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Local Government
City of New York, City of Los Angeles, City of Seattle
Urban and Regional Planners
Urban and regional planners decide where housing, roads, parks, utilities, and other development should go, then explain those choices to officials, developers, and the public. The work mixes data analysis with public negotiation, so even a good plan can end up changed by zoning rules, budgets, or neighborhood pushback.
Also known as City PlannerMunicipal PlannerCommunity PlannerPlanning AnalystLand Use Planner
Median Salary
$83,720
Mean $89,730
U.S. Workforce
~43K
3.4K openings per year
10-Year Growth
+3.4%
44.7K to 46.2K
Entry Education
Master's degree
+ None experience
What This Role Looks Like in Practice
Urban and Regional Planners sits in the Government category. In practical terms, this role combines day-to-day execution, cross-team coordination, and consistent decision-making under real business constraints.
U.S. employment is currently about ~43K workers, with a median annual pay of $83,720 and roughly 3.4K openings each year. Based on BLS projections, total employment is expected to grow from 44.7 K in 2024 to 46.2K in 2034.
Most hiring paths start with Master's degree in urban planning or a related field, and employers typically expect none of related experience. Many careers in this track begin around Planning Assistant and can progress toward Planning Manager or Director. High-value skills usually include GIS, ArcGIS & QGIS, Zoning Codes, Land Use Regulations & Comprehensive Plans, and Demographic Research, Census Data & Survey Analysis, paired with soft skills such as Active listening, Judgment and decision making, and Public speaking.
Core Responsibilities
- Review building and land-use proposals to see whether they fit zoning rules and local plans.
- Meet with residents, officials, and advocacy groups to explain planning ideas and hear concerns.
- Study maps, surveys, and impact reports to understand how a project could affect traffic, housing, jobs, or the environment.
- Write reports, charts, and map-based summaries that recommend whether a project should move forward and what changes are needed.
Keep exploring: more Government careers or browse all job titles.
A Day in the Life
01 Review building and land-use proposals to see whether they fit zoning rules and local plans.
02 Meet with residents, officials, and advocacy groups to explain planning ideas and hear concerns.
03 Study maps, surveys, and impact reports to understand how a project could affect traffic, housing, jobs, or the environment.
04 Write reports, charts, and map-based summaries that recommend whether a project should move forward and what changes are needed.
05 Work with architects, engineers, and consultants to shape plans for new neighborhoods, roads, public buildings, or utilities.
06 Figure out how regulations limit a project and suggest design changes or policy adjustments that make the plan workable.
Industries That Hire
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Architecture, Engineering & Consulting
AECOM, Jacobs, HDR
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Real Estate Development
Hines, Related Companies, Brookfield Properties
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Transportation & Transit
Amtrak, MTA, LA Metro
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Utilities & Infrastructure
PG&E, Duke Energy, National Grid
Pros and Cons
Advantages
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The pay is solid for a public-facing policy job, with a median annual salary of $83,720 and an average of $89,730.
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You get to work on concrete issues people notice every day, like housing, transit, parks, and how neighborhoods change.
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The role uses a mix of research, mapping, writing, and meetings, so the work rarely feels repetitive.
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You do not need prior work experience or on-the-job training to enter the field, which makes the path clearer than in some planning-adjacent jobs.
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Employment is expected to grow from 44.7 thousand jobs in 2024 to 46.2 thousand in 2034, with about 3.4 thousand annual openings.
Challenges
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The growth rate is only 3.4%, so this is not a fast-expanding field and competition for openings can be real.
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A master's degree is the typical entry point, and 56% of workers have one, so the education bar is high for a job that does not require prior experience.
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A lot of the work is shaped by politics, zoning limits, and public opposition, which means a well-reasoned plan can still get delayed or watered down.
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Many responsibilities involve reports, hearings, and compliance checks, so the job can feel bureaucratic and slow when you want to solve problems quickly.
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Career growth can flatten out unless you move into management or specialize, because the field has fewer high-level seats than broader business or engineering tracks.
Career Progression
Planning Assistant
0-2 years
$45K-$58K
Handles research, data cleanup, meeting notes, and basic permit or zoning review under close supervision.
Associate Planner
2-5 years
$58K-$76K
Takes on smaller projects, drafts recommendations, and starts leading meetings with residents or applicants.
Urban and Regional Planner THIS ROLE
5-10 years
$77K-$95K
Builds land-use recommendations, weighs policy tradeoffs, and presents plans to agencies, boards, or community groups.
Senior Planner
10-15 years
$96K-$122K
Leads major projects, mentors junior staff, and manages the hardest zoning, transportation, or redevelopment cases.
Planning Manager or Director
15+ years
$123K-$160K
Sets planning priorities, oversees staff, and handles politically sensitive decisions that shape city or regional development.
Education Paths
Master's degree in urban planning or a related field
The most common entry point, held by 56% of workers in this role.
Bachelor's degree in planning, geography, public policy, or a related major
A common route, held by 40% of workers, often paired with internships or a planning-focused portfolio.
First professional degree
A much less common route, held by 4% of workers, usually for people with prior academic training who want a planning specialization.
Graduate certificate in GIS, land use law, or transportation planning
A supplemental path, with 0% shown in the education distribution, that can strengthen mapping and policy skills for people who already have a degree.
Key Skills
Technical
GIS, ArcGIS & QGIS 86%
Zoning Codes, Land Use Regulations & Comprehensive Plans 84%
Demographic Research, Census Data & Survey Analysis 82%
Transportation Planning & Scenario Modeling 80%
Excel, Tableau & Data Visualization 78%
Environmental Impact Review & Feasibility Analysis 76%
Soft Skills
Active listeningJudgment and decision makingPublic speakingCritical thinkingWriting and report draftingComplex problem solving Job Outlook and Trends
+3.4%
Projected growth (2024-2034)
3.4K
Annual job openings
Employment is projected to rise from 44.7K to 46.2 K over the next decade, representing 3.4% growth. Around 3.4 K openings per year include both newly created roles and replacement hiring from turnover.
Remote availability is currently Limited. Demand remains strongest where employers need practical domain knowledge plus modern workflow and data skills.