Chris Cannon
U.S. congressman
Mapleton
$145,100
Matt Casper
bowling alley operator
Orem
$7 hour
Capri Christensen
veterinarian assistant
Orem
$7 hour
Teresa Day
senior office assistant
Highland
$8.50 hour
Ibraham Ghanem
cloths alterations
Provo
$12,000
Jennifer Jenkins
office assistant
Provo
$7.52 hour
Mark Judkins
template developer
Orem
$25,000
Jessie Lindorf
sales clerk
Provo
$6 hour
Tony Miranda
auto shop manager
Provo
$45,000
Owen Richardson
artist
Provo
$65,000
Russell Hardy
master personal trainer
Orem
$40 – $50 hour
John Hinkley
realtor/appraiser/loan officer
Orem
$50,000
Janece O. Hoopes
licensed massage therapist
Orem
$25,000
Jacob Hundley
cement finisher
Provo
$38,000
Ron Roberts
pianist
Provo
$25 hour
Derrell Rudd
barber
Salem
$20,000
Jean Russell
administrative assistant
Provo
$36,000
Rachelle Waite
fourth grade teacher
Orem
$30,000
Karl Ward
software sales associate
Provo
$154,000
Matt Bennett, utahvalley360.com
Utah — and Utah County in particular — often ranks as one of the best places to live in the country.
But it might not be the best place to work, lucratively speaking. Utah’s wages are about 85 percent of the national average wage, according to the Utah Department of Workforce Services. Utah County ranks lower than other metro areas in the state, partly because of the large student population. Entry level wages for accountants, for example, are 26 percent higher in Salt Lake City than in the Provo area. And software engineers, on average, earn $3 more per hour in the state’s capital vs. their Utah County colleagues.
Here are 20 Utah County workers who reveal their hard-earned wages from their hard-working careers.
What bosses say about doing business here…
“Utah Valley has proven itself many times as a wonderful place for technology companies. The highly educated employee base and diverse cultural awareness make an ideal place for companies with global markets.”
Kelly Phillipps, President and CEO, Center 7
“It doesn’t matter whether a business is high tech or low tech, big or small, privately or publicly held — to have a great business you have to have great people. Others talk about our company’s technology difference, but I remind them it’s been conceived, built, and is supported by some really talented folks. With a tagline of ‘great people, ferocious technology,’ we’re fortunate to have operations here in Utah Valley and access to those great people.”
Bob Sherwin, CEO, WhizBang! Labs
“Utah County is what I consider, the perfect place to live and work. From my office window, I can enjoy a beautiful mountain-scape, I am surrounded by a talented work force that offers our company immediate access to high caliber personnel, and I know that in just a few minutes I can go out and enjoy water skiing, snow skiing, golf, or several other activities with my family.”
Greg Butterfield, CEO and President, Altiris, Inc.
“The breadth of talented people in Utah Valley made this a prime location for GeoDiscovery. But in addition to the talent pool, all of us love the access to Utah’s spectrum of outdoor activities and supports. Based at the mouth of the Provo Canyon, we enjoy biking, running, fishing, skiing — even motorcycling. We have an incredible view — and Sundance is just 20 minutes away.”
Doug Snapp, CEO, GeoDiscovery
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