Tax jurisdiction · United States
Colorado athlete tax: what a pro athlete really pays
Colorado takes 4.4% of a top-end athlete salary, which is $440,000 on a $10M contract. That ranks 44 of 66 jurisdictions we track. Against a no-tax state the same deal is worth $440,000 less.
Colorado tax at each contract size
| Contract | Colorado tax | Effective rate | Left before federal tax |
|---|---|---|---|
| $1,000,000 | $44,000 | 4.4% | $956,000 |
| $5,000,000 | $220,000 | 4.4% | $4,780,000 |
| $10,000,000 | $440,000 | 4.4% | $9,560,000 |
| $25,000,000 | $1,100,000 | 4.4% | $23,900,000 |
These figures are the state bill alone. Federal tax, FICA, agent fees and league deductions all come off the remainder.
Teams in Colorado
5 teams play in Colorado:
- Denver Nuggets · NBA
- Denver Broncos · NFL
- Colorado Rockies · MLB
- Colorado Avalanche · NHL
- Colorado (CO) · NCAA
Each team page runs a full contract through the federal brackets, Colorado's state tax, agent fees and league deductions to give a take-home figure.
How Colorado compares
| Benchmark | Top rate | On a $10M contract | Difference vs Colorado |
|---|---|---|---|
| Colorado | 4.4% | $440,000 | — |
| Texas (no income tax) | 0% | $0 | +$440,000 |
| California (highest US state) | 13.3% | $1,330,000 | -$890,000 |
Signed from Colorado's point of view: a positive number is what Colorado takes that the benchmark does not.
The jock tax in Colorado
Every state with an income tax taxes visiting athletes on duty days worked inside its borders. Colorado is no exception. A player who lives elsewhere owes Colorado only on the share of the season spent here, calculated by counting practice and game days.
The reverse is the bigger number. A Colorado resident owes Colorado on the entire salary no matter where the games are played, which is why residency — not team location — drives most of the planning.
Frequently asked
How much state tax does a $10M athlete salary pay in Colorado?
$440,000 at the 4.4% top marginal rate. Our model applies the top rate to the whole salary, which overstates the bill slightly and therefore understates take-home pay.
Do away games change what an athlete owes Colorado?
If the player is a Colorado resident, the state taxes the full salary regardless of where games are played. Non-residents owe Colorado only on duty days worked here, which is the jock tax.