Urban and Regional Planner Salary
Urban and Regional Planners earn a median $89,320 a year nationally. Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations
U.S. median
$89,320
$42.94 per hour
Range
$60,010 – $134,490
10th to 90th percentile
Employed
44,230
across the U.S.
▲6.7%
Pay trend: The median for urban and regional planners in the U.S. rose from $83,720 (May 2024) to $89,320 (May 2025). That beat inflation (2.4%), a real raise of about 4.3%.
What urban and regional planners do
Develop comprehensive plans and programs for use of land and physical facilities of jurisdictions, such as towns, cities, counties, and metropolitan areas.
- Typical education
- Master's degree
- Work experience
- None required
- On-the-job training
- None
- Job outlook, 2025–35
- +3.9% (about average)
- Openings per year
- 3,200
Employment of urban and regional planners is projected to grow 3.9% from 2025 to 2035, about the same as the 3.5% average for all occupations. About 3,200 openings are expected each year, on average, including jobs left by workers who retire or switch careers.
Source: BLS Standard Occupational Classification and Employment Projections, 2025–35.
Urban and Regional Planner take-home pay calculator
Starts at the national median. Pick your state to see your real paycheck.
Your take-home pay
$71,667
per year · effective tax rate 19.8%
$5,972Monthly
$2,986Twice a month
$2,756Every 2 weeks
$34.46Hourly
- Federal income tax$10,820
- Social Security (6.2%)$5,538
- Medicare (1.45%)$1,295
- Texas income tax$0
- Take-home pay$71,667
Marginal rate: 22% federal + 0.00% state
Pay by experience
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home (no state tax) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $60,010 | $28.85 | $50,398 |
| 25th percentile | $72,020 | $34.63 | $59,496 |
| Median (50th) | $89,320 | $42.94 | $71,667 |
| 75th percentile | $110,030 | $52.90 | $86,236 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $134,490 | $64.66 | $103,190 |
Urban and Regional Planner salary by state
| State | Median | 1-yr change | Take-home | Range | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $137,000 | +5.6% | $96,229 | $98,410 – $170,980 | 120 |
| California | $109,610 | +4.2% | $78,552 | $77,430 – $166,950 | 7,460 |
| Oregon | $103,070 | +11.5% | $73,151 | $68,630 – $132,290 | 1,010 |
| Arizona | $102,400 | +30.9% | $78,517 | $62,670 – $127,660 | 1,330 |
| Colorado | $101,340 | +4.7% | $76,372 | $69,670 – $140,750 | 1,300 |
| Washington | $100,990 | +2.9% | $79,876 | $77,190 – $126,340 | 3,180 |
| Nevada | $100,040 | +12.7% | $79,208 | $65,530 – $168,740 | 270 |
| Connecticut | $99,880 | +5.2% | $75,177 | $72,300 – $140,090 | 350 |
| Massachusetts | $99,780 | +13.3% | $74,256 | $69,150 – $134,310 | 1,540 |
| Minnesota | $97,060 | +5.7% | $72,035 | $63,460 – $127,620 | 860 |
| Alaska | $93,860 | +9.2% | $74,861 | $60,420 – $112,930 | 230 |
| Illinois | $91,360 | +14.0% | $68,724 | $56,190 – $145,660 | 1,140 |
| Rhode Island | $90,210 | +5.0% | $69,527 | $59,990 – $115,160 | 160 |
| New York | $89,630 | −5.4% | $67,637 | $61,460 – $138,330 | 2,420 |
| Maryland | $88,570 | +2.0% | $67,296 | $62,920 – $140,980 | 900 |
| New Jersey | $86,280 | +1.8% | $66,222 | $60,990 – $137,790 | 790 |
| Virginia | $86,030 | +5.2% | $65,219 | $61,790 – $133,520 | 1,740 |
| Hawaii | $85,590 | +6.8% | $64,068 | $59,990 – $115,350 | 450 |
| Vermont | $84,750 | +3.1% | $65,318 | $61,400 – $103,540 | 100 |
| Utah | $84,360 | +11.8% | $65,347 | $56,730 – $125,070 | 500 |
| Wisconsin | $84,290 | +10.1% | $65,041 | $50,230 – $116,240 | 1,100 |
| Texas | $82,830 | +5.9% | $67,101 | $59,510 – $121,780 | 2,190 |
| Kansas | $82,330 | −1.6% | $62,955 | $58,930 – $128,320 | 250 |
| Oklahoma | $81,520 | +5.0% | $63,056 | $53,510 – $120,120 | 350 |
| North Carolina | $81,230 | +3.7% | $63,243 | $58,830 – $112,110 | 1,630 |
| Pennsylvania | $80,810 | +7.4% | $63,199 | $52,010 – $111,070 | 860 |
| Montana | $80,770 | +6.3% | $62,449 | $57,310 – $109,970 | 270 |
| Florida | $80,720 | +4.6% | $65,617 | $52,930 – $129,350 | 2,620 |
| Missouri | $80,720 | +4.3% | $62,760 | $52,710 – $128,250 | 440 |
| Georgia | $80,030 | +5.3% | $61,600 | $53,970 – $125,940 | 1,150 |
| Ohio | $79,950 | +7.5% | $63,659 | $53,800 – $113,020 | 760 |
| Maine | $79,120 | +4.6% | $60,330 | $56,480 – $112,810 | 190 |
| Iowa | $79,100 | +4.3% | $62,123 | $55,550 – $107,370 | 300 |
| Tennessee | $78,970 | +16.5% | $64,385 | $59,990 – $105,700 | 310 |
| Michigan | $78,510 | +2.8% | $60,976 | $52,060 – $109,930 | 1,380 |
| North Dakota | $78,500 | −7.0% | $63,783 | $61,070 – $129,930 | 210 |
| New Mexico | $77,710 | +16.7% | $61,012 | $57,750 – $104,730 | 270 |
| Idaho | $76,500 | +14.2% | $59,702 | $48,990 – $105,540 | 350 |
| South Carolina | $75,810 | +15.6% | $58,771 | $52,530 – $112,400 | 530 |
| Nebraska | $74,830 | +15.0% | $58,948 | $53,770 – $99,820 | 360 |
| Louisiana | $74,500 | +15.0% | $59,392 | $52,510 – $115,980 | 240 |
| New Hampshire | $73,860 | −5.4% | $60,791 | $55,900 – $109,240 | 260 |
| South Dakota | $71,180 | +4.6% | $58,905 | $51,670 – $92,760 | 210 |
| Indiana | $70,760 | +6.6% | $56,552 | $47,110 – $101,480 | 620 |
| Alabama | $70,710 | +9.0% | $55,304 | $46,650 – $124,040 | 520 |
| Wyoming | $70,190 | +0.9% | $58,209 | $52,230 – $110,170 | 110 |
| Delaware | $67,110 | +1.1% | $52,954 | $52,120 – $101,680 | 290 |
| Kentucky | $65,000 | −10.4% | $52,250 | $49,690 – $106,330 | 180 |
| Arkansas | $63,530 | +4.5% | $50,961 | $42,990 – $95,960 | 80 |
| West Virginia | $61,390 | +5.4% | $49,480 | $47,250 – $96,110 | 160 |
| Mississippi | $60,300 | −3.3% | $48,951 | $43,370 – $110,410 | 200 |
Related jobs
| Job | Median salary | Education | Growth 2025–35 |
|---|---|---|---|
| School Psychologist | $95,990 | Master's degree | +0.8% |
| Clinical and Counseling Psychologist | $100,580 | Doctoral or professional degree | +11.7% |
| Social Scientists and Related Workers, All Other | $101,110 | Bachelor's degree | -0.2% |
| Historian | $76,750 | Master's degree | +3.0% |
| Geographer | $102,040 | Bachelor's degree | -2.1% |
| Sociologist | $106,030 | Master's degree | +3.8% |
| Anthropologist and Archeologist | $70,770 | Master's degree | +6.0% |
| Survey Researcher | $69,460 | Master's degree | -4.8% |
| Psychologists, All Other | $110,840 | Master's degree | +2.3% |
| Economist | $124,720 | Master's degree | +4.7% |
Frequently asked questions
How much does a urban and regional planner make?
The national median salary for urban and regional planners is $89,320 a year ($42.94 an hour). The lowest-paid 10% earn under $60,010 and the top 10% earn over $134,490. Source: BLS, May 2025.
Which state pays urban and regional planners the most?
District of Columbia has the highest median pay at $137,000.
How many urban and regional planners are there in the U.S.?
About 44,230 people work as urban and regional planners nationwide.