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What does a Physician Assistants 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 Physician Assistants earning $134,540 in Colorado has the equivalent purchasing power of $131,515 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) | $104,590 | $102,238 | $-2,351 |
| 25th Percentile (P25) | $124,100 | $121,309 | $-2,790 |
| Median (P50) | $134,540 | $131,515 | $-3,024 |
| 75th Percentile (P75) | $156,400 | $152,883 | $-3,516 |
| 90th Percentile (P90) | $174,090 | $170,175 | $-3,914 |
Colorado's cost of living is close to the national average, so $134,540 keeps most of its value at $131,515 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 Physician Assistants 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, $134,540 nominal nets out to $131,515 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 Physician Assistants.
Colorado ranks #39 of 51 — bottom quartile for Physician Assistants real purchasing power. Relocation, employer negotiation, or remote roles at higher-paying markets tend to generate the biggest ROI.
Where does Physician Assistants salary stretch the furthest? Top 10 states ranked by COL-adjusted median salary.
Colorado ranks #39 out of 51 states for Physician Assistants after cost-of-living adjustment.
How much do you actually take home? See Physician Assistants take-home pay in Colorado after taxes →
A Physician Assistants in Colorado earns a median salary of $134,540 per year. After adjusting for Colorado's cost of living (RPP=102.3), the real purchasing power is $131,515 — 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 Physician Assistants in Colorado: $134,540 x (100 / 102.3) = $131,515. This represents what the salary would be worth in a state with average living costs.
Partially — a Physician Assistants's nominal salary of $134,540 in Colorado has 2.2% less purchasing power due to higher living costs. The real value is $131,515. However, Colorado may offer better career opportunities, networking, and industry access.
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