Industrial Engineer Salary in Denver, CO
Industrial Engineers in the Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO metro area earn a median $108,680 a year — 6% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $81,213 take-home, or $6,768 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median industrial engineer salary in Denver, CO. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$15,080
- Social Security (6.2%)$6,738
- Medicare (1.45%)$1,576
- Colorado income tax$4,074
- Take-home pay$81,213
Marginal rate: 22% federal + 4.40% state
Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →
Industrial Engineer pay by experience in Denver, CO
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $80,810 | $38.85 | $62,833 | $5,236 |
| 25th percentile | $95,160 | $45.75 | $72,296 | $6,025 |
| Median (50th) | $108,680 | $52.25 | $81,213 | $6,768 |
| 75th percentile | $130,890 | $62.93 | $95,679 | $7,973 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $157,780 | $75.86 | $112,875 | $9,406 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Colorado resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $108,680 buys in Denver, CO
Prices in Denver, CO are 5.8% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.47× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median industrial engineer's $81,213 take-home pay has the buying power of $76,774 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Industrial Engineer jobs are less concentrated in Denver, CO than nationally (location quotient 0.66), so openings may be scarcer.
Best-paying cities for industrial engineers, adjusted for cost of living
Denver, CO ranks #21 of 30 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Seattle, WA | $131,210 | $100,948 | $90,835 |
| 2 | Houston, TX | $111,690 | $87,404 | $88,619 |
| 3 | San Jose, CA | $136,950 | $94,584 | $85,656 |
| 4 | Portland, OR | $129,890 | $89,487 | $84,886 |
| 5 | Cincinnati, OH | $105,140 | $80,687 | $84,604 |
| 6 | Austin, TX | $103,610 | $81,720 | $83,331 |
| 7 | Cleveland, OH | $99,300 | $76,739 | $81,704 |
| 8 | Columbus, OH | $100,570 | $77,598 | $81,281 |
| 21 | Denver, CO | $108,680 | $81,213 | $76,774 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 30 metros →
About the job: industrial engineers
Design, develop, test, and evaluate integrated systems for managing industrial production processes, including human work factors, quality control, inventory control, logistics and material flow, cost analysis, and production coordination.
- Typical education
- Bachelor's degree
- Work experience
- None required
- On-the-job training
- None
- Job outlook, 2025–35
- +12.4% (much faster than average)
Source: BLS Standard Occupational Classification and Employment Projections, 2025–35.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a industrial engineer make in Denver, CO?
The median industrial engineer salary in the Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO metro area is $108,680 a year, or about $52.25 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $95,160 and $130,890.
What is a industrial engineer’s take-home pay in Denver, CO?
On the median $108,680 salary, a single filer living in Colorado takes home about $81,213 a year ($6,768 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $4,074 in Colorado taxes in 2026.
Is Denver, CO a good place to work as a industrial engineer?
Pay here is 6% above the national median of $102,440. Local prices are 5.8% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $76,774 would in a typical U.S. city. Denver, CO ranks #21 of 30 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a industrial engineer afford rent in Denver, CO?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Denver, CO is $1,754 a month ($2,089 for two bedrooms) — 26% of a median industrial engineer’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in Denver, CO
- Mechanical Engineer — $128,180
- Electronics Engineers, Except Computer — $127,260
- Electrical Engineer — $119,020
- Civil Engineer — $104,710