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 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:SpeakingJudgment and Decision MakingActive ListeningSystems AnalysisReading ComprehensionCritical 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 salary by industry
Federal, State, and Local Government, excl. State & Local Schools & Hospitals & USPS
38,300 workers
$96,500
Local Government, including Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation)
33,350 workers
$96,000
Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
5,020 workers
$109,000
State Government, including Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation)
4,110 workers
$93,000
Federal Government, including the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation)
990 workers
$124,500
Utilities
190 workers
$131,000
Educational Services
170 workers
$96,000
Other Services (except Public Administration)
140 workers
$88,500
National sector-level figures, BLS OEWS May 2025, aged to 2026.
How this role compares
Urban and Regional Planners pays 2% below the average across 48 roles in the Life, Physical, and Social Science job family (family average $100,000).
Similar-paying roles in Life, Physical, and Social Science
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 $100,000 across 48 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.
