $45K at the entry level to $72K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 103.71), that's roughly $57,776 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,832/month, about 45.7% 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 $60K actually covers in Colorado, month by month
About hazardous materials removal workers
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What this looks like in Colorado
Colorado sits well above the national pay line for hazardous materials removal workers, local pay runs about 21% higher than the U.S. median of $49K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,832/month, which is 46.2% 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. The pay premium is real, but so are the offsets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Colorado
Entry-level hazardous materials removal workers (10th percentile) start around $45K. Mid-career wages sit at $60K. Top earners bring in $72K or more, a $27K spread from bottom to top.
Hazardous Materials Removal Workers salary by metro in Colorado
6 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pueblo | $79K | +32% | 70 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial | $60K | +1% | 930 |
| Greeley | $57K | -5% | 100 |
| Fort Collins-Loveland | $56K | -6% | 40 |
| Colorado Springs | $56K | -7% | 120 |
| Boulder | $47K | -21% | 30 |
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Track hazardous materials removal workers 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 hazardous materials removal worker afford a 2BR apartment alone in Colorado?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $60K, rent takes 46.2% 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 $1,200/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for hazardous materials removal workers in Colorado?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new hazardous materials removal workers typically earn — is $45K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,005/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 hazardous materials removal worker a high-paying job in Colorado?
Local pay is 21% above the national median — $60K here vs. $49K nationally.
How does Colorado compare to the national average for hazardous materials removal workers?
Colorado pays $60K median vs. the U.S. average of $49K — that’s +21%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 103.71), the purchasing-power equivalent is $58K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do hazardous materials removal workers make in Colorado?
The median is $59,920 a year, that works out to about $29 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $44,800, and experienced hazardous materials removal workers can clear $71,870. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $60K enough to live in Colorado?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,962/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,832/month, which eats 46.2% 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 hazardous materials removal workers 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 hazardous materials removal workers salary is worth about $57,776 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do hazardous materials removal workers 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.