Oxfam America

The Best States to Work in the US 2024

Colorado Scorecard

As the federal government drags its feet on making real improvements for workers, some states are taking steps to protect workers and working families. How does your state rank?

Find out more in our report, view full spreadsheets of the data, or review the methodology.

Colorado Rankings and Scores

Rankings from #1 (top) to #52 (bottom); scores from 0 to 100.

Overall

#10

68.84

Wage Policies

#6

68.98

Worker Protections

#10

60.71

Rights to Organize

#13

80

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How does Colorado score in the policy areas?

Wage policies

Score: 68.98, Ranking: #6

  • State hourly minimum wage
    $14.42
  • Minimum wage vs the cost of living for a family of four
    31.6%
  • State tipped minimum wage
    $11.40
  • Tipped minimum wage vs minimum wage
    79.1%
  • Average unemployment benefits vs wages needed to cover cost of living
    18.9%
  • Localities can set the minimum wage above the state standard
  • Minimum wage policy covers farmworkers
Fully meets criteria
Partially meets criteria
Does not meet criteria

How does Colorado compare to other states in the region?

Colorado is ranked first in the Rocky Mountain region. It leads the region with laws aimed to improve compensation and conditions in the workplace.

Best States to Work Index by US Bureau of Economic Analysis region

map with states divided by region

Average index score by Bureau of Economic Analysis region

bar chart showing index average by region

Methodology

All data is based on laws and policies in effect as of July 1, 2024.

The index is based on state policies in three dimensions: wages (40% of overall score); worker protections (35% of overall score); and rights to organize (25% of overall score).

View full spreadsheets of the data.

Wage policies

Do workers earn a wage that is sufficient to provide for them and their families? Among the data points in this dimension:

  • Ratio of minimum wage to cost of living for a family of four.
  • Ratio of tipped wage to minimum wage.
  • Local control over minimum wages (lack of local control is often referred to as preemption, as the state overrides local rules).
  • Extension of the minimum wage to farmworkers.
  • Ratio of unemployment insurance (UI) benefits to cost of living for a family of four.

Worker protection policies

This dimension considers the quality of life for workers, especially women and parents. Among the data points in this dimension:

  • Paid pumping breaks for breastfeeding workers.
  • Mandates for equal pay.
  • Paid family and medical leave; paid sick leave.
  • Fair and flexible scheduling.
  • Protection against sexual harassment in the workplace.
  • Extension of workers’ compensation to farmworkers.
  • Protections for domestic workers.
  • Heat standards for outdoor workers.
  • Warehouse worker protections.
  • Child labor protections.

Right to organize policies

This dimension asks whether workers have the right to organize and sustain a trade union. Among the data points in this dimension:

  • State so-called “right-to-work” law (which suppresses union activity).
  • Public employees’ rights to collective bargaining and wage negotiation (teachers used as a case study).
  • Mandates for project labor agreements (PLAs): agreements that stipulate that contracts for public construction projects must go exclusively to unionized firms.
  • Mandates for protection against retaliation.
  • Statewide policies on collective bargaining for public workers.