Last updated: 2025 BLS data · Page refreshed:
How much does a Petroleum Engineers actually take home in Colorado?
4.4% flat rate — 29.8% effective total tax rateData: BLS OEWS 2025 + IRS/State Tax Brackets 2024 • Updated 2026-05-19
Detailed line-by-line tax calculation for a Petroleum Engineers earning $172,190 in Colorado (single filer, standard deduction).
| Tax Component | Annual Amount | Effective Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Gross Salary (Median) | $172,190 | — |
| Federal Income Tax | -$30,864 | 17.9% |
| Colorado State Income Tax | -$7,576 | 4.4% |
| Social Security (OASDI) | -$10,453 | 6.1% |
| Medicare | -$2,496 | 1.5% |
| Total Taxes | -$51,390 | 29.8% |
| Take-Home Pay | $120,799 | 70.2% |
Take-home pay varies significantly across experience levels. Here is the after-tax breakdown for each salary percentile of Petroleum Engineers in Colorado.
| Percentile | Gross Salary | Total Taxes | Take-Home Pay | Tax Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th Percentile (P10) | $92,590 | -$23,367 | $69,222 | 25.2% |
| 25th Percentile (P25) | $112,070 | -$30,000 | $82,069 | 26.8% |
| Median (P50) | $172,190 | -$51,390 | $120,799 | 29.8% |
| 75th Percentile (P75) | $214,220 | -$64,677 | $149,542 | 30.2% |
| 90th Percentile (P90) | $264,960 | -$84,538 | $180,421 | 31.9% |
After federal income tax ($30,864), state tax ($7,576), and FICA ($12,949), a Petroleum Engineers in Colorado takes home $120,799 per year — or $10,066 per month. The effective tax rate of 29.8% is moderate compared to the national range.
A Petroleum Engineers in Colorado loses 29.8% of gross pay to taxes — higher than the ~25% national midpoint. Of the $172,190 gross, $120,800 lands in the paycheck after federal ($30,864), state ($7,576), and FICA ($12,950) withholding.
Colorado applies a flat state income tax — every dollar of wage income is taxed at the same rate. For this Petroleum Engineers salary that contributes $7,576 to the 4.4% effective state-tax burden.
Federal income tax ($30,864) accounts for 60% of the total tax bill — the single largest deduction. FICA adds $12,950 (25%), and state tax the remaining $7,576 (15%).
The state-tax gap is substantial: a Petroleum Engineers earning this gross in a no-income-tax state would net about $128,376 — an extra $7,576 (6.3%) annually compared with Colorado.
For Petroleum Engineers after-tax pay, Colorado ranks #4 of 16 states — top quartile. High gross wages or low state-tax burden (or both) drive the strong ranking.
Translated into paycheck cadences, $120,800 net/year works out to $10,067/month or $4,646/bi-weekly for this Petroleum Engineers in Colorado — the numbers that actually hit a checking account after every deduction.
Where does a Petroleum Engineers keep the most of their paycheck? Top 10 states ranked by after-tax take-home pay.
Colorado ranks #4 out of 16 states for Petroleum Engineers after-tax take-home pay.
A Petroleum Engineers in Colorado earning a median salary of $172,190 will take home approximately $120,799 per year after federal income tax ($30,864), state income tax ($7,576), and FICA ($12,949). That is $10,066 per month or $4,646 per bi-weekly paycheck.
The effective total tax rate for a Petroleum Engineers in Colorado is 29.8%, broken down as: federal income tax 17.9%, Colorado state tax 4.4%, and FICA (Social Security + Medicare) 7.5%. This assumes a single filer with the standard deduction for 2024.
Colorado has a 4.4% flat rate. On a Petroleum Engineers's median salary of $172,190, the state income tax amounts to $7,576 per year, which is an effective state rate of 4.4%.
After all taxes, a Petroleum Engineers in Colorado takes home approximately $10,066 per month, or about $58.08 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 $172,190 for Petroleum Engineers 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 — $120,799/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