19 Series · SOC 19-3051

Urban and Regional Planners Salary

National pay, percentile range, growth outlook, and state-by-state detail from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (May 2025).

$89,320
Median / year
$134,490
Top 10% earn
+3.4%
Growth '23–'33
44,230
US workers

Urban and Regional Planners earn a median of $89,320 per year.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the median annual wage is $89,320, based on the most recent survey of employers. Reported pay ranges from $60,010 (10th percentile) to $134,490 (90th percentile) nationally, across roughly 44,230 US workers. District of Columbia pays the most ($137,000), since pay varies by state and metro area.

19 Series · Source: BLS OEWS Compare with another job →
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The pay verdict

Urban and Regional Planners earn a median of $89,320, putting them among the better-paid US occupations and higher than 78% of the 825 occupations with a published BLS median. Within Life, Physical, and Social Science, it ranks #24 of 48 by median pay. Employment is projected to grow 3.4% by 2033.

$89,320
Median annual wage
Top 22%
of 825 US occupations with published wages
#24 of 48
in Life, Physical, and Social Science
2.2×
90th-to-10th pay spread

Highest-paying state: District of Columbia at $137,000. Typical entry-level education: Master's degree.

Urban and Regional Planners (SOC 19-3051) pays a national median of $89,320 per year according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey released in May 2025. Full-range compensation stretches from $60,010 at the 10th percentile to $134,490 at the 90th, with a mean of $94,750 indicating a right-skew where top earners pull the average above the midpoint. An estimated 44,230 Americans work in this occupation across 53 reporting states and 265 metro areas.

BLS Employment Projections forecast a +3.4% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which the agency classifies as slower than average relative to the 5% all-occupations baseline. About 3,400 openings are projected per year, combining new positions with replacement needs from retirements and occupation-switchers. Typical entry-level preparation is Master's degree. The BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) and Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII) produce a workplace-safety grade of A for this role, with a fatality rate of 1.5 per 100,000 and injury rate of 0.7 per 100.

Geographic variation matters as much as the headline median. District of Columbia pays the highest state median at $137,000, which is +53% above the national figure. The top metro is San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA at $139,360 - metro premiums typically reflect higher cost of living, industry concentration, or specialized employer demand. When using this page for negotiation or career planning, pair the national median with the state and metro rows below, remember that BLS wages exclude benefits, bonuses, and overtime, and revisit after each May OEWS release since percentiles shift with cost-of-living cycles and industry demand. See our methodology for exactly how these figures are sourced, computed, and verified.

BLS OEWS May 2025 44,230 jobs Median $89,320/yr

Median Salary

$89,320

per year

Median Hourly

$42.94/hr

per hour

Mean Salary

$94,750

average

Employment

44,230

jobs nationwide

How does this pay compare nationally?

Where Urban and Regional Planners pay sits nationally

Median annual wage vs. 825 detailed BLS occupations with a published median

$89,320 Top 22% higher than 78% of 825 US occupations

$0–$20,000: 0 US occupations (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 98 US occupations (12%). Below this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 298 US occupations (36%). Below this entry. $60,000–$80,000: 209 US occupations (25%). Below this entry. $80,000–$100,000: 82 US occupations (10%). This entry sits in this band. $100,000–$120,000: 58 US occupations (7%). Above this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 32 US occupations (4%). Above this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 14 US occupations (2%). Above this entry. $160,000–$180,000: 9 US occupations (1%). Above this entry. $180,000–$200,000: 25 US occupations (3%). Above this entry. This job $0 $200,000 every BLS occupation, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US occupations. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS · May 2025

Does this job pay well and grow?

Each dot is a 19-series occupation, placed by projected 2024–2034 growth and median pay. The highlighted dot is Urban and Regional Planners; the upper-right quadrant is the sweet spot (high pay + fast growth).

Among 24 19-series occupations with growth data, Urban and Regional Planners sits on the slower-growing side at +3.4% growth and $89,320 median pay.

Among 24 19-series occupations with growth data, Urban and Regional Planners sits on the slower-growing side at +3.4% growth and $89,320 median pay. Scatter plot of 24 data points. $0$50000$100000$150000$200000 -5%0%5%10%15% Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) Median annual wage
Among 24 19-series occupations with growth data, Urban and Regional Planners sits on the slower-growing side at +3.4% growth and $89,320 median pay.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (wages, May 2025) and Employment Projections (2024–2034).

Job Outlook (2024–2034)

Projected Growth

+3.4%

Slower than average

Annual Openings

3,400

per year (projected)

Typical Education

Master's degree

Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034

Workplace Safety

All safety ratings →
A

Very Safe

Safety Grade (BLS 2023)

Fatality Rate

1.5/100K

Injury Rate

0.7/100

Danger Index

3.6/100

Source: BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) & Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII), 2023

Career Intelligence

Skills, knowledge, and tasks most important for Urban and Regional Planners roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.

Top Skills

Active Listening 4.1
Speaking 4.1
Judgment and Decision Making 4.1
Reading Comprehension 4.0
Critical Thinking 4.0
Systems Analysis 4.0
Writing 3.9
Complex Problem Solving 3.8
Systems Evaluation 3.8
Social Perceptiveness 3.6

Knowledge Areas

Law and Government 4.6
English Language 4.4
Geography 4.2
Transportation 4.0
Communications and Media 3.6
Administration and Management 3.4
Sociology and Anthropology 3.4
Customer and Personal Service 3.3
Computers and Electronics 3.0
Design 3.0

Key Tasks

  • Design, promote, or administer government plans or policies affecting land use, zoning, public utilities, community facilities, housing, or transportation.
  • Advise planning officials on project feasibility, cost-effectiveness, regulatory conformance, or possible alternatives.
  • Create, prepare, or requisition graphic or narrative reports on land use data, including land area maps overlaid with geographic variables, such as population density.
  • Hold public meetings with government officials, social scientists, lawyers, developers, the public, or special interest groups to formulate, develop, or address issues regarding land use or community plans.
  • Mediate community disputes or assist in developing alternative plans or recommendations for programs or projects.
  • Recommend approval, denial, or conditional approval of proposals.
  • Conduct field investigations, surveys, impact studies, or other research to compile and analyze data on economic, social, regulatory, or physical factors affecting land use.
  • Evaluate proposals for infrastructure projects or other development for environmental impact or sustainability.
  • Discuss with planning officials the purpose of land use projects, such as transportation, conservation, residential, commercial, industrial, or community use.
  • Keep informed about economic or legal issues involved in zoning codes, building codes, or environmental regulations.

Source: O*NET Online, National Center for O*NET Development. Data represents typical importance ratings for this occupation.

Salary Range

Annual Salary Distribution

$60,010$72,020$89,320$110,030$134,490
10th pct25thMedian75th90th pct

Hourly Rate Distribution

$28.85$34.63$42.94$52.90$64.66
10th pct25thMedian75th90th pct

10th Percentile

$60,010

25th Percentile

$72,020

Median

$89,320

75th Percentile

$110,030

90th Percentile

$134,490

Salary by State

View all 53 states →
# State Median Salary vs National
1 District of Columbia $137,000 +53% above national
2 California $109,610 +23% above national
3 Oregon $103,070 +15% above national
4 Arizona $102,400 +15% above national
5 Colorado $101,340 +13% above national
6 Washington $100,990 +13% above national
7 Nevada $100,040 +12% above national
8 Connecticut $99,880 +12% above national
9 Massachusetts $99,780 +12% above national
10 Minnesota $97,060 +9% above national
11 Alaska $93,860 +5% above national
12 Illinois $91,360 +2% above national
13 Rhode Island $90,210 +1% above national
14 New York $89,630 same as national
15 Guam $88,610 1% below national
16 Maryland $88,570 1% below national
17 New Jersey $86,280 3% below national
18 Virginia $86,030 4% below national
19 Hawaii $85,590 4% below national
20 Vermont $84,750 5% below national
21 Utah $84,360 6% below national
22 Wisconsin $84,290 6% below national
23 Texas $82,830 7% below national
24 Kansas $82,330 8% below national
25 Oklahoma $81,520 9% below national
26 North Carolina $81,230 9% below national
27 Pennsylvania $80,810 10% below national
28 Montana $80,770 10% below national
29 Florida $80,720 10% below national
30 Missouri $80,720 10% below national
31 Georgia $80,030 10% below national
32 Ohio $79,950 10% below national
33 Maine $79,120 11% below national
34 Iowa $79,100 11% below national
35 Tennessee $78,970 12% below national
36 Michigan $78,510 12% below national
37 North Dakota $78,500 12% below national
38 New Mexico $77,710 13% below national
39 Idaho $76,500 14% below national
40 South Carolina $75,810 15% below national
41 Nebraska $74,830 16% below national
42 Louisiana $74,500 17% below national
43 New Hampshire $73,860 17% below national
44 South Dakota $71,180 20% below national
45 Indiana $70,760 21% below national
46 Alabama $70,710 21% below national
47 Wyoming $70,190 21% below national
48 Delaware $67,110 25% below national
49 Kentucky $65,000 27% below national
50 Arkansas $63,530 29% below national
51 West Virginia $61,390 31% below national
52 Mississippi $60,300 32% below national
53 Puerto Rico $51,600 42% below national

Salary by Metro Area

View all 265 metro areas →
# Metro Area Median Salary vs National
1 San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA $139,360 +56% above national
2 San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $136,250 +53% above national
3 Vallejo, CA $129,790 +45% above national
4 Napa, CA $128,530 +44% above national
5 Salinas, CA $125,300 +40% above national
6 Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA $123,090 +38% above national
7 Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA $112,270 +26% above national
8 Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA $111,380 +25% above national
9 Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA $110,520 +24% above national
10 San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA $109,920 +23% above national
11 Trenton-Princeton, NJ $109,150 +22% above national
12 Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA $108,760 +22% above national
13 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA $108,040 +21% above national
14 Salem, OR $107,960 +21% above national
15 San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA $107,710 +21% above national
16 Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ $107,470 +20% above national
17 Redding, CA $106,920 +20% above national
18 Stockton-Lodi, CA $106,920 +20% above national
19 Reno, NV $105,900 +19% above national
20 Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO $105,890 +19% above national
21 Bend, OR $105,720 +18% above national
22 Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA $105,500 +18% above national
23 Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA $105,440 +18% above national
24 Fresno, CA $105,330 +18% above national
25 Greeley, CO $105,200 +18% above national
26 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV $104,770 +17% above national
27 Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI $103,970 +16% above national
28 Madison, WI $103,940 +16% above national
29 Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH $103,460 +16% above national
30 Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA $103,070 +15% above national
31 Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT $102,490 +15% above national
32 Eugene-Springfield, OR $102,380 +15% above national
33 Visalia, CA $102,200 +14% above national
34 Anchorage, AK $102,110 +14% above national
35 Barnstable Town, MA $101,940 +14% above national
36 Boulder, CO $101,710 +14% above national
37 Huntsville, AL $101,500 +14% above national
38 Central East New York nonmetropolitan area $101,410 +14% above national
39 Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI $101,230 +13% above national
40 Bellingham, WA $100,050 +12% above national
41 Norwich-New London-Willimantic, CT $99,830 +12% above national
42 Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT $99,800 +12% above national
43 Fairbanks-College, AK $99,630 +12% above national
44 New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ $99,150 +11% above national
45 Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN $98,840 +11% above national
46 North Coast Region of California nonmetropolitan area $98,810 +11% above national
47 Fort Collins-Loveland, CO $98,660 +10% above national
48 New Haven, CT $98,220 +10% above national
49 Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA $97,600 +9% above national
50 Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL $97,160 +9% above national
51 Colorado Springs, CO $96,780 +8% above national
52 Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA $96,580 +8% above national
53 North Valley-Northern Mountains Region of California nonmetropolitan area $95,830 +7% above national
54 Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA $95,640 +7% above national
55 Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA $95,640 +7% above national
56 Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA $95,640 +7% above national
57 Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA $95,640 +7% above national
58 Yuba City, CA $95,160 +7% above national
59 Rochester, MN $94,680 +6% above national
60 Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC $94,670 +6% above national
61 Northwest Colorado nonmetropolitan area $93,720 +5% above national
62 Western Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area $93,600 +5% above national
63 Rochester, NY $92,550 +4% above national
64 Burlington-South Burlington, VT $91,580 +3% above national
65 Oklahoma City, OK $89,980 +1% above national
66 Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL $89,770 +1% above national
67 Lansing-East Lansing, MI $89,170 same as national
68 Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY $88,860 1% below national
69 Yakima, WA $88,790 1% below national
70 Eastern Washington nonmetropolitan area $88,790 1% below national
71 Lexington Park, MD $88,570 1% below national
72 Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL $88,300 1% below national
73 Worcester, MA $88,300 1% below national
74 Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY $88,190 1% below national
75 Rockford, IL $88,160 1% below national
76 Urban Honolulu, HI $87,990 1% below national
77 Providence-Warwick, RI-MA $87,880 2% below national
78 Binghamton, NY $87,340 2% below national
79 Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH $87,190 2% below national
80 Watertown-Fort Drum, NY $86,670 3% below national
81 Northeastern Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area $86,530 3% below national
82 South Central Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area $86,530 3% below national
83 Salt Lake City-Murray, UT $86,510 3% below national
84 Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA $85,980 4% below national
85 Yuma, AZ $85,950 4% below national
86 Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV $85,920 4% below national
87 Ogden, UT $85,590 4% below national
88 Durham-Chapel Hill, NC $85,290 5% below national
89 Kennewick-Richland, WA $85,140 5% below national
90 Medford, OR $85,020 5% below national
91 Utica-Rome, NY $84,840 5% below national
92 Raleigh-Cary, NC $84,810 5% below national
93 Kansas City, MO-KS $84,520 5% below national
94 Wasatch Front Fringe Utah nonmetropolitan area $84,360 6% below national
95 Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN $84,350 6% below national
96 Duluth, MN-WI $84,280 6% below national
97 Southeast Minnesota nonmetropolitan area $84,170 6% below national
98 Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX $84,160 6% below national
99 Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD $84,000 6% below national
100 Greensboro-High Point, NC $83,880 6% below national
101 Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD $83,750 6% below national
102 Birmingham, AL $83,740 6% below national
103 Reading, PA $83,620 6% below national
104 Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX $83,520 6% below national
105 Naples-Marco Island, FL $83,450 7% below national
106 Bakersfield-Delano, CA $83,410 7% below national
107 Bangor, ME $83,300 7% below national
108 Omaha, NE-IA $83,270 7% below national
109 Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC $83,170 7% below national
110 Gainesville, FL $83,130 7% below national
111 Bozeman, MT $83,100 7% below national
112 Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ $82,980 7% below national
113 Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL $82,970 7% below national
114 South Florida nonmetropolitan area $82,850 7% below national
115 Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX $82,830 7% below national
116 Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC $82,760 7% below national
117 Helena, MT $82,690 7% below national
118 Longview-Kelso, WA $82,620 8% below national
119 Akron, OH $82,370 8% below national
120 Manchester-Nashua, NH $82,340 8% below national
121 Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL $82,330 8% below national
122 Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY $82,270 8% below national
123 Kalamazoo-Portage, MI $82,100 8% below national
124 Springfield, MA $82,100 8% below national
125 Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI $82,080 8% below national
126 Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ $82,030 8% below national
127 Eastern Sierra-Mother Lode Region of California nonmetropolitan area $82,020 8% below national
128 Portland-South Portland, ME $81,930 8% below national
129 Champaign-Urbana, IL $81,840 8% below national
130 Appleton, WI $81,770 8% below national
131 Southwest Colorado nonmetropolitan area $81,750 8% below national
132 Port St. Lucie, FL $81,680 9% below national
133 Coeur d'Alene, ID $81,650 9% below national
134 Cleveland, OH $81,290 9% below national
135 Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA $81,240 9% below national
136 Alaska nonmetropolitan area $81,170 9% below national
137 Lexington-Fayette, KY $81,020 9% below national
138 New Orleans-Metairie, LA $80,710 10% below national
139 Amherst Town-Northampton, MA $80,660 10% below national
140 San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX $80,620 10% below national
141 Western Washington nonmetropolitan area $80,450 10% below national
142 Boise City, ID $80,390 10% below national
143 Fargo, ND-MN $80,360 10% below national
144 Northern Michigan nonmetropolitan area $80,310 10% below national
145 St. Louis, MO-IL $80,270 10% below national
146 Albuquerque, NM $80,250 10% below national
147 Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN $80,160 10% below national
148 Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI $80,140 10% below national
149 Lancaster, PA $80,100 10% below national
150 South Nebraska nonmetropolitan area $80,070 10% below national
151 Northwestern Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area $80,050 10% below national
152 Tulsa, OK $79,950 10% below national
153 Bismarck, ND $79,920 11% below national
154 Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN $79,760 11% below national
155 Pittsburgh, PA $79,690 11% below national
156 Ann Arbor, MI $79,620 11% below national
157 Northern Vermont nonmetropolitan area $79,620 11% below national
158 Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL $79,370 11% below national
159 Traverse City, MI $79,270 11% below national
160 Tucson, AZ $79,190 11% below national
161 Eastern North Carolina nonmetropolitan area $79,060 11% below national
162 Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL $78,900 12% below national
163 Charlottesville, VA $78,780 12% below national
164 West Tennessee nonmetropolitan area $78,770 12% below national
165 Maryland nonmetropolitan area $78,760 12% below national
166 Columbus, OH $78,750 12% below national
167 El Paso, TX $78,730 12% below national
168 Flagstaff, AZ $78,490 12% below national
169 Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL $78,260 12% below national
170 Syracuse, NY $78,240 12% below national
171 Wausau, WI $78,100 13% below national
172 Southeast Oklahoma nonmetropolitan area $78,020 13% below national
173 Asheville, NC $77,950 13% below national
174 Western Wyoming nonmetropolitan area $77,840 13% below national
175 Pittsfield, MA $77,820 13% below national
176 Northern New Mexico nonmetropolitan area $77,710 13% below national
177 West North Dakota nonmetropolitan area $77,550 13% below national
178 Capital/Northern New York nonmetropolitan area $77,520 13% below national
179 Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT $77,420 13% below national
180 Winston-Salem, NC $77,400 13% below national
181 Richmond, VA $77,340 13% below national
182 Muskegon-Norton Shores, MI $77,130 14% below national
183 Eau Claire, WI $77,090 14% below national
184 East North Dakota nonmetropolitan area $77,040 14% below national
185 Central North Carolina nonmetropolitan area $76,950 14% below national
186 North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL $76,910 14% below national
187 Santa Fe, NM $76,730 14% below national
188 Northwest Minnesota nonmetropolitan area $76,540 14% below national
189 Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC $76,480 14% below national
190 Green Bay, WI $76,370 14% below national
191 Northwestern Idaho nonmetropolitan area $76,020 15% below national
192 Southwest Maine nonmetropolitan area $75,960 15% below national
193 Coast Oregon nonmetropolitan area $75,890 15% below national
194 Massachusetts nonmetropolitan area $75,880 15% below national
195 East-Central Montana nonmetropolitan area $75,540 15% below national
196 Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC $75,350 16% below national
197 Wichita, KS $75,290 16% below national
198 Fort Wayne, IN $75,240 16% below national
199 West Montana nonmetropolitan area $75,200 16% below national
200 Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC $75,100 16% below national
201 Eastern Oregon nonmetropolitan area $75,100 16% below national
202 Springfield, MO $75,020 16% below national
203 East South Dakota nonmetropolitan area $74,990 16% below national
204 Charleston-North Charleston, SC $74,840 16% below national
205 Spartanburg, SC $74,640 16% below national
206 Saginaw, MI $74,450 17% below national
207 Arizona nonmetropolitan area $74,280 17% below national
208 South Georgia nonmetropolitan area $74,050 17% below national
209 Jacksonville, FL $74,020 17% below national
210 Cedar Rapids, IA $73,840 17% below national
211 Central New Hampshire nonmetropolitan area $73,320 18% below national
212 Southern Indiana nonmetropolitan area $73,270 18% below national
213 Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL $72,360 19% below national
214 Hill Country Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area $71,990 19% below national
215 Columbia, SC $71,910 19% below national
216 Southeast-Central Idaho nonmetropolitan area $71,890 20% below national
217 West South Dakota nonmetropolitan area $71,180 20% below national
218 Prescott Valley-Prescott, AZ $71,130 20% below national
219 Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN $70,760 21% below national
220 Kansas nonmetropolitan area $70,640 21% below national
221 Southern Michigan nonmetropolitan area $70,640 21% below national
222 South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI $69,950 22% below national
223 Topeka, KS $69,830 22% below national
224 Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL $69,610 22% below national
225 Mid Michigan nonmetropolitan area $69,370 22% below national
226 Wilmington, NC $68,050 24% below national
227 Fayetteville, NC $67,940 24% below national
228 Oshkosh-Neenah, WI $67,350 25% below national
229 Eastern New Mexico nonmetropolitan area $66,730 25% below national
230 Dover, DE $66,550 25% below national
231 Sioux Falls, SD-MN $66,260 26% below national
232 Savannah, GA $66,220 26% below national
233 Northern Indiana nonmetropolitan area $66,210 26% below national
234 Western North Carolina nonmetropolitan area $66,150 26% below national
235 Daphne-Fairhope-Foley, AL $66,020 26% below national
236 Las Cruces, NM $65,580 27% below national
237 Lincoln, NE $65,560 27% below national
238 Wildwood-The Villages, FL $64,520 28% below national
239 Roanoke, VA $64,440 28% below national
240 Jackson, MS $64,270 28% below national
241 Mobile, AL $64,060 28% below national
242 Bloomington, IN $63,770 29% below national
243 Upper Peninsula of Michigan nonmetropolitan area $63,210 29% below national
244 Chattanooga, TN-GA $62,780 30% below national
245 Flint, MI $62,400 30% below national
246 Memphis, TN-MS-AR $61,560 31% below national
247 Southwest New York nonmetropolitan area $61,460 31% below national
248 Charleston, WV $61,380 31% below national
249 Montgomery, AL $61,050 32% below national
250 Northern New Hampshire nonmetropolitan area $60,900 32% below national
251 Gulfport-Biloxi, MS $60,280 33% below national
252 McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX $60,010 33% below national
253 Southwestern Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area $59,910 33% below national
254 Southwest Minnesota nonmetropolitan area $59,860 33% below national
255 North Georgia nonmetropolitan area $59,690 33% below national
256 Northeast Nebraska nonmetropolitan area $59,490 33% below national
257 Athens-Clarke County, GA $59,370 34% below national
258 High Desert Utah nonmetropolitan area $58,830 34% below national
259 Punta Gorda, FL $57,680 35% below national
260 Tallahassee, FL $56,810 36% below national
261 Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR $56,490 37% below national
262 South Illinois nonmetropolitan area $56,190 37% below national
263 Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH $54,650 39% below national
264 West Central Illinois nonmetropolitan area $53,660 40% below national
265 San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR $49,940 44% below national

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Frequently Asked Questions

How much does a Urban and Regional Planners make?
The median annual salary for Urban and Regional Planners is $89,320 ($42.94/hour). The salary range spans from $60,010 at the 10th percentile to $134,490 at the 90th percentile.
What state pays Urban and Regional Planners the most?
District of Columbia pays the highest median salary for Urban and Regional Planners at $137,000/year, which is +53% above the national median.
What education do you need to become a Urban and Regional Planners?
The typical entry-level education for Urban and Regional Planners is Master's degree.
How dangerous is being a Urban and Regional Planners?
Urban and Regional Planners has a safety grade of A (Very Safe) based on BLS data. The fatality rate is 1.5 per 100,000 workers and the injury rate is 0.7 per 100 workers.
Is Urban and Regional Planners a good career?
Employment for Urban and Regional Planners is projected to grow 3.4% from 2024 to 2034, which is slower than average. About 3,400 openings are projected each year.
How does Urban and Regional Planners pay vary by state?
Urban and Regional Planners salaries vary significantly by state. The highest-paying state is District of Columbia at $137,000/year, while Kentucky pays the least at $65,000/year. BLS data covers 53 states and territories.
Which metro areas pay the most for Urban and Regional Planners?
The highest-paying metro area for Urban and Regional Planners is San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA at $139,360/year. BLS reports wage data for 265 metro areas for this occupation, with pay varying based on local demand and cost of living.

What to do with this data

How to use Urban and Regional Planners pay figures in a real decision

  • For an experienced offer, anchor on the 75th percentile (about $110,030/year), not the median. The median marks the middle worker; the upper quartile is the realistic target with strong experience. Salary calculator
  • Location moves pay significantly: District of Columbia leads at $137,000/year for this role. Weigh state pay against local cost of living before relocating or negotiating remote. Pay by state
  • Compare this occupation against similar roles before you decide, so you are reading the pay band in context rather than in isolation. Compare jobs

These are BLS survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. Your pay depends on experience, employer, exact role, and location.

Data as of May 2025. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 annual release. Employment projections from BLS Employment Projections program, 2024–2034. Data reflects cross-industry estimates for all ownership types.

These are survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. See how to use them.

Every figure on WageDex is rendered directly from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, no number is typed in by an editor. This occupation's figures are computed directly from the BLS OEWS and Employment Projections datasets, nothing is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of May 2025.

This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or career advice. Actual pay for a specific role, employer, or offer may differ from these national/state figures, consult a qualified career counselor, recruiter, or financial advisor before making decisions based on this data.