Colorado Unemployment Calculator (2026)
In 2026, Colorado pays $25 to as much as $844 per week in unemployment benefits, for up to 26 weeks. Colorado runs your wages through two different formulas and pays whichever gives you more — a rule that works in your favor.
How Colorado calculates it
Colorado calculates your benefit two ways and gives you the higher result. Formula one: 60% of your average weekly wage from your two highest consecutive quarters (those wages divided by 26), capped at 50% of the state's average weekly wage — a cap of $767 in 2026. Formula two: 50% of your average weekly wage across the whole base period (total base period earnings divided by 52), capped at 55% of the state's average weekly wage — a cap of $844.
So the practical range for 2026 is $25 at the bottom to $844 at the top. Formula one, with its higher 60% rate, usually wins when your income was concentrated in two strong back-to-back quarters; formula two's higher cap ($844 vs. $767) can pay more if you earned steadily at a high level all year. Colorado applies whichever is better automatically.
Benefits last 13 to 26 weeks. Your total payout is the lesser of one-third of your base period wages or 26 times your weekly benefit, so a longer work history generally means more weeks.
Do you qualify in Colorado?
To qualify on wages, you need base period earnings of at least $2,500, or 40 times your weekly benefit amount, whichever is greater. The $2,500 floor is a fairly low bar, so many part-time and seasonal workers can qualify.
You also need to meet the usual non-monetary rules: you lost your job through no fault of your own (a layoff counts), you're able to work, you're available for work, and you're actively looking for a job each week you claim.
Maximum total benefit: Lesser of 1/3 BPW or 26 x WBA.