The U.S. Census Bureau will make it a little more rewarding to help out with the 2020 count starting Dec. 1.

The minimum pay for the temporary, part-time jobs in Colorado rises from $13 an hour to $16 an hour and the maximum increases from $20.50 to $22.50.

“Reserve your place in history by applying now and ensuring everyone in your community is counted next year,” Laurie Cipriano, a spokeswoman for the census in Colorado, said Wednesday. “The Census Bureau wants to hire people from your community to make sure everyone in your community is counted in the 2020 Census.

“Applying now to work as a census taker is a great way to line up your spring and summer employment ahead of time.”

The Census Bureau said this month that it’s facing a tight labor market and needed to raise wages for census worker and make it easier for applicants to get fingerprints and background checks. Nationally the bureau is hiring up to 500,000 temporary workers needed to survey households.

About 1,500 are needed in Colorado.

Though the census is taking applications and holding job fairs, the selection process starts in January, followed by paid training in March and April. The national door-to-door counting begins in May and ends in July.

The duration of the employment will be based on need. The Census Bureau hopes most Americans will respond to the count online, by phone or by traditional mail to lessen the need for home visits.

A list of available positions – including recruiting assistants, clerks, office operations supervisors and field supervisors – is available by clicking here.