Urban and Regional Planners Job Outlook
The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects employment of urban and regional planners to grow 3.9% from 2025 to 2035 (about 1,800 more jobs), with about 3,200 openings a year, and the May 2025 median pay of $89,320 a year ranks 184th of 825 occupations.
- Projected change
- +3.9%
- Openings a year
- 3,200
- Median pay
- $89,320
- Pay rank
- 184th of 825
Is employment of urban and regional planners growing or shrinking?
Growing: BLS projects employment of urban and regional planners to rise 3.9% (about 1,800 more jobs) from 2025 to 2035, about the same as the 3.5% projected across all occupations. That is slower than the +7.6% summed from BLS's employment levels across the 48 life, physical, and social science occupations with a projection. That change ranks 313th of 830 projected occupations.
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Employment, 2025 | 45,800 |
| Employment, 2035 | 47,600 |
| Projected change | +3.9% |
| Openings a year | 3,200 |
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035. A projection is a BLS estimate, not a count. The 45,800 jobs here differ from the 44,230 on the salary page because Employment Projections also counts the self-employed and a wider set of workers, while OEWS counts wage and salary jobs in May 2025. BLS published these projections on August 27, 2026; checked November 10, 2026. Confirm any figure in the BLS Employment Projections tables.
BLS's reasons for this projection are at the Occupational Outlook Handbook. State projections are at Projections Central; projections by industry are left to BLS. Education, licensing and work context at O*NET.
How many job openings are there each year?
About 3,200 openings a year, from job growth and from workers leaving the occupation, the 464th most of 830 occupations. About 94% of them replace workers who change occupations or leave the labor force; the rest come from the 180 jobs added in an average year.
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035.
How does pay for urban and regional planners rank?
The median of $89,320 a year ranks 184th of 825 occupations with a published median. It sits in the upper half of occupations on pay and the lower half on openings.
Source: BLS OEWS national file, May 2025. Wage and salary jobs only; the self-employed are not counted. OEWS pay excludes overtime, shift differentials and non-production bonuses. Ranks count only the occupations with that published figure: 830 for projected change, 830 for openings, 825 for median pay, which is why the totals differ.
What does it take to start?
- Typical entry-level education: master's degree.
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035, education and training assignments.
How do related jobs compare on outlook?
| Occupation | Change | Openings a year | Median pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Social Scientists and Related Workers, All Other | -0.2% | 2,700 | $101,110 |
| Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health | +6.1% | 7,300 | $82,220 |
| Conservation Scientists | +5.3% | 2,100 | $73,010 |
| Geographers | -2.1% | 100 | $102,040 |
| Hydrologic Technicians | -1.3% | 400 | $64,790 |
| Project Management Specialists | +6.7% | 76,500 | $102,320 |
| Chief Executives | +3.2% | 19,100 | $213,990 |
| Business Operations Specialists, All Other | +3.9% | 98,700 | $83,050 |
Related occupations from O*NET; projections from BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035; pay from BLS OEWS, May 2025.