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Colorado jobs and job market: layoffs, colleges and workforce help

Colorado’s unemployment rate is 4.1%. 7,379 open professional jobs are listed here. Employers filed 49 layoff notices in the last 12 months. Choose a county or city for the same picture closer to home.

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Colorado economy

  • 4.1%

    unemployment, Sep 2026

    3.8% the month before

  • 3,179,285

    in the labor force

    Source: BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics

  • 5,810,774

    people in Colorado

    Source: U.S. Census Bureau

  • $92,470

    median household income

    Source: Census ACS

  • 47%

    of workers in white-collar occupations

    Management, business, financial and professional; Census ACS

Colorado outlook: Steady

Built from public Bureau of Labor Statistics and Census figures. It describes the area, not any one employer in it.

  • Private-sector jobs up 1.8% from 2022 to 2025
  • Population up 3.9% from 2020 to 2025
  • Unemployment 4.4%, up 0.6 points from a year ago
  • Sectors adding the most jobs: health care (+41,460 jobs), professional & technical (+10,883 jobs)
  • Sectors losing the most jobs: information (−10,317 jobs), admin & staffing (−9,972 jobs)

Local job-market news

Recent headlines about layoffs, AI and jobs in Colorado. Each link goes to the publisher.

Learn and get funded in Colorado

Colorado layoffs

  • 49

    Layoff notices, last 12 months

  • 5,811

    workers named

    A floor: states may leave out counts

  • 36

    employers

Layoff notices filed in Colorado, newest first
Notice dateEmployerCity or countyWorkersTypeSource
Denver Rescue MissionTakes effect Dec 31, 2026Denver71Loss of ContractState record
EndeavorsTakes effect Dec 31, 2026Endeavors5Contract with HHS not renewed.State record
BattelleTakes effect Dec 7, 2026Battelle4Completion of PCAPP Project ObjectivesState record
Intermountain Health/TrinsicTakes effect Dec 9, 2026—117Closure. Transitiion to UCHealthState record
T&H/KIRA: KIRA Infrastructure, KIRA Integrated Solutions, T&H Solutions, T&H Services, KIRA AviationTakes effect Nov 27, 2026Pikes Peak264Kira has been selected so if contract is finalized no net layoffsState record
CemexTakes effect Nov 2, 2026Boulder70Staff Rebalancing at Lyons Cement PlantState record
BattelleTakes effect Nov 9, 2026Pueblo15PCAPP Milestone Project CompletionsState record
Navajo Manufacturing Co. Inc.Pueblo102DivestureState record
SP Plus - A Metropolis CompanyTakes effect Oct 1, 2026Adams73Loss of ContractState record
Mission FoodsTakes effect Oct 13, 2026Mission Foods90ClosureState record

All layoff notices in the state

Get an email when a new notice is filed for Colorado

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Employers hiring most in Colorado

Employers with the most open professional roles on our job board right now.

  1. BAE Systems183 open roles
  2. True Anomaly131 open roles
  3. Amazon113 open roles
  4. CesiumAstro104 open roles
  5. Northrop Grumman94 open roles
  6. Ursa Major Technologies77 open roles
  7. Davita75 open roles
  8. Avalara72 open roles
  9. Sikorsky Aircraft71 open roles
  10. Vail Resorts66 open roles
  11. Crusoe62 open roles
  12. Anduril Industries60 open roles

Largest employers headquartered in Colorado

Employee counts with a year are published figures (Wikidata). Other sizes are estimates from our company directory, not payroll counts.

Higher education in Colorado

  • 24

    public and private non-profit colleges

    Source: IPEDS, U.S. Department of Education

  • about 371,000

    students enrolled

    Estimated from size bands

Largest colleges in Colorado

Largest colleges in Colorado
CollegeCityTypeStudents
Colorado State University-Fort CollinsFort CollinsPublic 4-year20,000+
University of Colorado BoulderBoulderPublic 4-year20,000+
University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical CampusDenverPublic 4-year20,000+
Colorado State University GlobalDenverPublic 4-year10,000–19,999
Metropolitan State University of DenverDenverPublic 4-year10,000–19,999
University of Colorado Colorado SpringsColorado SpringsPublic 4-year10,000–19,999
University of DenverDenverPrivate non-profit 4-year10,000–19,999
Colorado Christian UniversityLakewoodPrivate non-profit 4-year5,000–9,999
Colorado Mesa UniversityGrand JunctionPublic 4-year5,000–9,999
Colorado Mountain CollegeGlenwood SpringsPublic 4-year5,000–9,999
Colorado School of MinesGoldenPublic 4-year5,000–9,999
Colorado State University PuebloPuebloPublic 4-year5,000–9,999

All 24 Colorado colleges

Workforce development and job centers

The public workforce board and American Job Centers serving Colorado. They offer free help with job search, training and filing for benefits.

Laid off in Colorado? How to file for unemployment in Colorado (steps, weekly amount and the appeal deadline).

44 American Job Centers in Colorado

Job fairs and business events in Colorado

Hiring events, career workshops, small-business counseling and startup events from chambers, job centers, workforce boards, colleges and economic-development groups in Colorado.

Conferences in Colorado

Industry conferences and trade shows held in Colorado, the ones worth a trip for hiring managers and job seekers. 45 with dates announced.

  • PEAK: The Colorado Accounting & Finance Summit

    Nov 11 to Nov 12, 2026 · Lakewood, CO

    Paid ticket. Early-bird rates (closed July 15) were reported as $650 members / $845 nonmembers; standard rates not confirmed on…

  • CHIME Fall Forum

    Nov 11 to Nov 14, 2026 · Denver, CO

    By invitation only. Rate $2,395 since Aug 15, 2026 (anniversary rate $795 expired); main sessions Nov 12-13.

  • Sundance Film Festival

    Jan 21 to Jan 31, 2027 · Boulder, CO

    Paid ticket. Pass pricing not in results.

  • EXHIBITORLIVE

    Feb 14 to Feb 18, 2027 · Denver, CO

    Paid ticket. Exhibition Feb 15-17.

  • Rocky Mountain Corporate Growth Conference (DealSource)

    Feb 17 to Feb 18, 2027 · Denver, CO

    Ticket $775 to $2,975. DealSource packages: PE from $1,675 early member to $2,975 regular non-member with lounge table; IB from…

  • Wild West Hackin' Fest @ Mile High

    Feb 17 to Feb 19, 2027 · Denver, CO

    Paid ticket. Pre-conference training Feb 16-17; prices not shown on home page.

    Open call for speakers

  • MINEXCHANGE SME Annual Conference & Expo

    Feb 28 to Mar 3, 2027 · Denver, CO

    Ticket $945 to $1,565. Full conference: SME member $945 early bird (to Jan 14), $1,095 standard, $1,245 onsite; nonmember $1,265…

    Open call for speakers · deadline Aug 1, 2026

  • Energy Solutions Mountain West

    Mar 8 to Mar 10, 2027 · Denver, CO

    Paid ticket, price not listed

  • HBMA Innovation Conference

    Mar 8 to Mar 10, 2027 · Colorado Springs, CO

    Ticket $799 to $1,099. Early bird through Jan 15, 2027: member $799, non-member $1,099. Standard rate after that not shown.

  • ABC Convention

    Mar 9 to Mar 11, 2027 · Denver, CO

    Paid ticket. Early-bird deadline Jan 15, 2027; CM Competition early rate $495 for students.

  • NICAR Data Journalism Conference

    Mar 11 to Mar 14, 2027 · Denver, CO

    Paid ticket. Fee not in results.

  • WiCyS Annual Conference

    Mar 17 to Mar 19, 2027 · Denver, CO

    Free expo, paid sessions. Students cannot buy open registration; they attend by scholarship. General registration opens in…

    Open call for speakers

  • AMTA/AWWA Membrane Technology Conference

    Mar 22 to Mar 25, 2027 · Denver, CO

    Ticket $930 to $1,240. 2026 rate card: member early $930, non-member regular $1,240; 2027 registration opens late October 2026.

  • Cvent CONNECT

    Apr 5 to Apr 8, 2027 · Denver, CO

    Paid ticket. Pricing not published on the pages read.

  • Customer Success Summit Denver

    Apr 7 to Apr 8, 2027 · Denver, CO

    Ticket About $995. Individual pass $995 (listed against a crossed-out $1,295); Pro+ membership $1,999 includes the summit.

  • Product Marketing Summit Denver

    Apr 7 to Apr 8, 2027 · Denver, CO

    Paid ticket. Prices not listed on the events page (brochure on request).

    Open call for speakers

  • SHRM Talent 2027

    Apr 11 to Apr 13, 2027 · Denver Metro Area, CO

    Ticket About $1,895. Member $1,895 individual, $1,705 team (5+); lowest rate until Dec 5; non-member price on SHRM rates page.…

  • Space Symposium

    Apr 12 to Apr 15, 2027 · Colorado Springs, CO

    Ticket $2,960 to $3,560. Industry standard registration: $2,960 by Feb 17, 2027; $3,260 Feb 18 to Apr 11; $3,560 onsite. The…

  • NASCC: The Steel Conference

    Apr 14 to Apr 16, 2027 · Denver, CO

    Paid ticket, price not listed

  • SANS AI Cybersecurity Summit

    Apr 27 to Apr 28, 2027 · Denver, CO

    Ticket $525 to $5,250. Summit only $525; summit plus course $5,250.

  • ACMP Change Denver (Change Management Conference)

    May 1 to May 4, 2027 · Aurora, CO

    Paid ticket. Early-access rates ran to Sep 30, 2026; amounts not shown in results read.

    Open call for speakers · deadline Sep 30, 2026

  • Auto Care Connect

    May 10 to May 13, 2027 · Denver, CO

    Paid ticket. Price not published in search result.

  • AAMD Education Conference & Trade Show

    May 12, 2027 · Denver, CO

    Paid ticket. Attendee fees not stated.

  • Building Business Capability (BBC)

    May 17 to May 20, 2027 · Denver, CO

    Paid ticket. Pricing on buildingbusinesscapability.com registration page, not read.

Showing 24 of 60 conferences, 45 with dates announced.

All conferences

Colorado counties

Each county page has its own unemployment, layoffs, job openings, employers, colleges and job centers.

Show all 64

Colorado cities

Cities with open jobs, layoff notices, a job center or a college.

Show all 86

Laid off or looking for work in Colorado?

See what to do first, what Colorado unemployment benefits pay, and the jobs open near you.

See your options after a layoff

Sources: Census Bureau and BLS for population, income and unemployment; layoff notices from Colorado’s published record; job counts from our live job board, taken from employers’ own career sites; IPEDS for colleges; CareerOneStop for workforce boards and job centers. Colorado unemployment benefits and severance rules.

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