Colorado (CO)
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H1BIndex State Grade
i
C
FY 2026
2023
A+
2024
A+
2025
A+
Total State Visa Volume i
920
Filings in FY 2026
Median State Salary i
$120,536
Standard yearly salary
True Purchasing Power i
$114,509
Adjusted for Cost of Living
USCIS Approval Rate i
99.2%
Official Adjudication
State Economic & Immigration Overview
An automated macro-level review of Colorado's tech ecosystem.Overall Colorado Rating
Federal records show 920 total work visa filings for Colorado. When we look at local wages and job availability, the region gets an official H1B Index Rating of "C".
Standard Employment Flow
This state offers a reliable employment landscape. Organizations here bring in fresh international talent (52.4%) just as frequently as they recruit existing visa holders (47.6%).
State Taxes & Expenses
Before moving to Colorado for a $120,536 salary, professionals must evaluate real expenses. After the 5.0% state tax and living costs, true purchasing power equals roughly $114,509.
Reliable Visa Process
If you want a stable career path, Colorado is a great option. Companies successfully get 99.2% of their work visas approved, alongside 206 active Green Card sponsorships.
Advanced Talent Hub
Colorado functions as a top destination for senior professionals. Data shows 38.8% of all approved visas dedicate specifically to experienced roles rather than entry-level positions.
Top Hiring City
In Colorado, Denver has the highest number of sponsored jobs. Looking at the whole state, the Professional, Scientific, and Tech Services industry hires the most international workers.
Layoff Radar & Risk Indicators
Clean Layoff Record
Perfect Safety Record: Businesses throughout Colorado have officially reported zero job cuts during this current period.
Top Metro Hubs in Colorado
Hiring volume across major cities mapped against the state baseline compensation rate of $120,536.Talent Sourcing Pipeline
Are companies hiring fresh talent or poaching from competitors?Fresh Hires (52.4%)Corporate Poaching (47.6%)
State Wage Premium
$4,950
Above Legal Minimum
On average, employers in Colorado offer salaries that are $4,950 higher than the baseline prevailing wage required by the Department of Labor.
10-Year Salary Trends
Comparing state-level base compensation growth for temporary H-1B visas versus permanent Green Cards (PERM). Long-Term Gain: +59.9%. The average salary here is notably higher now than in 2016.
Negative Difference: -$23,824. Getting permanent status in 2026 shows an unexpected pay drop of 19.8% across the state.
Top Hiring Employers
Companies sponsoring the most visas in this state.
Company & Median Pay
Total Approvals
O*NET Wage Level Distribution
Experience requirements matched against pay tiers across the state.| Experience Level | Total Filings | Cohort Size | Minimum Base | Median Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Entry Level (Level I) | 126 | 13.7% | $43,214 | $78,000 |
| Qualified (Level II) | 323 | 35.1% | $49,560 | $110,593 |
| Experienced (Level III) | 185 | 20.1% | $52,000 | $132,018 |
| Fully Competent (Level IV) | 172 | 18.7% | $57,616 | $164,112 |
| Not Disclosed (Blank) | 114 | 12.4% | $43,214 | $126,506 |
Geographic Deployment & Worksites
The top locations where state employers place their workers.| City/Metro Area | Workforce % | City Median Pay | Wage (Level IV) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Denver, CO | 23.7% (218 Filings) | $120,568 | 24.3% |
| Greenwood Village, CO | 10.9% (100 Filings) | $124,800 | 17.0% |
| Boulder, CO | 10.4% (96 Filings) | $108,862 | 10.4% |
| Englewood, CO | 9.8% (90 Filings) | $120,536 | 14.4% |
| Aurora, CO | 5.2% (48 Filings) | $90,907 | 18.8% |
| Parker, CO | 5.0% (46 Filings) | $137,140 | 10.9% |
| Centennial, CO | 3.3% (30 Filings) | $127,500 | 13.3% |
| Fort Collins, CO | 3.0% (28 Filings) | $93,650 | 10.7% |
| Lone Tree, CO | 2.9% (27 Filings) | $115,948 | 14.8% |
| Littleton, CO | 2.6% (24 Filings) | $129,710 | 25.0% |
| Highlands Ranch, CO | 2.2% (20 Filings) | $147,500 | 50.0% |
| Colorado Springs, CO | 2.1% (19 Filings) | $115,000 | 15.8% |
| Broomfield, CO | 2.0% (18 Filings) | $128,480 | 38.9% |
| Golden, CO | 1.2% (11 Filings) | $105,000 | 9.1% |
| Longmont, CO | 1.2% (11 Filings) | $166,400 | 45.5% |
| Lakewood, CO | 1.1% (10 Filings) | $120,536 | 10.0% |
| Thornton, CO | 1.1% (10 Filings) | $136,041 | 20.0% |
| Greeley, CO | 1.1% (10 Filings) | $110,000 | 0.0% |
| Westminster, CO | 0.9% (8 Filings) | $120,268 | 37.5% |
| Loveland, CO | 0.8% (7 Filings) | $126,944 | 14.3% |
| Erie, CO | 0.7% (6 Filings) | $154,263 | 0.0% |
| Pueblo, CO | 0.7% (6 Filings) | $128,555 | 16.7% |
| Lafayette, CO | 0.7% (6 Filings) | $121,888 | 33.3% |
| Fort Morgan, CO | 0.7% (6 Filings) | $85,571 | 0.0% |
| Arvada, CO | 0.5% (5 Filings) | $189,666 | 100.0% |
| Commerce City, CO | 0.5% (5 Filings) | $77,250 | 0.0% |
| Castle Rock, CO | 0.4% (4 Filings) | $171,763 | 50.0% |
| Avon, CO | 0.4% (4 Filings) | $62,357 | 0.0% |
| Castle Pines, CO | 0.3% (3 Filings) | $121,000 | 0.0% |
| Louisville, CO | 0.3% (3 Filings) | $114,234 | 0.0% |
| Durango, CO | 0.3% (3 Filings) | $100,215 | 0.0% |
| Holyoke, CO | 0.3% (3 Filings) | $58,178 | 0.0% |
| Grand Junction, CO | 0.2% (2 Filings) | $83,606 | 0.0% |
| Timnath, CO | 0.2% (2 Filings) | $143,521 | 0.0% |
| Gunnison, CO | 0.2% (2 Filings) | $107,000 | 0.0% |
| Del Norte, CO | 0.2% (2 Filings) | $74,173 | 0.0% |
| Aspen, CO | 0.2% (2 Filings) | $54,808 | 50.0% |
| Deer Trail, CO | 0.2% (2 Filings) | $74,718 | 0.0% |
| Lamar, CO | 0.2% (2 Filings) | $139,473 | 50.0% |
| Monte Vista, CO | 0.2% (2 Filings) | $74,173 | 0.0% |
| Co, CO | 0.1% (1 Filings) | $106,267 | 0.0% |
| Breckenridge, CO | 0.1% (1 Filings) | $245,003 | 0.0% |
| Cheyenne Wells, CO | 0.1% (1 Filings) | $78,458 | 0.0% |
| Estes Park, CO | 0.1% (1 Filings) | $89,211 | 0.0% |
| Evergreen, CO | 0.1% (1 Filings) | $275,000 | 100.0% |
| Elizabeth, CO | 0.1% (1 Filings) | $125,570 | 100.0% |
| Cripple Creek, CO | 0.1% (1 Filings) | $117,936 | 0.0% |
| Climax, CO | 0.1% (1 Filings) | $107,000 | 0.0% |
| Lewisville, CO | 0.1% (1 Filings) | $132,226 | 0.0% |
| Granby, CO | 0.1% (1 Filings) | $175,000 | 0.0% |
Most Poached Roles
Roles with the highest volume of H-1B transfers, indicating aggressive headhunting.
Role & Transfer Pay
Total Transferred
Dominant Industries
Distribution of cases by broad industry sector.38.8%
19.5%
14.6%
7.8%
7.7%
Historical Retention Rate
Year-over-year percentage of successful visa renewals and extensions.Top Third-Party End Clients i
Where consultants are deployed.
End Client & Placement Data
Total Approvals
Highest Compensation Roles i
Top positions ranked by median base pay.
Role & Market Data
Median Base
Law Firms & Third-Party Work i
Leading legal counsel for visas.
Law Firm & Market Data
Total Approvals
Visa Volume & Success
-87.0% YoY Decline
LCA approvals, denials, and overall certification rates.
USCIS Petition Processing
New vs. Renewed approvals and denials in the state.Green Card Sponsorships
PERM residency applications and median GC wages.Noticing a difference in dates? Salary metrics reflect real-time DOL filings, while approval metrics rely on finalized USCIS historical data. View timelines
Complete Employers Matrix
A detailed ledger of all corporate clients operating in Colorado.Complete Jobs Matrix
The job titles most frequently sponsored in this state.| Job Title in State | LCA Count | Median Pay | Salary Variance | Legal Wage Premium |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Software Engineer | 26 | $121,518 | $155,069 Range | Baseline Pay |
| Principal Engineer I | 14 | $140,878 | $53,452 Range | Baseline Pay |
| Software Developer | 14 | $120,568 | $36,317 Range | Baseline Pay |
| Senior Software Engineer | 12 | $130,541 | $90,000 Range | +$5,312 Over Min |
| Manager | 11 | $164,112 | $103,070 Range | Baseline Pay |
| Assistant Professor | 9 | $97,504 | $121,743 Range | +$3,915 Over Min |
| Data Engineer | 8 | $113,240 | $26,693 Range | +$5,694 Over Min |
| Network Engineer | 8 | $115,586 | $61,646 Range | +$3,557 Over Min |
| Project Delivery Specialist | 7 | $124,592 | $54,533 Range | +$4,056 Over Min |
| Lead Software Engineer | 6 | $154,165 | $59,363 Range | +$4,052 Over Min |
| Business Intelligence Analyst | 6 | $95,680 | $19,976 Range | Baseline Pay |
| Staff Software Engineer | 6 | $145,230 | $64,083 Range | +$10,876 Over Min |
| Staff Engineer â Software | 6 | $142,314 | Fixed Pay | Baseline Pay |
| Sr. Software Engineer | 6 | $125,000 | $8,506 Range | +$4,464 Over Min |
| Systems Engineer | 5 | $99,736 | $17,000 Range | Baseline Pay |
| Manager Jc50 - Computer Systems Engineers/Architects | 5 | $122,866 | Fixed Pay | Baseline Pay |
| Application Architect | 5 | $140,000 | $37,267 Range | +$1,091 Over Min |
| Senior Architect, Software Engineering | 5 | $166,040 | $42,689 Range | +$1,928 Over Min |
| Network Engineer Iv | 5 | $112,137 | $27,988 Range | Baseline Pay |
| Special Education Elementary Teacher | 4 | $64,273 | $2,058 Range | Baseline Pay |
| Technical Lead | 4 | $102,748 | $6,024 Range | +$3,012 Over Min |
| Chief Executive Officer | 4 | $78,000 | $27,000 Range | Baseline Pay |
| Data Engineer Ii | 4 | $95,680 | $46,634 Range | Baseline Pay |
| Java Developer | 4 | $106,683 | $39,168 Range | +$3,973 Over Min |
| Postdoctoral Fellow | 4 | $59,461 | $31,000 Range | +$6,796 Over Min |
| Medical Technologist | 4 | $58,178 | $22,672 Range | +$1,102 Over Min |
| Research Associate | 4 | $62,462 | $36,937 Range | Baseline Pay |
| Research Scientist | 4 | $86,950 | $29,611 Range | +$21,773 Over Min |
| Senior Manager Jc45 - Computer Systems Engineers/Architects | 4 | $145,995 | Fixed Pay | Baseline Pay |
| Software Development Engineer Ii | 4 | $150,000 | Fixed Pay | +$29,464 Over Min |
| Software Engineer V | 4 | $120,536 | $11,544 Range | Baseline Pay |
| Software Programmer Ii | 4 | $106,683 | Fixed Pay | Baseline Pay |
| Business Operations Specialist | 3 | $62,067 | $8,844 Range | Baseline Pay |
| Director | 3 | $176,400 | $58,600 Range | +$30,405 Over Min |
| Network System Engineer | 3 | $132,226 | Fixed Pay | Baseline Pay |
| Senior Software Test Engineer | 3 | $96,250 | $19,876 Range | Baseline Pay |
| Network Implementation Engineer | 3 | $141,000 | $49,000 Range | +$25,414 Over Min |
| Project Manager | 3 | $124,800 | $61,922 Range | +$1,934 Over Min |
| Principal Software Engineer I | 3 | $164,112 | $12,043 Range | Baseline Pay |
| Erp Functional Analyst | 3 | $144,900 | $8,160 Range | +$1,372 Over Min |
Historical Compensation Ledger
Year-over-year salary data comparing historical averages.| Fiscal Year | YoY Growth | Maximum | Median | Top-Heavy Skew i | Minimum |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | In Progress | $264,514 | $120,536 | Balanced | $25.00/hr |
| 2025 | +4.5% | $400,000 | $113,922 | Balanced | $17.00/hr |
| 2024 | +6.1% | $350,000 | $108,992 | Balanced | $16.00/hr |
| 2023 | +3.4% | $400,000 | $102,709 | Balanced | $17.00/hr |
| 2022 | +4.6% | $375,000 | $99,329 | Balanced | $14.00/hr |
| 2021 | +5.6% | $400,000 | $95,000 | Balanced | $14.00/hr |
| 2020 | +3.2% | $360,000 | $90,000 | Balanced | $12.00/hr |
| 2019 | +4.3% | $365,532 | $87,173 | Balanced | $12.00/hr |
| 2018 | +8.6% | $400,000 | $83,600 | Balanced | $11.00/hr |
| 2017 | +2.2% | $360,000 | $77,000 | Balanced | $10.00/hr |
| 2016 | N/A | $365,532 | $75,379 | Balanced | $10.00/hr |
Recent Visa Filings (FY 2026)
Raw, unedited federal disclosures processed in this state.State Intelligence (FAQ)
Common questions and insights regarding Colorado.Do employers in Colorado offer permanent residency?
There is an active pathway to permanent residency here. Employers recently submitted 206 PERM applications, establishing a 22.4% Green Card rate.
Which business sector leads H-1B hiring in Colorado?
In this state, 38.8% of all active H-1B visas are driven directly by the Professional, Scientific, and Tech Services sector.
What is the best-paying market in Colorado?
Denver offers the highest salaries across the state, reflecting a median base pay of $120,568.