Education and Workforce
Equipping our current and future workers with the skill sets necessary for successful careers and lives is a priority for the community. 95.3% of our population over 25 has a high school diploma, and 28.7% have a Bachelor’s Degree or higher. Within 12 miles are two colleges, Colorado State University-Pueblo, and Pueblo Community College.
Pueblo County School District 70 (D70) was consolidated from 34 smaller school districts in June of 1950. They are one of the largest geographical school districts in the state of Colorado! D70 educates over 8,000 students from all over Pueblo County. Their footprint in Pueblo West includes preschooling, five elementary schools, two middle schools, one high school, one charter schools, an online school, and administration center.
Serving nearly 4,500 students, Colorado State University Pueblo is a regional, comprehensive, fully accredited university that provides social, educational, and cultural opportunities to its constituents. Diverse, intimate, and supportive, the Pueblo campus serves the Southern Colorado area offering both undergraduate and graduate degrees in business, education, engineering, nursing, and the humanities. CSU Pueblo delivers unique programs in mechatronics, railroad engineering, and automotive industry management.
Pueblo Community College served over 7,000 students in 2018/19 in four counties, offering a variety of classes, programs, certificates and degrees in areas such as Career & Technical Education, General Education, Concurrent Enrollment, Remedial Education, and Workforce Development.
Pueblo County unemployment rate 6.9% (March 2020)
62.8% of population age 16+ is in civilian labor force.
Average hourly wages for selected occupations
| Occupation | Pueblo Area | United States |
| All occupations | $22.33 | $25.72 |
| Medical and health service managers | 51.40 | 55.37 |
| Industrial machinery mechanics | 32.86 | 26.60 |
| Correctional officers and jailers | 23.76 | 24.10 |
| Construction laborers | 17.10 | 20.06 |
| Retail salespersons | 14.56 | 14.12 |
| Cashiers | 11.99 | 11.72 |
Source: U.S. BLS, Occupational Employment Statistics, May 2019
Complete May 2019 Pueblo Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
Over-the-year changes in employment on nonfarm payrolls and employment by major industry sector
| Pueblo Area Employment (number in Thousands) | March 2020 | Change from March 2019 to March 2020 | |
| Number | Percent | ||
| Total nonfarm | 63.6 | 0.7 | 1.1 |
| Mining, logging, and construction | 3.7 | 0.2 | 5.7 |
| Manufacturing | 4.6 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Trade, transportation, and utilities | 11.6 | -0.2 | -1.7 |
| Information | 0.6 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Financial activities | 1.9 | 0.1 | 5.6 |
| Professional and business services | 6.6 | 0.4 | 6.5 |
| Education and health services | 13.2 | 0.6 | 4.8 |
| Leisure and hospitality | 6.6 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Other services | 2.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Government | 12.6 | -0.4 | -3.1 |
Source: U.S. BLS, Current Employment Statistics
Colorado Workforce Centers provide services to Job Seekers and Businesses. Resources for Job Seekers include assistance with Job Search, Training, Networking and Skills Assessments. Services for Businesses include Recruiting and Screening, Hiring Events, Training, Planning, and Assessments.
The Small Business Development Center (SBDC) is dedicated to helping existing and new businesses grow and prosper in Southern Colorado by providing free and confidential consulting and no- or low-cost training programs.
The Southern Colorado Innovation Link’s (SCIL) mission is to leverage a robust innovation and entrepreneurial ecosystem to encourage the development and commercialization of intellectual property, to support innovators, entrepreneurs, creatives, and makers (IIECM), to promote the success and growth of commerce, and to foster sustained regional prosperity.