Average Salaries in Grand Junction, CO
Explore salaries across 288 occupations in Grand Junction, CO. The average median wage across all tracked occupations is $64.3K, -2.2% vs the national average. See the highest-paying roles, where the jobs are, and how local wages compare to the rest of the country.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey, May 2025 estimates. Coverage: 288 occupations and 60,730 total jobs in Grand Junction, CO.
How the metro compares
Wages in Grand Junction, CO track close to the national average. Pay for most occupations here is similar to what workers earn nationally.
Grand Junction, CO is a smaller metro labor market. Some occupations may have limited local demand.
The highest-paid occupation tracked here is Physicians, All Other. Drill into any occupation below to see its local pay distribution, employment, and how it compares to the national market.
Top-paying and largest occupations in Grand Junction, CO
Two different lenses on the local labor market: which occupations pay the most, and which employ the most workers. The highest-paid list tends to favor specialized professional and technical roles. The largest list reflects where the everyday jobs actually are.
Highest-paid occupations in Grand Junction, CO
| Occupation | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Physicians, All Other | $348.7K | 130 |
| Family Medicine Physicians | $186.1K | 200 |
| Computer And Information Systems Managers | $168.9K | 70 |
| Petroleum Engineers | $161.9K | 50 |
| Dentists, General | $161.2K | 60 |
| Sales Managers | $155.4K | 100 |
| Marketing Managers | $150.2K | 40 |
| Financial Managers | $148.8K | 140 |
| Pharmacists | $147.2K | 120 |
| Managers, All Other | $143.6K | 170 |
Largest occupations in Grand Junction, CO
| Occupation | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Fast Food And Counter Workers | 2,450 | $31.5K |
| Retail Salespersons | 2,190 | $35.6K |
| Registered Nurses | 2,130 | $96K |
| Cashiers | 1,740 | $34.4K |
| Home Health And Personal Care Aides | 1,270 | $35.5K |
| Stockers And Order Fillers | 1,150 | $40.1K |
| Waiters And Waitresses | 1,020 | $43.7K |
| General And Operations Managers | 970 | $107.1K |
| Secretaries And Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, And Executive | 950 | $45.5K |
| Heavy And Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 950 | $56.6K |
What Grand Junction, CO specializes in
The location quotient measures how concentrated an occupation is here compared to the national average. A value above 1.00 means the occupation is more common in Grand Junction, CO than in the country as a whole, which signals what this metro is known for.
Most concentrated occupations in Grand Junction, CO
| Occupation | Location quotient | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Service Unit Operators, Oil And Gas | 16.92 | $56.4K |
| Petroleum Engineers | 6.99 | $161.9K |
| Roustabouts, Oil And Gas | 6.94 | $47.7K |
| Rotary Drill Operators, Oil And Gas | 6.12 | $69.1K |
| Information And Record Clerks, All Other | 5.82 | $48.2K |
| Umpires, Referees, And Other Sports Officials | 5.44 | $40.9K |
| Financial Clerks, All Other | 5.29 | $49.6K |
| Social Workers, All Other | 5.09 | $61.4K |
| Motor Vehicle Operators, All Other | 4.52 | $36.2K |
| Family Medicine Physicians | 4.27 | $186.1K |
Comparable metros
| Metro | Average median | Highest-paid occupation |
|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $98.7K | Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $95.7K | Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $92.6K | Cardiologists |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $87.1K | Cardiologists |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $83.8K | Radiologists |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $82.7K | Radiologists |
| Boulder, CO | $82.3K | Surgeons, All Other |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $82.3K | Radiologists |
Common salary questions for Grand Junction, CO
What does "average median" mean? +
It is the average of all occupation-level medians in this area. It gives a rough sense of the overall wage level here compared to other states or metros, but it is not the same as a household income figure or a single blended salary.
What is a location quotient? +
A location quotient (LQ) compares how concentrated an occupation is in this area versus the national average. An LQ of 2.0 means the occupation is twice as concentrated here as it is nationally. High-LQ occupations are what this area specializes in.
How are comparable areas selected? +
Peer areas are other metros with a similar overall wage level and employment size. They give you a quick sense of how this area ranks among places with a comparable labor market.