Paving & asphalt recruiters serving Ogden.
Hill Air Force Base's $1.2B infrastructure project is the largest capital project in the Ogden area's history - and it's running alongside downtown's own transit corridor redevelopment.
The largest capital project in the area's history.
Metro pay for every role we recruit is in the table below. What it does publish: a heavy equipment operator (base/site work) rate of $27-$35/hr against a national range of $23-$30/hr - a roughly 11% premium. We treat that as the closest documented proxy, not a general paving figure, and say so plainly.
That premium tracks with what the hub itself flags: Hill AFB's campus site work and downtown Ogden's transit corridor projects both drive steady heavy-civil demand.
We recruit across the full org chart for paving and asphalt contractors in Ogden against that documented context.
A historic Air Force base modernization, and a downtown transit corridor.
$1.2B at Hill AFB, plus new bus rapid transit downtown.
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Described as the largest capital project in the Ogden area's history, this 1 million sq ft, 10-year modernization requires substantial access-road and site paving as it moves from groundbreaking in May 2026 toward vertical construction.
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A planned bus rapid transit route connecting the FrontRunner station through downtown to Weber State University and McKay-Dee Hospital requires new transit-corridor paving as it moves through planning and early construction.
What paving & asphalt roles pay in Ogden.
In the Ogden metro, BLS puts the median for paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators at $46,120 a year, 14% below the $53,340 national median. Among the 89 metros BLS publishes for this occupation, Ogden ranks 76th on pay. The range runs from $45,870 at the 10th percentile to $70,480 at the 90th, so experience is priced well above the middle of the market. Of the other field roles, heavy equipment operator pays the most locally, at a $60,250 median. National benchmarks by role are in the 2026 Paving & Asphalt Salary Guide.
| Role | Ogden median | Typical range | National median | vs. national | Employed locally |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paving Equipment OperatorPaving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators (47-2071) | $46,120 | $45,870–$70,480 | $53,340 | −14% | 110 |
| Heavy Equipment OperatorOperating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators (47-2073) | $60,250 | $48,070–$74,760 | $59,850 | +1% | 1,160 |
| Construction LaborerConstruction Laborers (47-2061) | $46,400 | $36,600–$65,480 | $47,120 | −2% | 3,140 |
| Cement Mason / Concrete FinisherCement Masons and Concrete Finishers (47-2051) | $52,000 | $46,220–$63,310 | $57,020 | −9% | 840 |
| Dump Truck DriverHeavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers (53-3032) | $59,940 | $35,920–$79,310 | $58,640 | +2% | 4,260 |
| Paving ForemanFirst-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers (47-1011) | $76,620 | $53,340–$107,730 | $79,920 | −4% | – |
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Ogden metro. Range is 10th to 90th percentile. Headcount is shown for field occupations only; management, estimating and supervisory codes are counted across every industry in the metro.
What candidates expect. What credentials matter. What kills offers.
We don't tell prospective clients who their competitors are hiring - that's a discipline our clients value, and we'll honor it on a call. What we will share publicly: how Ogden paving and asphalt hiring actually plays out in 2026.
Why Hill AFB is the largest capital project in the Ogden area's history
The hub is direct: this $1.2B, 10-year modernization of Hill Air Force Base is the largest capital project in the Ogden area's entire history - a genuinely historic-scale demand source for base-adjacent sitework.
Why we treat the equipment operator rate as a proxy, not a paving-specific figure
Metro pay for every role we recruit is in the table below. We use the published heavy equipment operator (base/site work) rate - already tied to this exact demand - as the closest documented comparable and label it plainly as a proxy.
Why downtown Ogden's transit corridor adds a second, distinct driver
The planned bus rapid transit route connecting FrontRunner through downtown to Weber State and McKay-Dee Hospital requires new transit-corridor paving, distinct from the Hill AFB base infrastructure work.
What this means for sourcing
Operators run about 11% above national given the base/site-specific scope, per the hub itself. We source against verified equipment certifications and documented military-base or transit-corridor project history, not resume claims.
Realistic timelines
Standard paving and heavy equipment roles: 4-6 weeks intake to signed offer. Base-access roles may run longer given security clearance requirements tied to Hill AFB. First slate of vetted candidates within 48 hours regardless.
The paving and asphalt positions we fill, most often.
Across all Ogden paving and asphalt clients, these are the highest-volume roles we've recruited for in the last 24 months. Hill AFB-adjacent specialists are the roles in genuine short supply given base-access requirements.
- Heavy equipment operator (base/site work)
- Hill AFB access-road paving specialist
- Downtown Ogden transit corridor crew lead
- Plant manager
For the broader picture across every commercial trade in Ogden, see the Ogden metro overview. To learn more about paving and asphalt generally (across all 100+ markets we serve), see our Paving & Asphalt industry page.
How we recruit paving & asphalt in Ogden, plainly.
Same approach we use in every market - but tuned for what works in Ogden's paving and asphalt segment specifically:
- Same-day intake call. We get the role, the project context, the budget, your dealbreakers. For Ogden paving work, we also confirm whether the role requires base access or security clearance tied to Hill AFB.
- Candidate sourcing within 48 hours. We pull from our existing Ogden paving and asphalt candidate network, filtered for verified equipment certifications and base-access or transit-corridor project history.
- Vetted short list (week one to several weeks). Three to five candidates. We verify real equipment certifications and project history rather than a line on a resume.
- Offer and close. Standard roles close in 4-6 weeks. Base-access roles may run longer given security clearance requirements.
Ogden runs 44% more paving and asphalt 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 , Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators. Metro-wide figures for the base occupation; the wage table above is role-specific and commercial.
How Ogden's paving and asphalt market compares
In 2023 the Ogden metro had 33 highway, street and bridge contractors (counted by business location), with about 982 people on their payrolls. Average pay at those firms was $102,407, 16.3% above the national average of $88,070 for the same kind of employer. Headcount grew 11.2% over the year, faster than the 3.5% national increase, so local employers were adding people quicker than most of the country. The number of these employers rose 3.1%, more firms competing for the same crews. That works out to 4.6 per 100,000 residents against 3.6 nationally, a crowded field where experienced people get approached often. These firms account for 4.2% of all construction employment in the metro.
Among the 81 metros we cover with published BLS figures, Ogden ranks 55th for headcount, 69th for median pay and 18th for concentration for paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators.
| Metro | Employed | Median pay | Concentration | Commercial employers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Salt Lake City | 150 | $62,460 | 0.67 | 52 |
| Ogden | 110 | $46,120 | 1.44 | 33 |
| Provo | 80 | $46,270 | 1.03 | 16 |
BLS OEWS occupation figures and QCEW business-location counts; a dash means not published.
What this means for hiring:For paving and asphalt employers in Ogden, the pool is deep and still growing, so the constraint is competition rather than supply. Move fast on good candidates, because another local firm is probably talking to them too.
Sources: BLS QCEW 2023 annual averages and BLS OEWS May 2025, Ogden metro. Employers are counted by business location.
How Ogden's paving & asphalt market has changed since 2018.
The number of highway, street and bridge contractors in Ogden rose from 26 in 2018 to 33 in 2023, up 27%, ahead of the 6% national rise. Headcount at those firms went down 12%, to about 982 people, so more firms are sharing fewer workers. Average annual pay there went from $91,866 to $102,407 (+11%), slower than the 24% national increase.
| Measure | 2018 | 2023 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Highway, street and bridge contractors: business locations | 26 | 33 | +27% |
| Highway, street and bridge contractors: employment | 1,111 | 982 | −12% |
| Highway, street and bridge contractors: average annual pay | $91,866 | $102,407 | +11% |
BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, private employers, annual averages. A dash means BLS did not publish the figure.
Frequently asked — paving & asphalt hiring in Ogden.
Why is Hill AFB's infrastructure project historically significant for Ogden?
The metro's own data names it the largest capital project in the Ogden area's history: a $1.2B, 10-year modernization including a new maintenance hangar and depot maintenance complex.
What is driving paving demand in Ogden right now?
Hill Air Force Base's F-35/T-7A East Campus Infrastructure project ($1.2B) and downtown Ogden's historic train depot redevelopment are the named drivers.
What do paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators earn in Ogden?
BLS puts the Ogden median for paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators at $46,120 a year, 14% below the $53,340 national median. That ranks 76th of 89 metros with published figures, in the bottom quarter. Pay is bunched together here, $45,870 to $70,480 across the 10th to 90th percentile and only a 1.5x gap, so small differences in an offer are noticed. Within Utah, Salt Lake City pays more, at $62,460.
Is it hard to hire paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators in Ogden?
Not by national standards. Paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators make up 44% more of the Ogden workforce than they do nationally, about 110 people. The 33 highway, street and bridge contractors here average about 30 employees per location. With 27% more of those firms than in 2018, more employers are competing for the same crews.
Which paving & asphalt roles pay the most in Ogden?
Of the roles we recruit for, Paving Foreman pays the most in Ogden, a $76,620 median (BLS measures that occupation across all industries in the metro). Among field roles the top earner is Heavy Equipment Operator at $60,250, 21% below it. Paving Equipment Operator is the lowest-paid field role at $46,120. Paving Equipment Operator trails national pay the most (14% below).
How many highway, street and bridge contractors operate in Ogden?
BLS counted 33 highway, street and bridge contractors in Ogden in 2023, employing about 982 people between them. Up from 26 in 2018, a 27% increase against 6% growth nationally. That averages 30 people per location. They pay an average of $102,407, 16% above the $88,070 national average for the same kind of employer.
Which nearby metros compete with Ogden for paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators?
The closest metros we cover with published figures are Salt Lake City (32 miles, about 150, $62,460 median) and Provo (70 miles, about 80, $46,270 median). Salt Lake City pays 35% more, which is where Ogden employers tend to lose people.
Hiring paving and asphalt talent in Ogden?
Tell us the role. We'll tell you wages, timeline, and where we'd source the candidate - in under 30 minutes.