Last updated: 2025 BLS data · Page refreshed:
How much does a Meter Readers, Utilities actually take home in Colorado?
4.4% flat rate — 21.8% effective total tax rateData: BLS OEWS 2025 + IRS/State Tax Brackets 2024 • Updated 2026-05-19
Detailed line-by-line tax calculation for a Meter Readers, Utilities earning $66,550 in Colorado (single filer, standard deduction).
| Tax Component | Annual Amount | Effective Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Gross Salary (Median) | $66,550 | — |
| Federal Income Tax | -$6,482 | 9.7% |
| Colorado State Income Tax | -$2,928 | 4.4% |
| Social Security (OASDI) | -$4,126 | 6.2% |
| Medicare | -$964 | 1.5% |
| Total Taxes | -$14,501 | 21.8% |
| Take-Home Pay | $52,048 | 78.2% |
Take-home pay varies significantly across experience levels. Here is the after-tax breakdown for each salary percentile of Meter Readers, Utilities in Colorado.
| Percentile | Gross Salary | Total Taxes | Take-Home Pay | Tax Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th Percentile (P10) | $45,650 | -$8,994 | $36,655 | 19.7% |
| 25th Percentile (P25) | $59,630 | -$12,357 | $47,272 | 20.7% |
| Median (P50) | $66,550 | -$14,501 | $52,048 | 21.8% |
| 75th Percentile (P75) | $84,450 | -$20,596 | $63,853 | 24.4% |
| 90th Percentile (P90) | $88,670 | -$22,033 | $66,636 | 24.8% |
After federal income tax ($6,482), state tax ($2,928), and FICA ($5,091), a Meter Readers, Utilities in Colorado takes home $52,048 per year — or $4,337 per month. The effective tax rate of 21.8% is relatively low compared to the national range.
With an effective total rate of 21.8%, a Meter Readers, Utilities in Colorado keeps $52,049 of $66,550 gross — roughly typical for U.S. middle-income earners once federal, FICA and state taxes are combined.
Colorado applies a flat state income tax — every dollar of wage income is taxed at the same rate. For this Meter Readers, Utilities salary that contributes $2,928 to the 4.4% effective state-tax burden.
Federal tax on this Meter Readers, Utilities salary is $6,482 (45%), but combined state ($2,928, 20%) + FICA ($5,091, 35%) make up the other 55% of the bill.
Moving this same Meter Readers, Utilities salary to a zero-state-tax state would yield around $54,977 net — a gain of $2,928 (5.6%) per year versus Colorado.
For Meter Readers, Utilities after-tax pay, Colorado ranks #7 of 39 states — top quartile. High gross wages or low state-tax burden (or both) drive the strong ranking.
Translated into paycheck cadences, $52,049 net/year works out to $4,337/month or $2,002/bi-weekly for this Meter Readers, Utilities in Colorado — the numbers that actually hit a checking account after every deduction.
Where does a Meter Readers, Utilities keep the most of their paycheck? Top 10 states ranked by after-tax take-home pay.
Colorado ranks #7 out of 39 states for Meter Readers, Utilities after-tax take-home pay.
A Meter Readers, Utilities in Colorado earning a median salary of $66,550 will take home approximately $52,048 per year after federal income tax ($6,482), state income tax ($2,928), and FICA ($5,091). That is $4,337 per month or $2,001 per bi-weekly paycheck.
The effective total tax rate for a Meter Readers, Utilities in Colorado is 21.8%, broken down as: federal income tax 9.7%, Colorado state tax 4.4%, and FICA (Social Security + Medicare) 7.7%. This assumes a single filer with the standard deduction for 2024.
Colorado has a 4.4% flat rate. On a Meter Readers, Utilities's median salary of $66,550, the state income tax amounts to $2,928 per year, which is an effective state rate of 4.4%.
After all taxes, a Meter Readers, Utilities in Colorado takes home approximately $4,337 per month, or about $25.02 per hour (based on a standard 2,080-hour work year). These figures assume a single filer, standard deduction, and no additional pre-tax deductions.
We start with the 2025 BLS median salary of $66,550 for Meter Readers, Utilities in Colorado, then subtract: federal income tax using 2024 IRS brackets ($14,600 standard deduction), Colorado state income tax (4.4% flat rate), Social Security (6.2% up to $168,600), and Medicare (1.45%). The result — $52,048/yr — does not include local taxes, pre-tax deductions (401k, HSA), or tax credits.
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This estimate assumes a single filer using the 2024 standard deduction ($14,600), with W-2 employment income only. It does not account for: itemized deductions, tax credits (e.g. earned income credit, child tax credit), local/city taxes, pre-tax contributions (401k, HSA, FSA), self-employment tax, or additional income sources. Actual take-home pay may differ. Consult a tax professional for personalized advice.
Our Methodology · Data Sources · Salary: BLS OEWS · Tax: IRS + State DOR