Denver–Aurora–Lakewood, CO

Janitorial Wages in Denver–Aurora–Lakewood, CO (2026)

Last updated Q2 2026 · Authored by the Opora Editorial Team · Source: BLS OEWS May 2024 + Colorado HELP Rules (7 CCR 1103-1) + Denver Minimum Wage Ordinance

Denver-Aurora-Lakewood has emerged as one of the most dynamic janitorial wage markets in the Mountain West, driven by three forces operating simultaneously: Colorado's robust minimum-wage ordinance structure, an SEIU Local 105 master contract that in 2024 delivered the largest wage increase in decades, and an unusually diverse commercial demand base spanning cannabis production facilities, energy companies, aerospace contractors, and a rapidly expanding technology sector. The result is a metro where union cleaners have secured wages that rival West Coast markets at a cost of living that—while rising—remains below California, creating genuine economic upward mobility for building service workers willing to organize.

BLS Wage Data for the Denver Metro

The BLS OEWS May 2023 data for Denver-Aurora-Lakewood records 20,780 janitors and building cleaners (SOC 37-2011) with a median hourly wage of $17.57 and a mean hourly wage of $18.56, producing an annual mean of $38,610. This is above the national mean of $17.43/hr and reflects the combination of Denver's escalating minimum wage and union wage floor. Estimated percentile spread positions the 10th percentile near $14.00/hr, the 25th at $15.50/hr, the 75th at approximately $21.00/hr for union workers, and the 90th around $25.00/hr for senior union workers, supervisors, and specialized facility cleaners. Note that the 2024 SEIU Local 105 contract win—providing 16–18% raises across four years—will push these figures meaningfully upward in subsequent BLS surveys.

Denver's Minimum Wage: City vs. State

Colorado operates a split minimum-wage system in which Denver's citywide minimum wage exceeds the state floor. According to the Denver Auditor's Office, Denver's minimum wage is scheduled to reach $18.81/hr in 2026, up from $18.29/hr in 2024. Colorado's statewide minimum is $14.42/hr (2024), meaning employers operating in the City and County of Denver face a wage floor nearly $4/hr above state law. This urban minimum wage premium compresses the wage distribution: entry-level cleaning positions in Denver proper that might pay $14–$15/hr in suburban Aurora or Commerce City must meet the $18.29+ city floor, functionally setting a livable-wage baseline for downtown commercial cleaning positions.

SEIU Local 105: Historic 2024 Contract Win

SEIU Local 105, founded in Denver in 1939, represents over 2,000 commercial janitors across the Denver metro under its master contract with the largest cleaning contractors in Colorado. After an intense 2024 bargaining campaign that included a unanimous strike authorization vote, the union reached a tentative agreement delivering a historic 16–18% raise over four years—the largest percentage increase in the contract's history. SEIU Local 105 explicitly described the outcome as making Denver "one of the highest-paid cities for janitors in the country." A janitor entering the contract at $18.50/hr would reach approximately $21.50–$22.00/hr by year four. The agreement also included workload protections, enhanced paid sick leave provisions, and employer-paid health benefits.

Healthy Families and Workplaces Act: Colorado's Paid-Leave Mandate

Colorado's Healthy Families and Workplaces Act (HFWA), effective for all employers as of January 1, 2022, requires one hour of paid sick leave for every 30 hours worked, capped at 48 hours per year. For janitorial contractors operating across the metro, this mandate adds a direct labor cost estimated at $0.30–$0.50/hr of payroll burden when fully priced. Unlike some state paid-leave laws that can be satisfied through existing PTO policies, the HFWA specifies a distinct sick-time bank. The HFWA also provides two weeks of supplemental paid sick leave during declared public health emergencies—a provision activated during COVID-19 and retained permanently for future emergencies.

Industry Mix: Energy, Aerospace, Cannabis, and Tech

• Energy and natural resources: The Denver metro serves as the back-office and operational hub for Colorado's oil and gas sector. Companies like Chevron USA, Chord Energy, and dozens of mid-market E&P firms maintain large downtown Denver offices requiring Class A commercial cleaning services.
• Aerospace and defense: Lockheed Martin Space (Waterton), Raytheon (Aurora), and United Launch Alliance operate facilities south of Denver requiring controlled-environment cleaning and cleared-contractor protocols.
• Cannabis industry: Colorado's legal cannabis sector generates a unique cleaning niche. Dispensaries, cultivation facilities, and processing labs require specialized protocols compliant with CDPHE regulations, including residue removal, odor control, and pathogen control. Cannabis facility cleaners typically earn $18–$22/hr.
• Technology: The Denver-Boulder corridor has attracted major tech employers including data center operators (Google data center in Douglas County, AWS presence in the metro) and a growing Colorado tech startup ecosystem.

MIT Living Wage and Denver's Affordability Squeeze

The MIT Living Wage Calculator for the Denver-Aurora-Centennial MSA sets the living wage for a single adult at $27.41/hr. At the BLS median of $17.57/hr, a Denver janitor earns roughly 64% of the living wage. Denver's median two-bedroom rent is approximately $1,800–$2,100/month. The SEIU Local 105 contract win, which should push median union janitor wages to approximately $20–$22/hr by 2026, partially closes this gap: at $21/hr full-time, a janitor earns roughly $3,640/month gross, allowing for housing costs while leaving meaningful discretionary income.

Submarket Variation: Downtown vs. Suburbs vs. DIA Corridor

The Denver MSA contains three meaningful wage submarkets. Downtown Denver and LoDo represent the highest-wage zone, where SEIU Local 105 coverage is most dense and Class A office buildings set premium rates. Aurora, Englewood, and Lakewood form a mid-tier commercial submarket where non-union BSCs compete alongside union shops, with wages typically running $15–$19/hr. The Denver International Airport (DIA) corridor and surrounding logistics parks represent a distinct third submarket: aviation facility cleaning often falls under the McNamara-O'Hara Service Contract Act (SCA) when airports receive federal funding, setting prevailing wage floors that in Denver typically position the Janitor classification between $17–$20/hr plus fringe benefits.

Top Employers and Compliance Environment

Major BSC operators in the Denver metro include ABM Industries (commercial and aviation contracts), Aramark (healthcare and university settings), ServiceMaster Clean (commercial and residential restoration), and regional firms like Milestone Management Group and Monarch Janitorial Services. The combination of Denver's city minimum wage, the HFWA paid-leave mandate, and SEIU Local 105's master contract creates one of the most layered compliance environments in the Mountain West—and one of the best-protected wage environments for organized building service workers in the region.

Primary sources

Review notice

This wage data is maintained by the Opora editorial team and last reviewed in Q2 2026. BLS OEWS data is released annually each spring; state and local minimum wages change at least yearly. Verify current rates with BLS, the relevant state labor department, and any applicable SCA wage determination before relying on a specific bid number. Opora does not provide legal or tax advice.