Commercial electrical hiring in Ogden-Clearfield.
Hill Air Force Base's $1.2B, 10-year East Campus Infrastructure project - the largest capital project in the Ogden area's history - needs security-cleared, aircraft-hangar electrical work. Federal-facility electricians run about 23% above national.
The largest capital project in the Ogden area's history.
Electrical hiring in Ogden-Clearfield is dominated by one federal mega-project, in a market where conventional trades already run well above national average.
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. Federal-facility electrical work here requires security clearance, and aircraft-hangar electrical work needs specialized power distribution and grounding systems - exactly why federal-facility/defense-cleared electricians carry the largest premium tracked in this metro.
Separately, Blue Diamond is expanding its Ogden manufacturing facility with $30M in capital expenditure and up to 92 new jobs, adding smaller-scale industrial electrical demand.
Capital projects driving Ogden-Clearfield electrical demand
- Hill Air Force Base F-35/T-7A East Campus Infrastructure$1.2B
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. Federal-facility electrical work here requires security clearance and familiarity with federal-contracting standards, and aircraft-hangar electrical work needs specialized power distribution and grounding systems distinct from conventional commercial electrical. Major vertical construction begins fiscal 2027, with ribbon-cutting planned for fiscal 2029 - this is why federal-facility/defense-cleared electricians carry the largest premium tracked in this metro.
- Blue Diamond Ogden facility expansion$30M
An expanded manufacturing facility adding up to 92 new jobs, serving customers across the United States - a smaller but real source of industrial electrical demand outside the Hill AFB campus.
What you'll actually pay - by role.
Standard commercial electrical work runs 8-10% above BLS national averages. Federal-facility/defense-cleared electricians (+23%) and aircraft-hangar electricians (+19%) carry the largest premiums in this market. National benchmarks by role are in the 2026 Commercial Electrical Salary Guide.
| Role | Ogden-Clearfield wage range | National average | Delta |
|---|---|---|---|
| Commercial electrician (journeyman) | $30 – $39/hr | $27 – $34/hr | +10% |
| Commercial electrician (apprentice, 3rd-4th year) | $21 – $27/hr | $19 – $24/hr | +9% |
| Federal-facility / defense-cleared electrician | $36 – $47/hr | $29 – $38/hr | +23% |
| Aircraft-hangar electrician | $34 – $44/hr | $29 – $38/hr | +19% |
| Low-voltage / controls electrician | $29 – $37/hr | $26 – $33/hr | +9% |
| Building automation systems (BAS) technician | $32 – $41/hr | $29 – $37/hr | +9% |
| Electrical foreman | $36 – $46/hr | $33 – $42/hr | +8% |
| Electrical project manager | $44 – $57/hr | $40 – $52/hr | +8% |
| Electrical superintendent | $50 – $63/hr | $46 – $58/hr | +8% |
| Electrical 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 it takes to win the hire in Ogden-Clearfield.
Notes from our own placements in this market - not a ranking of specific competitor contractors.
Where the talent actually comes from
Ogden-Clearfield's own commercial electrical labor pool covers standard journeyman demand well, running above national average already. Federal-facility/defense-cleared electricians are sourced more selectively, often from candidates with existing security clearances and prior work on federal or defense-contractor facilities.
Credentials to filter for
Utah DOPL E200/E201 licensure with a master electrician qualifier is required to lead work - any project valued at $3,000+ requires a licensed contractor. For Hill AFB work specifically, an active or transferable security clearance is the real gating credential beyond state licensure.
What candidates actually expect
Federal-facility/defense-cleared electricians know their clearance and federal-project experience are genuinely scarce - expect them to weigh offers against the stability and duration of a 10-year federal modernization program, not just hourly rate.
What kills hires in this market
Treating aircraft-hangar and federal-facility electrical work as standard commercial electrical with a markup. The documented +19-23% premiums reflect security-clearance requirements and specialized power/grounding systems that narrow the qualified pool substantially.
Realistic timelines by role
Standard commercial journeyman electricians: 4-6 weeks. Federal-facility/defense-cleared electricians: 9-12 weeks, because Hill AFB'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.
The positions we fill, most often.
- Federal-facility / defense-cleared electrician - The hardest hire in the region - security-cleared electrical work for Hill AFB's $1.2B East Campus Infrastructure project.
- Aircraft-hangar electrician - Specialized power distribution and grounding systems for the new maintenance hangar and T-7A depot maintenance complex.
- Commercial electrician (journeyman) - Core field role across every commercial and institutional project in the metro.
- Electrical foreman - Runs crews on both conventional commercial work and Hill AFB's campus buildout.
- Electrical superintendent - Oversees multi-crew electrical scope on the largest jobs - federal/defense delivery experience is the clear premium hire.
- Electrical project manager - Coordinates scheduling, procurement, and subcontractor management across a 10-year federal modernization program.
- Building automation systems (BAS) technician - Controls integration for commercial and institutional buildings across the metro.
- Low-voltage / controls electrician - Data, security, and life-safety systems wiring for conventional commercial builds.
- Electrical estimator - Prices bids across a market where federal-facility scope carries fundamentally different security and compliance requirements than conventional commercial work.
- Electrical apprentice (3rd-4th year) - Pipeline talent working toward Utah DOPL journeyman licensure.
For the full commercial electrical role catalog, see the Commercial Electrical industry page.
How My Trade Talent hires electrical talent in Ogden-Clearfield.
We don't run a generic trades desk. We track Ogden-Clearfield's electrical labor market specifically - Hill AFB's 10-year East Campus program, the security-clearance requirements that gate federal work, and Utah's DOPL licensing structure. We source federal-facility/defense-cleared electricians from candidates with existing clearances, then screen against the market's actual wage data - not guesswork.
Ogden runs 27% more commercial electrical workers per job than the country as a whole — well above the national concentration. More per job means more people to reach, and more employers reaching them.
Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 , Electricians. Metro-wide figures for the base occupation; the wage table above is role-specific and commercial.
How Ogden's commercial electrical market compares
In 2023 the Ogden metro had 29 nonresidential electrical contractors (counted by business location). BLS publishes that count but withholds headcount and pay here, which it does when a category is small enough that the figures could identify individual employers. The number of these employers fell 3.3%, as firms merged, closed or moved out. That works out to 4.0 per 100,000 residents against 11 nationally. Fewer local employers means experienced people are easier to identify, but many work for firms based outside the metro.
Among the 100 metros we cover with published BLS figures, Ogden ranks 69th for headcount, 59th for median pay and 16th for concentration for electricians.
| Metro | Employed | Median pay | Concentration | Commercial employers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Salt Lake City | 5,710 | $62,620 | 1.42 | 90 |
| Provo | 2,080 | $60,860 | 1.40 | 23 |
| Ogden | 1,670 | $62,030 | 1.27 | 29 |
BLS OEWS occupation figures and QCEW business-location counts; a dash means not published.
What this means for hiring:For commercial electrical employers in Ogden, the local pool is deeper than most, so a well-run search can usually fill field roles from inside the metro.
Sources: BLS QCEW 2023 annual averages and BLS OEWS May 2025, Ogden metro. Employers are counted by business location.
How Ogden's commercial electrical market has changed since 2018.
Ogden lost nonresidential electrical contractors between 2018 and 2023, from 71 business locations to 29 (down 59%), behind the 6% growth nationally. BLS stops short of publishing headcount and pay for them here, which happens when a handful of firms account for most of the work.
| Measure | 2018 | 2023 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nonresidential electrical contractors: business locations | 71 | 29 | −59% |
| Nonresidential electrical contractors: employment | 1,124 | – | – |
| Nonresidential electrical contractors: average annual pay | $52,418 | – | – |
BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, private employers, annual averages. A dash means BLS did not publish the figure.
Frequently asked questions.
What does it cost to hire commercial electrical staff in Ogden?
Median pay for electricians in Ogden is $62,030 a year, per BLS. That is the midpoint for the metro, so half the market is paid above it — an offer at or below the median asks someone to move for no raise. Specialty and supervisory roles sit well above it, and the wage table on this page breaks those out by role.
How hard is it to hire commercial electrical staff in Ogden?
Ogden has 27% more electricians per job than the country as a whole, well above the national concentration. Ogden employs about 1,670 of them. A deeper pool means more candidates to reach — and more employers reaching them, so competing offers are common. Speed and a clear offer matter more here than volume of outreach.
How many commercial electrical employers are there in Ogden?
In 2023 the Ogden metro had 29 nonresidential electrical contractors (counted by business location). BLS publishes that count but withholds headcount and pay here, which it does when a category is small enough that the figures could identify individual employers. The number of these employers fell 3.3%, as firms merged, closed or moved out. Source: BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2023.
How does Ogden compare with other metros for electrical hiring?
Among the 100 metros we cover with published BLS figures, Ogden ranks 69th for headcount, 59th for median pay and 16th for concentration for electricians.
How does Ogden compare with other Utah metros for electrical talent?
Ogden has the 3rd-largest electricians workforce of the 3 Utah metros we cover, with about 1,670. For comparison: Salt Lake City (5,710), Provo (2,080). Candidates often move between these metros, so a search here usually reaches into them too.
How much do commercial electricians make in Ogden-Clearfield?
Journeyman commercial electricians run $30-$39/hr, about 10% above the national average of $27-$34/hr. Federal-facility/defense-cleared electricians run considerably higher, $36-$47/hr, about 23% above the comparable national range - the largest electrical wage premium in this metro, tied to Hill Air Force Base's $1.2B East Campus Infrastructure project.
How long does it take to hire a commercial electrician in Ogden-Clearfield?
Standard commercial journeyman electricians: 4-6 weeks from intake to signed offer. Federal-facility/defense-cleared electricians run 9-12 weeks, because Hill AFB'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.
Why do federal-facility electricians earn so much more in Ogden-Clearfield?
Hill Air Force Base broke ground in May 2026 on a 10-year, $1.2 billion, 1 million sq ft F-35/T-7A East Campus Infrastructure project - the largest capital project in the Ogden area's history. Electrical work on a federal facility of this kind requires security clearance and specialized aircraft-hangar power/grounding systems, a genuinely scarce combination that commands about a 23% wage premium.
What licensing does a commercial electrician need in Ogden-Clearfield?
Utah licenses electrical contractors through the Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing (DOPL), requiring an E200 (general) or E201 (residential) classification with a master electrician qualifier. Any project valued at $3,000 or more requires a licensed contractor.
Where does My Trade Talent find electrical candidates for Ogden-Clearfield?
Ogden-Clearfield's own commercial electrical labor pool covers standard journeyman demand well, already running above national average. For federal-facility/defense-cleared electricians, we source more selectively from candidates with existing security clearances and prior federal-contracting experience.
Hiring more than one trade in Ogden? The Ogden market page covers every trade we recruit here, with the wage data and capital projects behind them.
Hiring commercial electricians in Ogden-Clearfield?
Tell us the role. We'll tell you wages, timeline, and where we'd source the candidate - in under 30 minutes.