Hazmat Removal Workers in the Boulder area earn a median of $47,160 a year, 2% below the typical U.S. metro. That ranks #83 of 134 metros for hazmat removal worker pay nationwide.
Within driving distance, the same work pays more in Fort Collins and Denver.
It's one of 6 Colorado metros with published pay for this trade; see hazmat removal workers across Colorado.
Hazmat Removal Worker pay in Boulder at a glance
- Hazmat removal workers in the Boulder, CO metro earn a median $47,160 a year ($22.67 an hour), #83 of 134 U.S. metros (BLS, May 2025).
- The middle 80% earn between $45,820 and $61,610.
- After local prices, that median buys what $44,828 would in a typical U.S. place (BEA, 2024).
- A typical 1-bedroom rents for $1,735 a month, 44% of the median pay (HUD, FY2027).
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What this means Our calculation
Pay for hazmat removal workers here is below average compared with other U.S. metros, and in the bottom 20% once local prices are factored in. For the wider job market, unemployment is about the same as in most metros (4.0%) and the population is shrinking (-0.7% since 2020).
Boulder scorecard for hazmat removal workers Our calculation
Grades compare Boulder with every other U.S. metro for this trade (A = top 20%).
Pay Government data
Pay range
Shaded: the middle half of workers. Grey line: typical U.S. metro ($48,215).
Pay over time
The median pay for hazmat removal workers in the Boulder area went from $38,180 in 2021 to $47,160 in 2025, up 23.5%. Prices rose 19% over the same period, so after inflation that's +3.4% — a real raise.
BLS OEWS, May 2021–May 2025; inflation: CPI-U (May to May). Year-to-year changes can include survey noise.
Compared with nearby metros
What the pay is really worth in Boulder Our calculation
Prices in the Boulder area run 5% above the U.S. average. Adjusted for that, a median paycheck here buys what $44,828 would in a typical place, ranking #113 of 133 on real pay.
Real pay or rent burden?
Real pay already accounts for housing, because the price index includes rent. Rent burden shows what share of pay a typical 1-bedroom takes. Use either one, not both together.
Want the full picture? Build a monthly budget for Boulder from this pay, local rent and prices.
What hazmat removal workers do
Identify, remove, pack, transport, or dispose of hazardous materials, including asbestos, lead-based paint, waste oil, fuel, transmission fluid, radioactive materials, or contaminated soil. Specialized training and certification in hazardous materials handling or a confined entry permit are generally required. May operate earth-moving equipment or trucks.
Most important day-to-day tasks
- Remove asbestos or lead from surfaces, using hand or power tools such as scrapers, vacuums, or high-pressure sprayers.
- Build containment areas prior to beginning abatement or decontamination work.
- Prepare hazardous material for removal or storage.
- Comply with prescribed safety procedures or federal laws regulating waste disposal methods.
- Record numbers of containers stored at disposal sites, specifying amounts or types of equipment or waste disposed.
Outlook & getting started
Nationally, hazmat removal worker jobs are projected to grow 1.5% from 2025 to 2035 (all jobs: 3.5%), with about 4,300 openings a year. About 1% are self-employed.
What the work is like Government data
How often hazmat removal workers deal with each condition, from surveys of workers in the job.
Getting started usually takes some preparation (high school plus months of training).
O*NET 31.0 Work Context and Job Zones (U.S. Department of Labor), national.
Licensing in Colorado Official source
The main state licensing office in Colorado is the Colorado Division of Professions and Occupations. The state licenses electricians and plumbers; general contractors are licensed locally. It can point you to the right license for hazmat removal workers.
Official Colorado licensing site ↗
Requirements for hazmat removal workers vary by state and sometimes by city; always confirm with the official agency.
On-the-job safety Government data
Nationally, hazmat removal workers have 71 injuries or illnesses serious enough to miss work per 10,000 full-time workers, 18% below the rate for all jobs (87). The most common cause is falls, slips and trips.
BLS Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses, 2023–2024 (national, cases with days away from work).
Highest-paying CO metros for hazmat removal workers
| Metro | Median | Real pay | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| PuebloCOLORADO · CO | $79,260 | $86,376 | 70 |
| DenverCOLORADO · CO | $60,260 | $56,966 | 930 |
| GreeleyCOLORADO · CO | $57,130 | $57,030 | 100 |
| Fort CollinsCOLORADO · CO | $56,160 | $55,534 | 40 |
| Colorado SpringsCOLORADO · CO | $55,690 | $55,299 | 120 |
| BoulderCOLORADO · CO | $47,160 | $44,828 | 30 |
See every metro in Colorado.
How much work is there? Government data
Local job market
The Boulder area's unemployment rate was 4.0% in 2025 (all workers, not just hazmat removal workers), below the typical U.S. metro's 4.1%. It was 4.6% in 2021.
BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics, annual averages 2021–2025 (2025 preliminary).
Getting to work
The average commute in the Boulder area is 22 minutes each way, shorter than the typical metro (24 min). 9% of commuters spend 45 minutes or more. 54% drive alone, 3% take transit and 29% work from home (all workers, not just trades).
Census American Community Survey, 2024 1-year estimates (table S0801).
Population
The Boulder area's population shrank 0.7% from 2020 to 2025 (330,982 → 328,560), ranking #327 of 387 metros for growth (typical metro +2.5%). More people moved out than in (net -3,321).
Census Bureau population estimates, July 1 of each year, 2020–2025.
Homes in Boulder
The Boulder area has about 148,570 homes. 42% were built before 1980 (typical metro 45%), so its housing is newer than most; 16% were built in 2010 or later. 60% of households own their home, and the median home value is $783,000.
Census American Community Survey, 2024 1-year estimates (table DP04).
New construction
New-home permits in Boulder are up 62% from 2021 to 2025 (1,237 → 2,001).
In 2025 the Boulder area approved permits for 2,001 new homes (428 single-family), or 6.1 per 1,000 residents, ranking #106 of 393 metros.
Working outdoors in Boulder Government data
In an average year, Boulder has 33 days at 90°F or hotter (about typical; typical metro 33), 138 nights below freezing (typical 90) and 49 days with a tenth of an inch of rain or more, and 93 inches of snow. Summer afternoons average 86°F and winter nights 22°F. That matters for hazmat removal workers: heat and freezes shape the working season and the hours.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 averages, Boulder, CO station. Compare cities on outdoor work weather.
Employee vs. working for yourself Your scenario
A model, not a market rate. It shows the break-even rate to match a $47,160 employee salary once you cover what an employer normally pays for (including the employer half of Social Security and Medicare, 7.65%), then adds your profit margin. Change any number.
Break-even rate
With your profit margin
How this calculator works. Weighing a contractor job against a W-2 one? Try the 1099 vs. W-2 comparison. Billable hours are hours you can charge a customer. Driving, quoting, paperwork and slow weeks aren't billable, which is why 1,400 is a common starting point versus 2,080 paid hours as an employee.
Get hazmat removal worker pricing & estimate templates →Compare Boulder with another city →
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ToolBoulder budgetMonthly take-home, HUD rent and local prices on this pay.About this data
Local to the Boulder metro: pay (BLS, May 2025) and pay over time (2020–2025, CPI-adjusted), prices (BEA, 2024), rent (HUD, FY2027), new construction, housing, population and commuting (Census), unemployment (BLS) and business counts (Census, by industry). National: job outlook and training (BLS projections), injury rates (BLS) and duties (O*NET). Jobs are employment estimates, not open positions; grades rank Boulder against every other metro for hazmat removal workers. Every source, year and formula is on our data page.
Report a data issue on this page
The Census doesn't publish one-person business or competition figures for hazmat removal workers as a separate industry, so that section is left out.