Firm counts, employment, and wages for 40 small-business-typical industries reported in Colorado by the BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages. Click any industry for a national comparison.
Sorted by establishment count. Location quotient (LQ) compares Colorado's industry concentration to the national average — LQ > 1 means denser than national; LQ < 1 means thinner.
| Industry | Firms | Employment | Avg Pay | LQ | YoY % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full-service restaurants | 4,896 | 108,721 | $35,770 | 0.89 | -3.7% |
| Quick-service restaurants | 4,705 | 88,746 | $26,812 | 0.85 | -0.5% |
| Offices of lawyers | 4,095 | 18,561 | $140,878 | 1.05 | -2.6% |
| Engineering services | 3,810 | 46,142 | $132,247 | 1.84 | -1.2% |
| Dental practices | 3,020 | 21,567 | $66,152 | 1.07 | -2.7% |
| Portfolio management & investment advice | 2,854 | 14,802 | $193,926 | 1.56 | +1.9% |
| Plumbing, heating & AC contractors | 2,798 | 28,879 | $78,956 | 1.10 | -2.5% |
| Electrical contractors | 2,515 | 26,888 | $77,227 | 1.22 | -4.2% |
| Landscaping services | 2,314 | 21,629 | $53,131 | 0.91 | -6.7% |
| Other accounting services | 2,220 | 6,404 | $80,500 | 1.50 | -1.1% |
| Beauty salons | 1,860 | 7,584 | $40,343 | 1.15 | -2.1% |
| Other health practitioners | 1,788 | 8,255 | $51,701 | 2.20 | +1.9% |
| CPA offices | 1,758 | 13,036 | $120,483 | 1.34 | -2.9% |
| Janitorial services | 1,643 | 21,587 | $33,197 | 0.95 | -8.0% |
| Gas stations with convenience stores | 1,569 | 13,817 | $35,548 | 0.75 | -1.6% |
| General auto repair | 1,448 | 7,940 | $66,739 | 0.81 | -5.1% |
| Physical therapists | 1,108 | 8,731 | $55,205 | 1.03 | +1.2% |
| Child day care | 1,080 | 17,134 | $36,364 | 0.66 | +0.5% |
| Chiropractors | 1,038 | 3,441 | $43,610 | 1.27 | -5.6% |
| Fitness & recreational sports centers | 989 | 16,680 | $20,955 | 1.06 | -3.5% |
| Roofing contractors | 955 | 6,624 | $79,761 | 1.46 | -5.4% |
| Veterinary services | 922 | 12,038 | $61,970 | 1.25 | +0.7% |
| Drinking places (bars) | 858 | 9,874 | $32,605 | 0.97 | -2.1% |
| Auto body & paint | 822 | 5,911 | $73,597 | 1.12 | -4.0% |
| Pet care (except veterinary) | 738 | 6,076 | $33,328 | 1.31 | +2.1% |
| Supermarkets & grocery | 643 | 39,749 | $41,654 | 0.53 | -3.5% |
| Other general-merchandise retailers | 608 | 6,457 | $31,287 | 0.46 | -1.1% |
| All other miscellaneous retailers | 592 | 2,724 | $68,300 | 0.86 | -11.8% |
| Optometrists | 420 | 3,077 | $60,105 | 0.95 | -2.1% |
| Other similar organizations | 371 | 3,128 | $72,328 | 1.17 | -2.1% |
| Motor-vehicle parts wholesale | 272 | 2,261 | $77,087 | 0.89 | -4.6% |
| Drycleaning & laundry | 255 | 1,460 | $33,760 | 0.83 | -10.2% |
| Religious organizations | 223 | 3,167 | $52,950 | 0.41 | +9.9% |
| Convenience retailers | 216 | 1,277 | $34,466 | 0.30 | -8.5% |
| Auto glass replacement | 204 | 1,293 | $60,450 | 1.37 | -1.0% |
| Florists | 199 | 1,058 | $27,968 | 0.79 | -5.7% |
| Barber shops | 196 | 1,368 | $44,238 | 1.15 | +4.3% |
| Parking lots & garages | 176 | 2,508 | $40,793 | 1.08 | +2.9% |
| Book retailers & news dealers | 147 | 1,520 | $47,580 | 0.90 | -9.8% |
| All other auto repair & maintenance | 141 | 745 | $50,032 | 0.90 | -4.7% |