Updated · 2026 tax rules · Data: IRS, BLS, BEA, HUD · How we calculate

Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education Salary in Denver, CO

Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education in the Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO metro area earn a median $76,910 a year — 20% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $60,261 take-home, or $5,022 a month.

Median salary
$76,910
$36.98 per hour
Typical range
$50,460 – $101,440
10th to 90th percentile
Jobs in Denver, CO
12,030
0.84× national concentration
▲20.0%
Pay trend: The median for elementary school teachers, except special education in Denver, CO rose from $64,070 (May 2024) to $76,910 (May 2025). That beat inflation (2.4%), a real raise of about 17.6%. Large one-year swings in local data can partly reflect BLS survey sampling.

Take-home pay calculator

Pre-filled with the median elementary school teachers, except special education salary in Denver, CO. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.

Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education in Denver, CO
Deductions, kids & local tax

2026 tax year. Federal brackets from IRS Rev. Proc. 2025-32.

Your take-home pay
$60,261
per year · effective tax rate 21.6%
$5,022Monthly
$2,511Twice a month
$2,318Every 2 weeks
$28.97Hourly
  • Federal income tax$8,090
  • Social Security (6.2%)$4,768
  • Medicare (1.45%)$1,115
  • Colorado income tax$2,676
  • Take-home pay$60,261

Marginal rate: 22% federal + 4.40% state

Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →

Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education pay by experience in Denver, CO

PercentileSalaryHourlyTake-home / yrPer month
10th percentile (entry level)$50,460$24.26$41,213$3,434
25th percentile$61,220$29.43$49,385$4,115
Median (50th)$76,910$36.98$60,261$5,022
75th percentile$84,170$40.47$65,049$5,421
90th percentile (top earners)$101,440$48.77$76,438$6,370

Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Colorado resident, 2026 tax rules.

What $76,910 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 elementary school teachers, except special education's $60,261 take-home pay has the buying power of $56,967 in a typical American city.

1-bedroom rent
$1,754
35% of monthly take-home
2-bedroom rent
$2,089
42% of monthly take-home
Left after 1-BR rent
$3,268
per month for everything else

Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.

Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education jobs are about as common in Denver, CO as in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.84).

Best-paying cities for elementary school teachers, except special education, adjusted for cost of living

Denver, CO ranks #41 of 99 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.

#Metro areaMedian salaryTake-homeReal value*
1Seattle, WA $102,920$81,234$73,096
2Visalia, CA $98,430$71,872$71,998
3Modesto, CA $101,640$73,789$70,878
4Sacramento, CA $103,390$74,835$70,156
5Bridgeport, CT $98,600$74,347$69,572
6Dayton, OH $80,360$63,936$68,975
7Stockton, CA $97,400$71,256$67,805
8Riverside, CA $98,520$71,925$67,572
41Denver, CO$76,910$60,261$56,967

*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 99 metros →

Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education salaries elsewhere in Colorado

Frequently asked questions

How much does a elementary school teachers, except special education make in Denver, CO?

The median elementary school teachers, except special education salary in the Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO metro area is $76,910 a year, or about $36.98 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $61,220 and $84,170.

What is a elementary school teachers, except special education’s take-home pay in Denver, CO?

On the median $76,910 salary, a single filer living in Colorado takes home about $60,261 a year ($5,022 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $2,676 in Colorado taxes in 2026.

Is Denver, CO a good place to work as a elementary school teachers, except special education?

Pay here is 20% above the national median of $63,970. Local prices are 5.8% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $56,967 would in a typical U.S. city. Denver, CO ranks #41 of 99 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.

Can a elementary school teachers, except special education 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) — 35% of a median elementary school teachers, except special education’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.

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