Salary Data

DevOps Engineer Salary in Denver

$143,000

median salary, 8% above the national average

According to Orbit's 2026 salary analysis, the average DevOps Engineer salary in Denver is $143,000. Salaries range from $108,000 (25th percentile) to $184,000 (75th percentile), adjusted for Denver's cost of living.

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Salary range

25th Percentile

$108,000

per year

Median

$143,000

per year

75th Percentile

$184,000

per year

How Denver compares

Denver, CO

$143,000

Cost of living: 8% above average

National Average

$132,000

Denver is $11,000 above

DevOps Engineer job market in Denver

Denver market overview

Denver has emerged as a secondary tech hub with strong aerospace, telecom, and outdoor industry employers. The city attracts remote workers and relocating companies seeking lower costs than the coasts. Salaries have climbed steadily as national employers open satellite offices and compete for Denver's growing talent pool.

What drives DevOps Engineer salaries

Cloud platform depth (AWS, GCP, or Azure), infrastructure as code expertise, and Kubernetes orchestration skills are the main drivers. Engineers who can build and maintain CI/CD pipelines, implement security automation, and manage large scale production environments command the highest salaries. Multi cloud experience adds further premium.

Beyond base salary

Total compensation

Equity at tech companies adds $15,000 to $70,000 annually. On call compensation or stipends of $500 to $2,000 per month are common. Bonuses of 8 to 15% are typical. Cloud certification exam fees and training budgets are frequently included in benefits packages.

Tax considerations in Denver

Colorado has a flat 4.4% state income tax. Denver has no additional city income tax, making the overall tax burden lighter than most coastal metros.

Career progression

Junior DevOps engineers start at $80,000 to $105,000, progressing to mid level at $115,000 to $145,000 in two to three years. Senior DevOps engineers earn $145,000 to $185,000. Platform engineering leads and SRE managers at large companies can exceed $230,000 in total compensation.

Top industries in Denver

Aerospace & DefenseTechnologyEnergyHealthcareOutdoor & Recreation

Negotiating in Denver

Position yourself as a remote talent anchor. Many companies pay near coastal rates for Denver based employees to save on office costs while retaining top performers.

DevOps Engineer salary FAQ

AWS Solutions Architect and Kubernetes (CKA/CKAD) certifications can boost salary by 10 to 15% and are often required for senior roles. They signal depth beyond surface level usage. However, demonstrated production experience managing large scale infrastructure matters more than certifications alone.

SRE roles typically pay 10 to 15% more than equivalent DevOps positions because they emphasize software engineering skills applied to reliability problems. Companies like Google pioneered SRE as a discipline, and the emphasis on coding ability, SLO management, and incident response justifies the premium.

Top paying employers for DevOps Engineers in Denver are typically large technology companies, financial institutions, and well funded startups. Company size, industry, and funding stage all influence compensation. Using Orbit to track and compare multiple offers helps you identify the best total package.

According to Orbit's 2026 salary analysis, the average DevOps Engineer salary in Denver, CO is $143,000. Entry level positions start around $108,000, while experienced professionals earn up to $184,000 or more depending on skills, company size, and industry.

DevOps Engineers in Denver commonly receive benefits including health insurance, retirement contributions, paid time off, and professional development budgets. Many employers also offer remote work flexibility, signing bonuses, and performance based bonuses. Total compensation often exceeds base salary by 20% to 40%.

DevOps Engineer salary in other cities

Other salaries in Denver

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