Commercial trades hiring in Ogden-Clearfield.
Hill Air Force Base broke ground on a 10-year, $1.2B East Campus Infrastructure project — the largest capital project in the Ogden area's history. Federal-facility electricians now run about 23% above national wage.
The largest capital project in the Ogden area's history.
Ogden-Clearfield's construction share of employment runs at 7.0%, well above the 5.5% national figure — driven overwhelmingly by one federal mega-project.
Hill Air Force Base broke ground in May 2026 on the F-35/T-7A East Campus Infrastructure project — a 10-year, $1.2 billion, 1 million sq ft modernization including a new maintenance hangar, composite repair facility, egress facility, canopy repair facility, and a T-7A depot maintenance complex. Major vertical construction begins fiscal 2027, with ribbon-cutting planned for fiscal 2029.
Separately, Blue Diamond is expanding its Ogden manufacturing facility with $30M in capital expenditure and up to 92 new jobs, and downtown Ogden is investing in a Union Station-area restoration and a planned bus rapid transit route connecting to Weber State University and McKay-Dee Hospital.
Major capital projects driving Ogden-Clearfield commercial trades demand
- Hill Air Force Base F-35/T-7A East Campus Infrastructure$1.2B10-year project; groundbreaking May 2026, vertical construction FY2027, ribbon-cutting FY2029
A 1 million sq ft modernization including a new maintenance hangar, composite repair facility, egress facility, canopy repair facility, and a T-7A depot maintenance complex — the largest capital project in the Ogden area's history.
- Blue Diamond Ogden facility expansion$30MUnderway
Up to 92 new jobs at an expanded manufacturing facility serving customers across the United States.
- Downtown Ogden / Union Station redevelopmentUndisclosedPlanning and early construction
Union Station restoration, mixed-use development, and a planned bus rapid transit route connecting the FrontRunner station through downtown to Weber State University and McKay-Dee Hospital.
What you'll actually pay — by role.
Most Ogden-Clearfield commercial trades run 7-11% above BLS national averages. Federal-facility/defense-cleared electricians (+23%) and aircraft-facility mechanical technicians (+19%) carry the largest premiums, both tied to Hill AFB's East Campus project.
| Role | Ogden-Clearfield wage range | National average | Delta |
|---|---|---|---|
| Commercial construction manager / superintendent | $57 – $73/hr | $54 – $68/hr | +7% |
| Commercial HVAC mechanic / technician | $30 – $38/hr | $28 – $35/hr | +7% |
| Commercial electrician (journeyman) | $30 – $39/hr | $27 – $34/hr | +10% |
| Federal-facility / defense-cleared electrician | $36 – $47/hr | $29 – $38/hr | +23% |
| Commercial plumber (journeyman) | $28 – $36/hr | $26 – $32/hr | +8% |
| Aircraft-facility mechanical technician | $34 – $44/hr | $28 – $36/hr | +19% |
| Structural welder / ironworker | $29 – $38/hr | $27 – $35/hr | +8% |
| Heavy equipment operator (base/site work) | $27 – $35/hr | $23 – $30/hr | +11% |
| Fire sprinkler fitter (NICET II+) | $30 – $39/hr | $28 – $36/hr | +7% |
| Commercial estimator (5+ yrs) | $46 – $60/hr | $42 – $54/hr | +8% |
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), Ogden-Clearfield MSA. Ranges reflect 25th-75th percentile, projected to 2026. Actual offer rates depend on certifications, federal clearance/aircraft experience, and years of experience.
What's happening, trade by trade.
Quick read of the current Ogden-Clearfield market for each of our twelve commercial trades verticals.
HVAC & Mechanical
Hill AFB's new maintenance hangars and depot facilities need aircraft-grade mechanical systems. Aircraft-facility mechanical technicians run about 19% above national.
Commercial Electrical
The tightest specialty in this metro. Federal-facility/defense-cleared electricians for Hill AFB's $1.2B East Campus project run about 23% above national — security clearance narrows the pool substantially.
Commercial Plumbing
Standard commercial plumbing carries a solid regional premium; Hill AFB's new facilities add a smaller federal-facility plumbing niche.
Commercial Construction
Superintendents with federal/defense delivery experience are the clear premium hire against the largest capital project in the Ogden area's history.
Commercial Roofing
Hill AFB's 1 million sq ft East Campus project carries substantial roofing scope; standard commercial roofing carries a solid regional premium.
Fire Protection
Federal-facility and aircraft-hangar suppression systems for Hill AFB are highly specialized, code-critical work.
Paving & Asphalt
Hill AFB's campus site work and downtown Ogden's transit corridor projects both drive steady heavy-civil demand; equipment operators run about 11% above national.
Commercial Landscaping
Standard institutional and corporate landscaping demand tied to Hill AFB's campus and downtown Ogden's redevelopment.
Commercial Flooring
Aircraft-grade, load-bearing flooring for Hill AFB's maintenance hangars is a distinct, higher-skill install than conventional commercial flooring.
Commercial Painting
Aircraft-coatings work for Hill AFB is a real specialty niche; conventional commercial painting carries a solid regional premium.
Commercial Cleaning & FM
Federal-facility cleaning protocols for Hill AFB are a distinct, higher-skill tier from conventional office cleaning.
Welding & Fabrication
Structural and aircraft-facility fabrication for Hill AFB's new hangars and repair facilities is sustained, code-critical demand through fiscal 2029.
The positions we fill, most often.
We recruit across the full org chart for commercial trades contractors in Ogden-Clearfield — from senior leadership down to field roles. The highest-volume positions in this market over the last 24 months:
- Federal-facility / defense-cleared electrician — the hardest hire in the region
- Aircraft-facility mechanical technician
- Superintendent with federal/defense delivery experience
- Project manager (federal/defense, commercial GC)
- Senior estimator
- Heavy equipment operator (base/site work)
- Service manager (HVAC, electrical, plumbing)
For a full list of the 80+ commercial trades positions we recruit for, see the individual industry pages — each lists the 10 most-recruited roles for that trade with current wage ranges.
Frequently asked questions.
How long does it take to hire a commercial trades professional in Ogden-Clearfield?
For field roles: typically 4-6 weeks from intake to signed offer. Federal-facility/defense-cleared electricians run considerably longer, 9-12 weeks, because Hill Air Force Base's $1.2B East Campus project needs security-clearance and federal-contracting experience that's scarce even in a market already running above national on conventional trades.
Are commercial trades wages in Ogden-Clearfield higher than the national average?
Yes, broadly — most commercial trades run 7-11% above BLS national averages. Federal-facility/defense-cleared electricians carry the largest premium at about 23% above national, and aircraft-facility mechanical technicians run about 19% above, both tied to Hill Air Force Base's East Campus Infrastructure project.
How is Hill Air Force Base's expansion affecting commercial trades hiring?
It's the single largest driver of demand in the Ogden area's history. Hill AFB broke ground in May 2026 on a 10-year, $1.2 billion, 1 million sq ft F-35/T-7A East Campus Infrastructure project — a new maintenance hangar, composite repair facility, egress facility, canopy repair facility, and a T-7A depot maintenance complex. Major vertical construction begins in fiscal 2027, with ribbon-cutting in fiscal 2029. That's pushed federal-facility electrical and aircraft-mechanical wages to some of the largest premiums in this Mountain West market.
What licensing applies to commercial trades contractors in Ogden-Clearfield?
Utah licenses contractors through the Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing (DOPL). Electrical contractors need an E200 (general) or E201 (residential) classification with a master electrician qualifier; plumbing contractors need P200 or P201 with a master plumber qualifier; HVAC contractors need an H100 classification requiring a trade exam, Certified Natural Gas Technician certificate, and 4,000 hours of experience.
Does My Trade Talent have an office in Ogden-Clearfield?
No. We're headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri. We serve Ogden-Clearfield clients remotely with same-day intake calls, market-specific candidate sourcing, and on-site visits as needed.
How does My Trade Talent know the Ogden-Clearfield market without being based there?
We focus exclusively on commercial trades and maintain market data on every metro we serve — capital project tracking, wage benchmarks, and candidate network depth by trade. Hill Air Force Base's East Campus project is exactly the kind of concentrated demand signal we track closely.
Hiring commercial trades in Ogden-Clearfield?
Tell us the role. We'll tell you wages, timeline, and where we'd source the candidate — in under 30 minutes.
My Trade Talent is headquartered in St. Louis, MO, serving commercial trades clients across the continental US — including the Ogden-Clearfield UT MSA.