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 completed a $30M expansion of its Ogden manufacturing facility (announced 2023), adding up to 92 jobs. Downtown, the Union Station-area restoration remains in early planning, though the OGX bus rapid transit route connecting to Weber State University and McKay-Dee Hospital already opened in 2023.
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$30MCompleted (announced 2023)
Up to 92 new jobs at an expanded manufacturing facility serving customers across the United States - a completed, historical example of the industrial-construction capacity this metro delivers, not an active current driver.
- Downtown Ogden / Union Station redevelopmentUndisclosedUnion Station building restoration in early planning; the OGX bus rapid transit route already opened Aug 20, 2023
Union Station restoration and mixed-use development remain early-stage. The OGX BRT line connecting the FrontRunner station through downtown to Weber State University and McKay-Dee Hospital is already operating, not planned.
What you'll actually pay in Ogden, 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 in Ogden, trade by trade.
Quick read of the current Ogden-Clearfield market for each of our 20 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.
Commercial Irrigation
A specialist trade most contractors still source through agriculture or generalist staffing - we recruit it directly, not as an afterthought.
Commercial Pest Control
Licensing-driven and referral-heavy - a maintained, license-verified pipeline outperforms reactive posting in this trade specifically.
Commercial Trucking
A licensing-bottlenecked market where CDL credentials and clean records matter more than resume keywords.
Elevator Maintenance
A small, credential-gated labor pool most generalist recruiters can't actually verify.
Insulation
Mechanical insulators and building-envelope installers are two distinct hiring pools most recruiters treat as one.
LED & Solar
One of the fastest-growing trades we track nationally, and one of the least served by specialist recruiters.
Masonry & Concrete
A small, referral-driven labor pool where reputation moves faster than job postings.
Physical Security
Installers and integrators need both electrical and IT skill - a dual-skillset hiring problem most firms get wrong.
The positions we fill in Ogden, 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 — commercial trades hiring in Ogden.
How do you hire commercial trades talent in Ogden-Clearfield in 2026?
Commercial trades hiring in Ogden-Clearfield in 2026 is dominated by Hill Air Force Base's F-35/T-7A East Campus Infrastructure project - a 10-year, $1.2 billion, 1 million sq ft modernization that broke ground in May 2026, including a new maintenance hangar, composite repair facility, and a T-7A depot maintenance complex, with major vertical construction beginning fiscal 2027 and ribbon-cutting fiscal 2029. That's the largest capital project in the Ogden area's history, and it's pushed federal-facility/defense-cleared electricians to roughly 23% above the national wage and aircraft-facility mechanical technicians to about 19% above, on top of a general 7-11% cost-of-labor premium for conventional Ogden-Clearfield commercial trades. Separately, Blue Diamond completed a $30M expansion of its Ogden facility (announced 2023) adding up to 92 jobs, and downtown Ogden's Union Station-area restoration remains in early planning - though the OGX bus rapid transit connection to Weber State University already opened in 2023. Utah licenses contractors through DOPL with trade-specific classifications. My Trade Talent screens Ogden-Clearfield candidates against both the general market premium and the federal-clearance skills premium.
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.
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.