Ogden-Clearfield is one of the most defense-oriented metros in the Mountain West — Hill Air Force Base dominates the local economy, flanked by Aerospace Defense Command support operations, logistics depots, and a growing light-manufacturing corridor along the I-15 spine. This means a larger share of cleaning contracts flow through federal procurement channels than in comparable-size metros, making Service Contract Act compliance a day-to-day operational reality rather than an edge case. The BLS national mean for janitors is $17.43/hr (BLS OEWS 2024); Ogden-Clearfield runs notably below that due to Utah's low statutory wage floor, but SCA rates at Hill AFB can push specific contracts well above civilian market rates.

BLS Wage Data: What Janitors Earn in Ogden-Clearfield

OEWS data for this MSA falls within Utah's statewide distribution. The Mountain West regional band of $14.50–$17.50/hr applies; defense-facility contracts at the upper end, commercial accounts at the lower.

The civilian market median of $15.50/hr sits $1.93 below the national mean. BEA RPP for the Ogden corridor is approximately 93–96, making the real-wage gap smaller than nominal figures suggest.

Defense Spending as a Wage Anchor

Hill Air Force Base employs tens of thousands of military and civilian personnel, driving consistent demand for compliant facility services. BLS LAUS data for Weber and Davis counties shows unemployment in the 2.5–3.5% range — tight enough that private contractors compete with defense-contractor support jobs paying $16–$20/hr for similar skill sets. Operators without SCA compliance infrastructure are effectively locked out of the base's cleaning contracts, concentrating that work among a smaller set of qualified bidders.

Loaded Labor Cost: What Employers Actually Pay

Utah employer burden — FICA (7.65%), FUTA/SUTA (~2.0%), workers' comp, benefits — totals 28–33% above base wage. At the $15.50/hr median, all-in employer cost runs $19.90–$20.60/hr. For Hill AFB SCA contracts, wage rates are set by determination rather than market negotiation; load the applicable SCA rate plus the same burden percentage when modeling those bids.

Utah Minimum Wage and Market Floor

Utah's minimum wage mirrors the federal $7.25/hr floor (Utah Labor Commission). No Weber or Davis County ordinances exist above the state rate. The effective market entry wage for Ogden-Clearfield commercial cleaning is $13.50–$14.50/hr, pulled up by competition with warehouse and logistics operations in the I-15 corridor.

Union Landscape and Collective Bargaining

Utah is a right-to-work state. SEIU has minimal presence in the Ogden-Clearfield area's commercial cleaning sector. Defense-facility contracts are subject to SCA wage determinations rather than union agreements. Private commercial accounts are entirely market-wage driven. The most significant wage floor in this metro is thus the federal SCA determination, not any labor organization agreement.

Workers' Compensation Rates for NAICS 561720

Utah workers' compensation for janitorial services is administered by the Utah Industrial Accidents Division. Base rates for NAICS 561720 typically run $3.50–$5.50 per $100 of payroll. Defense-facility cleaners may require additional security screening, which can affect staffing cost but not workers' comp classification. Budget $0.54–$0.85/hr per worker.

Prevailing Wage and Service Contract Act Implications

This is a critical section for Ogden-Clearfield: Hill Air Force Base and associated federal facilities make SCA compliance non-optional for a large segment of the local cleaning market. Current wage determinations from SAM.gov set Utah building services rates at approximately $15.50–$17.50/hr, with health and welfare benefit rates adding a mandatory fringe component. DOL Wage and Hour Division enforces SCA; failure to pay correct rates results in debarment from federal contracts.

Total Compensation: Benefits, Turnover, and Hiring Cost

Benefits add $1.80–$3.00/hr per BLS ECEC. Turnover at ISSA benchmarks of 35–75% (ISSA) imposes recurring hiring costs of $800–$1,300 per departure. Defense-facility contracts often require background checks, extending the time-to-fill and cost-per-hire above the commercial average; price that premium into base cost assumptions when budgeting Hill AFB bids.

Federal Contract Compliance as a Competitive Barrier

The SCA compliance requirement at Hill AFB functions as a market structure feature that reduces competition for defense cleaning contracts. Contractors with established compliance programs — certified payroll, SCA posting requirements, fringe benefit accounting — can access that segment; those without face regulatory exposure that makes federal work impractical. Building that compliance infrastructure is a fixed cost investment that then generates a competitive moat. Use the bid generator with SCA wage inputs when preparing federal facility proposals.

Primary Sources

• BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — Metro Area Tables
• BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics
• BEA Regional Price Parities by Metro
• SAM.gov — Service Contract Act Wage Determinations
• DOL Wage and Hour Division — Service Contract Act
• Utah Labor Commission — Minimum Wage
• Utah Industrial Accidents Division
• ISSA — Cleaning Industry Benchmarks

Ogden-Clearfield contractors: Ogden-Clearfield bid template, bid generator, bid stress test, and cleaning for food and grocery facilities.

By the Opora Editorial Team · Last updated: 2026