2026 · Official 2026 sourceTax review: Official 2026Partial modelEditorial status: Launch-ready

Colorado paycheck calculator

Estimate take-home pay with the Colorado 2026 profile, then use the guide below to understand what is modeled and what still needs local or personal verification. Use the Colorado statewide model as a baseline, then account separately for deductions or local items outside the profile.

A $85,000 salary in Colorado leaves an estimated $65,222 per year — about $2,509 every two weeks — after 2026 federal, FICA, and state tax for a single filer with no pre-tax contributions.

Guide reviewed August 9, 2026 · Tax sources reviewed through August 9, 2026

Where the $85,000 goes in Colorado

A single filer with no pre-tax retirement contributions, paid biweekly — the same baseline the calculator below opens on. Adjust any input there for your own figures.

Annual tax breakdown for $85,000 in Colorado
Gross salary	$85,000
Federal income tax	−$9,870
Social Security	−$5,270
Medicare	−$1,233
Colorado income tax	−$3,032
Colorado payroll assessments	−$374
Estimated take-home	$65,222
Effective tax rate	23.3%

Colorado take-home pay at five salaries

At $85,000, Colorado ranks 29th of the 50 jurisdictions this site publishes for take-home pay: $85 a year less than the median jurisdiction, and $3,406 a year less than Florida, which leaves the most.

Estimated 2026 take-home pay in Colorado for a single filer at five salaries, with the state's rank at each
Salary	State tax	Take-home	Bi-weekly	Tax rate	Rank
$40,000	$1,228	$33,092	$1,273	17.3%	30th of 50
$60,000	$2,196	$48,194	$1,854	19.7%	30th of 50
$85,000	$3,406	$65,222	$2,509	23.3%	29th of 50
$120,000	$5,100	$88,150	$3,390	26.5%	27th of 50
$200,000	$8,903	$140,024	$5,386	30%	28th of 50

Single filer, no pre-tax contributions, paid biweekly. “State tax” is Colorado income tax plus any state payroll assessments deducted from pay; “Tax rate” is all taxes, federal included, as a share of gross. Rank 1 is the highest take-home.

More from this Colorado profile

Same salary, same state — see what changes under a different scenario.

Compare states See every state ranked Explore 401(k) savings Estimate a raise Read the Colorado guide

Take-home pay by salary in Colorado

$30,000 $35,000 $40,000 $45,000 $50,000 $55,000 $60,000 $65,000 $70,000 $75,000 $80,000 $85,000 $90,000 $100,000 $110,000 $120,000 $125,000 $150,000 $175,000 $200,000 $250,000 $300,000

Hourly pay in Colorado

$14/hr $15/hr $17/hr $18/hr $19/hr $20/hr $21/hr $22/hr $24/hr $25/hr $27/hr $28/hr $30/hr $33/hr $35/hr $37/hr $40/hr $44/hr $48/hr $50/hr

Colorado next to every other state

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2026 Colorado paycheck guide

What this statewide profile models

State wage-tax treatment

The profile applies one configured statewide rate band after modeled adjustments. It does not infer local taxes or unsupported credits.

Employee payroll items

The estimate lists Colorado FAMLI employee premium separately from state income tax.

401(k) treatment

Configured pretax 401(k) contributions reduce Colorado taxable wages in this model, subject to the calculator limit and profile boundaries.

Planning focus

Use the Colorado statewide model as a baseline, then account separately for deductions or local items outside the profile.

Profile boundaries

These limits stay visible so a statewide estimate is not mistaken for a filed return or an address-specific withholding calculation.

Colorado state income tax is modeled two ways: an annual-liability estimate, and employer withholding per the state's own published formula.
Denver and other local occupational taxes are excluded.
Colorado's 4.4% rate is subject to a TABOR-triggered temporary reduction determined after the state's fiscal year closes in about September, so the 2026 rate could still be reduced retroactively.
Colorado's addbacks to federal taxable income, including the state income tax addback and the high-earner federal deduction limitation, are not modelled.

Read the calculation methodology

Reviewed sources

Each link shows the date it was last reviewed for this profile.

Colorado DOR — 2026 DR 1098
Reviewed August 9, 2026
Tax Foundation — 2026 state rates, brackets, deductions, and exemptions
Reviewed August 9, 2026

Common questions

Colorado paycheck calculator FAQs

Does Colorado have a state income tax on wages?

Yes. Colorado levies an individual income tax on wage income, and this estimate applies it. The profile applies one configured statewide rate band after modeled adjustments. It does not infer local taxes or unsupported credits.

What gets taken out of a Colorado paycheck?

The estimate lists Colorado FAMLI employee premium separately from state income tax. Configured pretax 401(k) contributions reduce Colorado taxable wages in this model, subject to the calculator limit and profile boundaries.

Is this Colorado paycheck calculator up to date for 2026?

The tax profile is labeled Official 2026 and partial model; its source classification is official 2026 source. Current boundary to review: Denver and other local occupational taxes are excluded.

Compare Colorado with other jurisdictions

Colorado vs. Texas Paycheck Comparison [2026]

Compare Colorado and Texas take-home estimates at the same salary, with Wyoming as a second no-wage-tax reference point.

California vs. Colorado Paycheck Comparison [2026]

Compare California and Colorado take-home pay at the same salary, with Nevada as a no-wage-tax reference for the same gross figure.