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What does a Librarians and Media Collections Specialists 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 Librarians and Media Collections Specialists earning $76,480 in Colorado has the equivalent purchasing power of $74,760 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) | $51,200 | $50,048 | $-1,151 |
| 25th Percentile (P25) | $62,110 | $60,713 | $-1,396 |
| Median (P50) | $76,480 | $74,760 | $-1,719 |
| 75th Percentile (P75) | $84,260 | $82,365 | $-1,894 |
| 90th Percentile (P90) | $101,280 | $99,002 | $-2,277 |
Colorado's cost of living is close to the national average, so $76,480 keeps most of its value at $74,760 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 Librarians and Media Collections Specialists 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, $76,480 nominal nets out to $74,761 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 Librarians and Media Collections Specialists.
Ranked on COL-adjusted median pay for Librarians and Media Collections Specialists, Colorado places #11 of 51 states — top quartile. Either nominal wages run high, cost of living runs low, or both.
Where does Librarians and Media Collections Specialists salary stretch the furthest? Top 10 states ranked by COL-adjusted median salary.
Colorado ranks #11 out of 51 states for Librarians and Media Collections Specialists after cost-of-living adjustment.
How much do you actually take home? See Librarians and Media Collections Specialists take-home pay in Colorado after taxes →
A Librarians and Media Collections Specialists in Colorado earns a median salary of $76,480 per year. After adjusting for Colorado's cost of living (RPP=102.3), the real purchasing power is $74,760 — 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 Librarians and Media Collections Specialists in Colorado: $76,480 x (100 / 102.3) = $74,760. This represents what the salary would be worth in a state with average living costs.
Partially — a Librarians and Media Collections Specialists's nominal salary of $76,480 in Colorado has 2.2% less purchasing power due to higher living costs. The real value is $74,760. However, Colorado may offer better career opportunities, networking, and industry access.
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