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DENVER – The Colorado Chamber of Commerce Foundation and Aspen Technology Labs (Aspen) today released their jobs report for the first quarter (Q1) of 2025. Utilizing Aspen’s database of more than 9 million job vacancies worldwide from over 200,000 companies, the report provides real-time workforce and jobs data to better understand Colorado’s economic landscape.
Colorado’s labor market saw significant growth in job postings following a decline in the previous quarter, with the number of job vacancies increasing by 12.8%. Among all states, Colorado ranked third in terms of percentage growth in job vacancies during this period. The median annual salary for Colorado full-time job postings continued to rise, increasing by 4% from the previous quarter. Colorado’s national standing moved from 18th to 15th in total job vacancies per capita and from 14th to 12th in highest median salaries.
“As businesses adapt to uncertainty in global markets, it’s too early to say what’s driving this growth in job openings and whether it’s indicative of a larger trend for Colorado,” said Colorado Chamber Foundation President and CEO Loren Furman. “Through the regional workforce summits currently underway across the state, our focus remains on ensuring employers have the talent they need long-term to bring economic opportunity to Coloradans.”
“Colorado’s labor market continued to show strength in Q1 2025, with job vacancies growing even as overall employment levels normalized and unemployment edged slightly higher. These market dynamics point to an economy that was and is adapting rather than retreating,” said Aspen Technology Labs President Michael Woodrow “With our near real-time vacancy data, we can provide a clear view of emerging trends—such as growth in education, agriculture, and remote work—that are shaping Colorado’s economy right now. That said, we have started to see some early signs of weakness in April/Q2, and we will be watching this closely in the next few weeks. Given the uncertainties driven by the global economic situation, we will issue a mid-quarter Q2 report in the second half of May 2025.”
Jobs data at the local level also reflects growth, with most regions across Colorado reporting increases in job postings. The greatest increase in job vacancies in the first quarter came from Rifle, which reported a 33% increase. Steamboat Springs and Pueblo followed, with an increase in vacancies of 19% and 16% respectively. Boulder and Denver reported the highest median salaries at $65,000, followed by Pueblo at $62,691.
The job categories experiencing the largest growth in Q1 were in agriculture, education and nursing. The highest paying job titles for open positions were largely in the medical field, ranging from various specializations of physicians to nurse anesthetists.
This quarter, the industry spotlight focused on the information technology (IT) sector and highlighted stability in job vacancies with little fluctuation over the period. Lockheed Martin had the highest number of open IT positions, making it the top employer in the category. Software developers were the most frequently advertised role, reflecting sustained demand for technical talent even amid a relatively steady hiring landscape.
To view the Q1 jobs report, please visit: https://cochamber.com/wp-content/uploads/Colorado-Chamber-of-Commerce-2025-Q1.pdf.
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The Colorado Chamber Foundation is a non-profit educational foundation whose purpose is to support programs, research, educational opportunities and other initiatives that encourage and enhance a healthy business climate. The organization works collaboratively in partnership with state business leaders to advance Colorado’s economy and local communities through forward-thinking solutions.
Aspen Technology Labs is a global leader in web data management services and recruitment technology founded in 2008. The company is headquartered in Aspen, Colorado with teams throughout the U.S. and Europe. Aspen Technology provides web scraping, business intelligence, and data/analytics services for a wide variety of industries. Over 12 million job seekers use the company’s technology each year to find jobs and improve the lives of their families.