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Federal Employment in COLORADO

Federal workforce data for COLORADO. This state accounts for 2.0% of the total federal civilian workforce. Source: OPM FedScope, March 2025.

What the Numbers Say About Federal Employment in COLORADO

COLORADO is home to 45,068 federal civilian employees, which is 2.0% of the total federal civilian workforce of 2,289,472 recorded in OPM FedScope for March 2025. Versus the prior reporting period, the state's federal headcount moved down by -1.8%, reflecting the combined effect of new hires via USAJOBS, retirements, inter-state transfers, and attrition across the 39 federal agencies currently operating on state soil.

Pay in COLORADO averages $112,495 across all federal grades and occupations, placing the state 2.4% above the national federal civilian average of $109,869. The gap reflects locality-pay tables, the mix of headquarters versus field-office roles, and the occupational profile of agencies that concentrate here. Average length of service is 11.4 years — a signal of workforce stability and the degree to which federal careers anchor local economies.

The largest federal employer in COLORADO is DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS with 8,009 employees at an average salary of $115,354. The highest-paying agency in the state is SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION at $224,636 average salary. For job seekers browsing USAJOBS postings filtered to COLORADO, these agency-level concentrations matter because they determine which career ladders, locality-pay tables, and mission areas dominate local federal employment. All figures come directly from OPM FedScope Employment Cubes, updated quarterly.

Federal Employees

45,068

-1.8% from prior period

Average Salary

$112,495

+3.7%

Avg Length of Service

11.4 yrs

Agencies Present

39

Salary Context

How federal pay in COLORADO compares to the national average of $109,869

State Average

$112,495

National Average

$109,869

vs. National Avg

+2.4%

Federal Agencies in COLORADO

39 federal agencies operate in COLORADO. DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS is the largest with 8,009 employees.

# Agency Employees Avg Salary
1 DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS 8,009 $115,354
2 DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE 6,393 $106,631
3 DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR 6,039 $112,807
4 DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 3,433 $96,824
5 DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY 3,222 $96,203
6 DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE 2,945 $105,357
7 DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY 2,487 $93,871
8 DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE 2,088 $105,445
9 DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 1,634 $135,693
10 DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 1,513 $146,599
11 DEPARTMENT OF TREASURY 1,427 $104,390
12 DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY 966 $141,656
13 DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES 956 $128,240
14 ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY 720 $135,100
15 SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION 600 $112,402
16 GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION 418 $131,369
17 DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPM 370 $133,691
18 DEPARTMENT OF LABOR 292 $121,326
19 SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION 173 $117,755
20 DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY 145 $133,019
21 SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION 127 $224,636
22 DEPARTMENT OF STATE 72 $126,960
23 DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION 63 $137,527
24 OFFICE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT 53 $133,776
25 FARM CREDIT ADMINISTRATION 50 $149,424
26 FEDERAL DEPOSIT INSURANCE CORPORATION 44 $159,362
27 CORP FOR NATIONAL AND COMMUNITY SERVICE 36 $104,033
28 EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY COMMISSION 34 $127,252
29 NATIONAL CREDIT UNION ADMINISTRATION 25 $129,492
30 NAT AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION 25 $166,678
31 GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 21 $70,195
32 FEDERAL RESERVE SYSTEM 19 $163,742
33 U.S. AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEV 18 $147,066
34 NATIONAL LABOR RELATIONS BOARD 17 $151,860
35 NAT ARCHIVES AND RECORDS ADMINISTRATION 17 $97,318
36 DFC 14 $151,969
37 NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD 12 $164,484
38 NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION 12 $163,730
39 PEACE CORPS 12 $136,713

Related Federal Data

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WageDex — Salary Data

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PlainWorker — Worker Protections

OSHA inspection data and workplace safety records. See enforcement activity in COLORADO.

PlainPension — Pension Data

Federal and private pension plan data. Explore retirement benefits for government employees.

PlainCost — Cost of Living

BEA Regional Price Parities for 387 metros. See how far your federal salary goes in COLORADO.

Similar States by Federal Employment

States with a similar federal workforce size to COLORADO

ALABAMA

44,822 employees $108,206 avg

OKLAHOMA

44,363 employees $91,890 avg

ARIZONA

46,211 employees $98,796 avg

MISSOURI

40,913 employees $93,101 avg

ILLINOIS

53,474 employees $109,781 avg

MICHIGAN

35,962 employees $109,574 avg

Federal Employment Guides

Learn more about working for the federal government

How to Get a Government Job

Step-by-step guide to finding and applying for federal positions.

GS Pay Scale Explained

Understanding the General Schedule pay system and locality adjustments.

Highest-Paying Federal Jobs

Top federal occupations and agencies ranked by average salary.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many federal employees work in COLORADO? ▾
COLORADO has 45,068 federal civilian employees as of March 2025. This represents 2.0% of the total federal civilian workforce of 2,289,472.
What is the average federal salary in COLORADO? ▾
The average federal salary in COLORADO is $112,495 per year, which is 2.4% above the national federal average of $109,869.
Which federal agency has the most employees in COLORADO? ▾
DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS is the largest federal employer in COLORADO with 8,009 employees and an average salary of $115,354.
What is the highest-paying federal agency in COLORADO? ▾
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION has the highest average salary among federal agencies in COLORADO at $224,636 per year.
How many federal agencies operate in COLORADO? ▾
39 federal agencies have employees in COLORADO. The largest is DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS with 8,009 employees.
How does federal employment in COLORADO compare to other states? ▾
COLORADO ranks among the mid-range states for federal employment, with 2.0% of the total federal civilian workforce. The average length of service is 11.4 years.

Data Source: U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) FedScope Employment Cubes, March 2025. Federal civilian non-seasonal full-time and part-time employees. Data does not include military personnel, postal workers, or intelligence agency staff. Last updated: 2026-03-10.

Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

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Data sourced from official U.S. government datasets. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainGovJobs Editorial