Healthcare & Medical Jobs in Colorado Springs, CO
Memorial Hospital Central on East Boulder Street is the only Level I trauma center in southern Colorado, and it anchors a hospital market that now stretches from downtown to Briargate and Interquest. The guides below cover every healthcare and medical role in Colorado Springs, who is hiring and what it pays.
Why Healthcare & Medical Work Is Different in Colorado Springs
Two hospital systems carry most of the hiring. UCHealth runs Memorial Hospital Central just east of downtown, Memorial Hospital North on Briargate Parkway and Grandview Hospital off North Nevada, plus Pikes Peak Regional Hospital up Ute Pass in Woodland Park. CommonSpirit runs Penrose Hospital on North Nevada Avenue, St. Francis Hospital on Woodmen Road at Powers and St. Francis Hospital Interquest. Children's Hospital Colorado's hospital on Briargate Parkway brought the city its first pediatric-only emergency department and operating rooms, part of a north-side cluster along I-25 where much of the newest clinical hiring sits. Below the hospitals sit Peak Vista Community Health Centers, a network of 20 outpatient health centers across the region, with Colorado Springs clinics on North Academy Boulevard, International Circle and Union Boulevard, and a ring of skilled nursing and rehab centers such as Mountain View Post Acute in the Cheyenne Mountain area.
The military economy is the other half of the story. Evans Army Community Hospital on Fort Carson and the VA's Colorado Springs clinics on Centennial Boulevard, Union Boulevard and Space Center Drive hire federal civilian staff through USAJOBS on the GS pay scale. Military spouses arrive and leave on orders, so turnover is steady and employers hire year round. Colorado's membership in the Nurse Licensure Compact lets many of those spouses start work on a multistate nursing license, and Colorado's pay transparency law means every local posting shows its pay range, which makes it easier to compare a Penrose offer with a UCHealth or Fort Carson one.
Top Healthcare & Medical Employers in Colorado Springs
These employers are hiring for healthcare roles in Colorado Springs on their own careers sites:
- UCHealth - the region's largest health system, with Memorial Central, Memorial North and Grandview, hiring RNs, LPNs, medical assistants, phlebotomists, pharmacy techs and EMTs.
- CommonSpirit Health - Penrose Hospital, St. Francis Hospital, St. Francis Interquest and St. Francis Nursing Center hire nurses, nurse assistants, LPNs and technicians.
- Children's Hospital Colorado - the Briargate Parkway pediatric hospital and its specialty clinics hire pediatric RNs, NICU nurses and medical assistants.
- Peak Vista Community Health Centers - the community health center network hires care team RNs, medical assistants, pharmacy technicians, dental assistants and receptionists.
- Evans Army Community Hospital - the Fort Carson hospital fills federal civilian nurse and nursing assistant jobs through USAJOBS.
- Mountain View Post Acute - the skilled nursing and rehab center on Tenderfoot Hill Road recruits RNs, LPNs and CNAs.
- Walgreens - the drugstore chain hires pharmacy technicians and apprentices at its Colorado Springs stores.
Healthcare & Medical Career Paths in Colorado Springs
- Nursing - Registered Nurse and Licensed Practical Nurse. The licensed bedside track, from long-term care halls to the trauma units at Memorial and Penrose, with the overview Healthcare guide as the starting point.
- Clinic and outpatient support - Medical Assistant. The fastest way into a clinic, with heavy hiring at UCHealth, Children's and Peak Vista outpatient offices.
- Pharmacy - Pharmacy Technician. Retail counters at Walgreens and Walmart and health system pharmacies at UCHealth and Peak Vista, all built on state certification.
How to Start a Healthcare & Medical Career in Colorado Springs
- RN or LPN license - issued by the Colorado State Board of Nursing in the Division of Professions and Occupations after you pass the NCLEX; multistate licenses from compact states are valid here.
- Certified Nurse Aide - certification runs through the same Board of Nursing for nurse aide work.
- Pharmacy technician certification - issued by the Colorado State Board of Pharmacy and kept active through national PTCB or NHA certification.
- Medical assistant certification - a national CMA, RMA or CCMA credential; Colorado has no state license for medical assistants.
- Pikes Peak State College Health Sciences - nursing, practical nursing, nursing assistant, medical assistant, EMS, surgical technology and radiology programs, with much of the hands-on training at the CHES campus on Cypress Semi Drive.
- UCCS Johnson Beth-El College of Nursing - the four-year BSN, an accelerated option and RN-to-BSN on Austin Bluffs Parkway.
- Pima Medical Institute, Colorado Springs - certificate and associate programs including pharmacy technician and medical laboratory technician.
The RN, LPN, nurse aide and pharmacy technician credentials are legally required to do those jobs in Colorado; medical assistant certification is an employer preference, though most large employers here ask for it.
Healthcare & Medical Salaries in Colorado Springs
- Entry - about $17 to $22 an hour for pharmacy technician trainees and new medical assistants.
- Mid - about $22 to $36 an hour for experienced medical assistants, certified pharmacy techs and LPNs.
- Senior - about $32 to $60 an hour for registered nurses, with ICU and specialty nights at the top and federal nurse jobs at Fort Carson posting above $100,000 a year.
These are estimates built from pay ranges posted by local employers. Hospital systems generally pay more and offer stronger benefits than small practices and retail, and sign-on bonuses for hard-to-fill hospital units have reached $20,000 at CommonSpirit. Federal jobs at Evans and the VA add GS pay steps, a pension and generous paid leave.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the biggest healthcare employer in Colorado Springs?
UCHealth is the largest health system in the region, running Memorial Hospital Central, Memorial Hospital North and Grandview Hospital. CommonSpirit's Penrose-St. Francis hospitals are the other major system, followed by Children's Hospital Colorado, Peak Vista and the federal hospital at Fort Carson.
Which healthcare jobs in Colorado Springs need a license?
Registered nurses and LPNs need a license from the Colorado State Board of Nursing, nurse aides need certification, and pharmacy technicians need a certification from the Colorado State Board of Pharmacy. Medical assistants do not need a state license, though most employers want national certification.
Can military spouses work in healthcare in Colorado Springs?
Yes. Colorado is a Nurse Licensure Compact state, so a multistate nursing license from another compact state is valid here, and federal jobs at Evans Army Community Hospital and the VA accept any current, unrestricted US state nursing license.
What is the fastest way to start a healthcare career in Colorado Springs?
Medical assistant and pharmacy technician programs take about a year or less, and retail pharmacies such as Walgreens train apprentices on the job. Pikes Peak State College's nursing assistant program is another common entry point into hospital and long-term care work.
How much do healthcare jobs pay in Colorado Springs?
Support roles such as medical assistant and pharmacy technician generally start around $17 to $22 an hour. LPNs earn roughly $25 to $42 depending on experience, and registered nurses run from about $32 to $60 an hour in posted ranges.
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