Urban and Regional Planners Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for urban and regional planners in the U.S. is $89,320 ($42.94 per hour), according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, May 2025 estimates.
- Median annual wage
- $89,320
- Mean annual wage
- $94,750
- Median hourly wage
- $42.94
- Employment
- 44,230
44,230 employed
Wage percentiles
| Percentile | Annual wage | Hourly wage |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $60,010 | $28.85 |
| 25th percentile | $72,020 | $34.63 |
| Median (50th) | $89,320 | $42.94 |
| 75th percentile | $110,030 | $52.90 |
| 90th percentile | $134,490 | $64.66 |
Highest-paying states for urban and regional planners
| State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $137,000 | 120 |
| California | $109,610 | 7,460 |
| Oregon | $103,070 | 1,010 |
| Arizona | $102,400 | 1,330 |
| Colorado | $101,340 | 1,300 |
| Washington | $100,990 | 3,180 |
| Nevada | $100,040 | 270 |
| Connecticut | $99,880 | 350 |
| Massachusetts | $99,780 | 1,540 |
| Minnesota | $97,060 | 860 |
Lowest-paying states
- Mississippi: $60,300 median annual wage
- West Virginia: $61,390 median annual wage
- Arkansas: $63,530 median annual wage
- Kentucky: $65,000 median annual wage
- Delaware: $67,110 median annual wage
About this occupation
Develop comprehensive plans and programs for use of land and physical facilities of jurisdictions, such as towns, cities, counties, and metropolitan areas.
Typical tasks
- 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.
- Mediate community disputes or assist in developing alternative plans or recommendations for programs or projects.
- Recommend approval, denial, or conditional approval of proposals.
- Evaluate proposals for infrastructure projects or other development for environmental impact or sustainability.
- Keep informed about economic or legal issues involved in zoning codes, building codes, or environmental regulations.
Education of the current workforce — typical entry: Master's degree
| Education level | Share of workers |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree | 45.0% |
| Master's degree | 51.4% |
| Doctoral or professional degree | 3.6% |
Occupation profile data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor.
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About this data
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — data period May 2025, retrieved August 13, 2026.
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — data period May 2025, retrieved August 13, 2026.
- CareerOneStop Occupation Profiles — data period 2026-08, retrieved August 14, 2026.
Figures are shown exactly as published by the source or derived by the documented formulas on our methodology page. Where a source suppresses an estimate, we show “—” rather than a substitute value.