Human Resources Managers salary in Boulder, CO
Median pay for human resources managers in Boulder, CO: $161,910/yr
Typical range (10th–90th percentile): $107,490 – $239,200 · about 230 employed locally
Above the typical metro median ($123,200) by +$38,710 (+31%).
What it's really worth in Boulder
With Boulder's cost of living at 101 (US=100), that $161,910 has the buying power of about $160,922 in an average-cost US metro.
Local context: median household income $99,770 · median home $727,954 · median rent $2,257/mo.
How Boulder ranks for this job
On raw pay, Boulder, CO is 6th of the 185 metros we hold human resources managers wages for. Once Boulder's cost of living is applied, it ranks 5th.
Pay and living costs are roughly in step here, so Boulder sits in much the same place whether you look at raw salary or spending power.
What that salary buys in Boulder
A median home in Boulder, CO costs $727,954 — about 4.5× this salary, against a typical US metro figure of 4.7×. Buying is more attainable here than in the average metro on this income.
Median rent of $2,257/mo works out at 17% of gross pay — inside the conventional 30% affordability ceiling.
Where human resources managers earn more
Pay on its own is only half the picture, so each row shows what rent costs there relative to Boulder.
| Metro | Median pay | vs Boulder | Rent vs Boulder |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose, CA | $212,030 | +31% | 1.6× |
| San Francisco, CA | $196,760 | +22% | 1.4× |
| New York, NY | $181,080 | +12% | 1.6× |
| Washington, DC | $168,770 | +4% | 1.1× |
Same job elsewhere in CO
| Metro | Median pay | vs Boulder | Rent vs Boulder |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fort Collins, CO | $161,530 | +0% | 0.9× |
| Denver, CO | $153,260 | −5% | 0.8× |
| Greeley, CO | $142,130 | −12% | 0.8× |
| Colorado Springs, CO | $131,310 | −19% | 0.8× |
Staying in CO keeps state income tax and licensing the same, which makes these the most directly comparable moves.
Who hires human resources managers around Boulder
Large local employers in sectors that typically employ this role.
Other jobs in Boulder
Source: US BLS OEWS (May 2023) median annual wage; cost of living from BEA; home price and rent from Zillow; household income from US Census ACS. Rankings are across the 185 metros we hold wage data for in this occupation. Estimates for guidance only. See methodology.