Janitorial Wages in Colorado (2026)

Colorado's commercial janitorial workforce earns a statewide mean and median hourly wage of $17.46 (BLS OEWS May 2024, SOC 37-2011 — O*NET LocalWages CO), placing Colorado above the national median of $17.27/hr. The statewide minimum wage rose to $15.16/hr on January 1, 2026 under C.R.S. §8-6-109 (COMPS Order; CPI-indexed) — but the more operationally significant figure for the state's dominant commercial cleaning market is Denver's city minimum wage of $19.29/hr effective January 1, 2026 (Denver Auditor's Office). Denver's city floor now exceeds the statewide janitorial median, making it the operative cost floor for the state's largest cleaning market.

Statewide Wage Overview (BLS OEWS May 2024, SOC 37-2011)

The statewide mean equals the median at $17.46/hr, reflecting a balanced distribution across Colorado's diverse geographic markets — from Denver's high-cost urban core to the ski resort communities of the mountains and the lower-cost eastern plains and Pueblo market. Colorado employs approximately 45,000–55,000 janitors statewide, with roughly 50–55% concentrated in the Denver–Aurora–Lakewood MSA.

Wage Percentile Distribution (BLS OEWS May 2024)

The 10th percentile at $14.65/hr is below the statewide $15.16/hr minimum — a survey-timing artifact. By 2026, all Colorado workers earn at least $15.16/hr statewide, and Denver workers must earn at least $19.29/hr. The $8.42/hr spread from 10th to 90th is moderate. The 75th-to-90th jump ($3.45/hr) reflects SEIU Local 105 rates in Denver Class A buildings and the ski resort cleaning premium in mountain communities.

Submarket Variation: High and Low Metro Areas

Boulder MSA leads the state at median $18.96/hr (10th: $15.34, 25th: $16.82, 75th: $21.12, 90th: $24.30) — driven by the University of Colorado campus, biotech sector, and affluent residential cleaning market in one of the nation's tightest labor markets. Denver–Aurora–Lakewood MSA follows at median $17.57/hr (25th: $16.75, 75th: $19.58, 90th: $23.31) — the dominant market by employment. Note: the BLS survey median of $17.57/hr for the Denver MSA reflects pre-2026 data; by 2026 the city minimum of $19.29/hr effectively becomes the floor for all Denver city-boundary work. Fort Collins ($17.14/hr) and Greeley ($17.39/hr) show Northern Colorado's tight agricultural/industrial labor markets. At the low end, Pueblo ($16.51/hr) and Colorado Springs ($16.54/hr) both post medians only slightly above the statewide minimum, reflecting their lower commercial density.

State Minimum Wage 2026 and Scheduled Increases

• Statewide rate: $15.16/hr effective January 1, 2026 (C.R.S. §8-6-109, Colorado COMPS Order; increased from $14.81/hr in 2025 — Labor Law Center). CPI-indexed annually; no legislated step changes beyond CPI.
• Tipped employees statewide: $12.14/hr (80% of the minimum wage; $3.02 tip credit allowed). Commercial janitors are not tipped employees and receive the full $15.16/hr.
• Denver city minimum wage: $19.29/hr effective January 1, 2026 (Denver CPI-indexed ordinance — Denver Auditor's Office). Tipped food/beverage workers in Denver: $16.27/hr (with $3.02 tip credit). The Denver rate has increased from $18.81/hr (2025) to $19.29/hr (2026) — a 2.5% CPI-driven increase. The Denver rate is scheduled to increase annually by the prior year's CPI-W for the Denver-Aurora-Lakewood area.
• No other local minimum wages in Colorado: As of Q2 2026, Denver is the only Colorado municipality with a minimum wage above the statewide rate. Boulder, Colorado Springs, Fort Collins, and Aurora all default to the $15.16/hr state rate.

Workers' Compensation — Class 9014 Rate (Colorado)

Colorado uses NCCI class code 9014 (Janitorial Services by Contractors) and operates as an NCCI-competitive jurisdiction. The estimated class 9014 loss cost/pure premium rate in Colorado is approximately $2.00–$2.60/$100 payroll — near the national average of $2.43/$100. Colorado's WC rates have been declining in recent years due to favorable loss experience and legislative reform. Loaded labor cost at $17.46/hr base (statewide): add FICA/FUTA $1.40, WC ~$0.35–$0.46/hr, general liability, benefits, and overhead — total loaded approximately $27–$34/hr for non-union Colorado accounts. Denver city-boundary accounts — where the $19.29/hr floor applies — run $32–$40/hr total loaded. SEIU Local 105-covered Denver Class A accounts run $36–$46/hr total loaded.

Union Presence — SEIU Local 105

SEIU Local 105 is Colorado's property services union, representing building service workers — commercial janitors, security officers, and healthcare service workers — primarily in the Denver metropolitan area. Local 105 organizes in downtown Denver commercial office buildings (16th Street Mall corridor, Civic Center, Denver Tech Center), major hospitals, and university campuses. While exact CBA terms and membership counts for Local 105 are not publicly published in detail, the local is part of SEIU's national property services bargaining structure and coordinates with neighboring locals (Local 26 in Minnesota, SEIU 6 in the Pacific Northwest) for pattern bargaining. Estimated union density in downtown Denver Class A commercial office cleaning: 20–35% — lower than the major coastal metros but meaningfully higher than other Rocky Mountain states. The Denver Tech Center (suburban) is largely non-union in commercial cleaning.

Local Minimum Wage Premiums

• Denver: $19.29/hr effective January 1, 2026 (Denver Auditor's Office CPI-indexed ordinance — Denver Auditor). Applies to all work performed within the City and County of Denver — with an exception for employees working fewer than 4 hours per week in Denver.
• Rest of Colorado: $15.16/hr statewide (no other city/county has enacted a local minimum wage above the state rate as of Q2 2026).
• Denver premium vs. statewide: The $4.13/hr difference between Denver ($19.29/hr) and the rest of Colorado ($15.16/hr) is the largest city-state gap in this batch outside of Minneapolis/Minneapolis-state. Denver accounts must be priced separately from non-Denver Colorado accounts.

What Contractors Should Bid Against

Loaded labor range: Non-Denver Colorado accounts (Colorado Springs, Pueblo, Fort Collins, Grand Junction) price at $24–$30/hr total loaded. Boulder accounts run $29–$36/hr given the tight labor market and $18.96/hr median. Denver city-boundary non-union accounts using the $19.29/hr floor run $32–$40/hr total loaded. SEIU Local 105-covered downtown Denver Class A office accounts: $36–$46/hr total loaded.

Key bid pitfalls:

• Denver geographic boundary: Denver's $19.29/hr minimum applies only to work performed within the City and County of Denver. Aurora, Centennial, Englewood, and Lakewood are separate jurisdictions governed by the statewide $15.16/hr rate. For a multi-site contract spanning Denver and suburban markets, apply the correct floor to each work location.
• CPI escalation math: Both the statewide ($15.16) and Denver ($19.29) floors adjust annually by CPI. The Denver rate uses the CPI-W for Denver-Aurora-Lakewood; the state rate uses a statewide CPI measure. In practice, both have been increasing 2.5–4% per year. Multi-year contracts should include annual escalation language of at least 3%.
• Colorado COMPS Order (CDLE): Colorado's COMPS Order (Wage Protection Rules) applies to virtually all Colorado employers and includes provisions on overtime (daily OT thresholds in some sectors), rest periods, and paid leave. While Colorado does not have California-style daily OT for most workers, verify COMPS Order applicability for each contract.
• Colorado Healthy Families and Workplaces Act: Colorado's HFWA requires employers to provide up to 48 hours (6 days) of paid sick leave per year. For a $17.46/hr worker at 40 hours/week, 48 hours of sick leave adds approximately 2.3% to total labor cost. Factor into labor burden calculations.

Cross-References

• OSHA Janitorial Requirements — Colorado (CDLE/OSHA)
• Workers' Comp for Janitorial Contractors — Colorado (Class 9014; NCCI)
• Janitorial Contractor Licensing — Colorado

Primary Sources

• O*NET Local Wages — Colorado, SOC 37-2011 (BLS OEWS May 2024)
• Denver Auditor's Office — Minimum Wage ($19.29/hr, Jan 2026)
• Labor Law Center — Colorado State Minimum Wage $15.16/hr (2026)
• DOL WHD State Minimum Wage Laws

Authored by the Opora Editorial Team.