Life Scientists, All Other Salary
Life Scientists, All Others in Colorado make a median of $66,250 a year, or about $31.85 an hour. The range runs from $42K at the entry level to $162K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 103.71), that's roughly $63,880 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,832/month, about 41.3% 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 $66K actually covers in Colorado, month by month
About life scientists, all others
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What this looks like in Colorado
Pay for life scientists, all other in Colorado runs about 29% below the U.S. median of $94K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,832/month, which is 42.2% 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. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for life scientists, all other.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Colorado
Entry-level life scientists, all others (10th percentile) start around $42K. Mid-career wages sit at $66K. Top earners bring in $162K or more, a $120K spread from bottom to top.
Life Scientists, All Other salary by metro in Colorado
1 metro area with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fort Collins-Loveland | $52K | -22% | 30 |
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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 life scientists, all other afford a 2BR apartment alone in Colorado?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $66K, rent takes 42.2% 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 $1,300/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for life scientists, all others in Colorado?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new life scientists, all others typically earn — is $42K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,837/month. At HUD’s $1,832/month FMR, rent would take 65% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is life scientists, all other a high-paying job in Colorado?
Local pay runs 29% below the national median — $66K here vs. $94K nationally.
How does Colorado compare to the national average for life scientists, all others?
Colorado pays $66K median vs. the U.S. average of $94K — that’s -29%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 103.71), the purchasing-power equivalent is $64K — below the national median.
How much do life scientists, all others make in Colorado?
The median is $66,250 a year, that works out to about $32 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $42,140, and experienced life scientists, all others can clear $161,990. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $66K enough to live in Colorado?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,340/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,832/month, which eats 42.2% 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 life scientists, all other 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 life scientists, all other salary is worth about $63,880 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do life scientists, all others 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.