Home › Life, Physical, and Social Science › Urban and Regional Planners
Average base salary
$98,000 / year
≈ $8,150 per month · $47.12 per hour
25th percentile
$74,500Average
$98,00075th percentile
$114,000
$74,500Average
$98,00075th percentile
$114,000
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, aged to 2026 using compounded market movement. State selections show BLS state-level figures where published. Actual pay varies with experience, industry, and organization size.
Urban and Regional Planners salary by state
Alabama$82,000
Alaska$93,500
Arizona$102,500
Arkansas$68,500
California$120,500
Colorado$107,500
Connecticut$107,000
Delaware$76,500
District of Columbia$140,000
Florida$90,000
Georgia$87,500
Hawaii$88,500
Idaho$80,000
Illinois$100,500
Indiana$77,000
Iowa$83,000
Kansas$90,500
Kentucky$76,000
Louisiana$84,000
Maine$86,500
Maryland$100,000
Massachusetts$104,000
Michigan$83,000
Minnesota$99,000
Mississippi$71,500
Missouri$86,500
Montana$85,500
Nebraska$79,000
Nevada$107,000
New Hampshire$81,000
New Jersey$98,000
New Mexico$81,000
New York$102,000
North Carolina$86,500
North Dakota$91,000
Ohio$85,000
Oklahoma$87,000
Oregon$104,000
Pennsylvania$84,500
Rhode Island$91,500
South Carolina$82,500
South Dakota$77,500
Tennessee$84,500
Texas$89,500
Utah$90,500
Vermont$86,000
Virginia$97,000
Washington$105,000
West Virginia$70,000
Wisconsin$87,500
Wyoming$78,500
About this role
Urban and Regional Planners is a professional role in the Life, Physical, and Social Science job family, focused on Urban and Regional Planners work. Pay for this title reflects both its level and its scope; see our Title Level and Organization Responsibility guides for how WePayFairly defines them.
What Urban and Regional Plannerss do
Typical education: Master's Degree
- 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.
Top skills: Speaking Judgment and Decision Making Active Listening Systems Analysis Reading Comprehension Critical Thinking
Includes information from O*NET OnLine by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (CC BY 4.0).
Urban and Regional Planners pay by experience level
Entry level$62,000
Typical starting pay (about the 10th percentile)
Early career$74,500
A few years in (about the 25th percentile)
Experienced$92,500
Mid-career median pay
Senior$114,000
Seasoned professionals (about the 75th percentile)
Top earners$139,000
Highest earners (about the 90th percentile)
Experience tiers are derived from the BLS wage percentile distribution for this occupation, aged to 2026. Actual pay varies by employer, location, and specialization.
Job outlook
+3.4%
projected change in jobs, 2024–2034
3,400
projected openings per year
Growing about as fast as average
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program (2024–2034). Openings include growth and replacement needs.
Urban and Regional Planners salary by industry
Federal, State, and Local Government, excluding State and Local Schools and Hospitals and USPS
38,300 workers
$96,500Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation)
33,320 workers
$96,000Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
5,020 workers
$109,000Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services
4,070 workers
$110,000State Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation)
3,990 workers
$93,000Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation)
990 workers
$124,500Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services
760 workers
$102,000Utilities
190 workers
$131,000Educational Services
170 workers
$96,000Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations
140 workers
$88,500National sector-level figures, BLS OEWS May 2025, aged to 2026.
How this role compares
Urban and Regional Planners pays 2% below the average across 66 roles in the Life, Physical, and Social Science job family (family average $100,500).
Similar-paying roles in Life, Physical, and Social Science
Microbiologist$101,000
Epidemiologist$101,500
School Psychologist$102,500
Chemist$104,000
Animal Scientist$91,500
Soil and Plant Scientists$91,000
Geographer$106,000
Careers related to Urban and Regional Planners
Transportation Planner$111,500
Chief Executive$279,000
Project Management Specialist$114,500
Online Merchant$97,500
Compliance Manager$159,500
Industrial Ecologist$95,000
Related occupations from O*NET OnLine, U.S. Department of Labor.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a Urban and Regional Planners make?
The average base salary for a Urban and Regional Planners in the United States is $98,000 per year, or about $47.12 per hour.
What is the typical salary range?
Pay typically falls between $74,500 and $114,000 per year (25th to 75th percentile) depending on experience, location, industry, and organization size.
How does this compare with other Life, Physical, and Social Science roles?
The Life, Physical, and Social Science job family averages $100,500 across 66 roles tracked by WePayFairly.
Need a defensible market price for this role?
WePayFairly data is compiled from published survey sources and maintained by compensation professionals.
