Colorado Aerospace Growth Slows as Rival States Court Jobs and Investment

By Mitchell Byars | Axios Boulder

Colorado’s aerospace industry is flying high — but other states are increasingly trying to muscle into its airspace.

Why it matters: Aerospace is an economic powerhouse in Colorado — contributing more than $14 billion to the state’s economy and supporting more than 61,000 jobs that paid an average of $179,500 in 2025.

• That’s nearly twice the statewide average.

State of play: A Colorado Chamber Foundation report recently found the state’s aerospace and defense workforce grew 14.4% between 2020 and 2025.

• Colorado’s 61,072 aerospace jobs ranked 13th nationally in 2025, while the industry’s concentration here was 46% higher than the national average.
• Each aerospace job supports more than two additional jobs elsewhere in Colorado’s economy, the report found.

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