Nurse Practitioner · Salary Comparison · 2026
Nurse Practitioner Salary: Denver, CO vs New York, NY
Side-by-side comparison of salary, taxes, cost of living, and take-home pay for Nurse Practitioners in Denver, CO and New York, NY, based on BLS OEWS 2026 data.
1Which City Pays More After Tax?
Higher Gross Salary
✓ New York, NY
$120,000 vs $135,000
Better Purchasing Power
✓ Denver, CO
$93,750 vs $72,193
Best Take-Home (COL-Adj)
✓ Denver, CO
$82,813 vs $62,136
2
Detailed Comparison
| Metric | Denver, CO | New York, NY | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Annual Salary | $120,000 | $135,000▲ | -$15,000 |
| 25th Percentile | $93,000 | $104,000▲ | -$11,000 |
| 75th Percentile | $154,000 | $173,000▲ | -$19,000 |
| 90th Percentile | $186,000 | $210,000▲ | -$24,000 |
| Cost of Living Index | 128 | 187 | -59 |
| State Income Tax | 4.4%▲ | 6.85% | -2.4499999999999993% |
| COL-Adjusted Median | $93,750▲ | $72,193 | +$21,557 |
| Est. Annual Take-Home | $106,001 | $116,195▲ | -$10,194 |
| COL-Adj. Take-Home | $82,813▲ | $62,136 | +$20,677 |
| Total Employment | 4,000 | 14,000 | -10,000 |
▲ = Higher value wins for this metric. Diff = Denver, CO minus New York, NY.
3Summary Analysis
On paper, New York, NY pays $15,000 more (median: $120,000 vs $135,000). However, after adjusting for cost of living (index 128 vs 187), Denver, CO provides better purchasing power ($93,750 vs $72,193 equivalent). Denver, CO has the lower state tax rate (4.4% vs 6.85%).
Data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS · 2026 · Cost-of-living indices from composite metro area data. Take-home estimates approximate only — consult a tax professional for accurate figures.