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What does a Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers salary really buy you in Colorado?
Colorado is 2.3% pricier than the US averageData: BLS OEWS 2025 + BEA Regional Price Parities 2022 • Updated 2026-05-19
Colorado's Regional Price Parity (RPP) is 102.3, meaning prices are 2.3% higher the national average. A Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers earning $61,500 in Colorado has the equivalent purchasing power of $60,117 in an average-cost US state.
Every dollar goes further in low-cost states. Here is how each salary percentile compares after adjusting for Colorado's cost of living.
| Percentile | Nominal Salary | COL-Adjusted | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th Percentile (P10) | $47,010 | $45,953 | $-1,056 |
| 25th Percentile (P25) | $53,490 | $52,287 | $-1,202 |
| Median (P50) | $61,500 | $60,117 | $-1,382 |
| 75th Percentile (P75) | $70,220 | $68,641 | $-1,578 |
| 90th Percentile (P90) | $80,570 | $78,758 | $-1,811 |
Colorado's cost of living is close to the national average, so $61,500 keeps most of its value at $60,117 in real terms. Location choice here is more about career opportunities than cost arbitrage.
With an RPP of 102.3, Colorado is within a few percent of the national cost-of-living baseline. Salary adjustment for Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers is therefore minor — what you earn is close to what you'd keep in real purchasing power.
After adjusting for Colorado's cost of living, $61,500 nominal nets out to $60,117 in real purchasing power — a small 2.2% loss. The state's cost profile is close enough to average that COL alone shouldn't drive location decisions for this Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers.
Colorado sits at #22 of 51 states for Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers COL-adjusted salary — comfortably above the national midpoint.
Where does Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers salary stretch the furthest? Top 10 states ranked by COL-adjusted median salary.
Colorado ranks #22 out of 51 states for Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers after cost-of-living adjustment.
How much do you actually take home? See Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers take-home pay in Colorado after taxes →
A Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers in Colorado earns a median salary of $61,500 per year. After adjusting for Colorado's cost of living (RPP=102.3), the real purchasing power is $60,117 — a -2.2% difference.
Colorado's cost of living is 2.3% higher than the national average according to the BEA Regional Price Parities (2022). The RPP index for Colorado is 102.3 (US average = 100).
Regional Price Parities (RPPs) are price indexes published by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) that measure differences in price levels across states. They are expressed as a percentage of the national average (US = 100). Higher RPP means higher cost of living.
The adjusted salary is calculated as: Nominal Salary x (100 / RPP). For a Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers in Colorado: $61,500 x (100 / 102.3) = $60,117. This represents what the salary would be worth in a state with average living costs.
Partially — a Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers's nominal salary of $61,500 in Colorado has 2.2% less purchasing power due to higher living costs. The real value is $60,117. However, Colorado may offer better career opportunities, networking, and industry access.
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