Urban and Regional Planners

Government and Public AdministrationO*NET 19-3051.00United States

Develop comprehensive plans and programs for use of land and physical facilities of jurisdictions, such as towns, cities, counties, and metropolitan areas.

COMING SOON See related ASU learning

Median annual earnings: $89,326
Projected change: +7%
Typical education: Master's or Professional degree
Employment: 45.09K jobs

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Build the skills

ASU learning related to this career

These courses and certificates are connected through catalog career relationships and Lightcast skill tags.

The work

What urban and regional planners do

Tasks reported for this occupation, ordered by how often they come up in the role.

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.
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.
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.
Conduct field investigations, surveys, impact studies, or other research to compile and analyze data on economic, social, regulatory, or physical factors affecting land use.
Discuss with planning officials the purpose of land use projects, such as transportation, conservation, residential, commercial, industrial, or community use.
Keep informed about economic or legal issues involved in zoning codes, building codes, or environmental regulations.
Assess the feasibility of land use proposals and identify necessary changes.
Determine the effects of regulatory limitations on land use projects.
Review and evaluate environmental impact reports pertaining to private or public planning projects or programs.
Develop plans for public or alternative transportation systems for urban or regional locations to reduce carbon output associated with transportation.
Supervise or coordinate the work of urban planning technicians or technologists.
Identify opportunities or develop plans for sustainability projects or programs to improve energy efficiency, minimize pollution or waste, or restore natural systems.
Coordinate work with economic consultants or architects during the formulation of plans or the design of large pieces of infrastructure.
Advocate sustainability to community groups, government agencies, the general public, or special interest groups.
Investigate property availability for purposes of development.

Pay and outlook

What the job pays and where it is heading

Annual earnings range

Reported earnings by percentile, United States

10th percentile: $59,993
25th percentile: $72,022
50th percentile: $89,326
75th percentile: $110,157
90th percentile: $134,661

The gold marker shows the median. Half earn more than $89,326 and half earn less.

Employment outlook

2025 to 2035 projection

+7%faster than average

202545,087 jobs

2035 projected48,246 jobs

3,159 more positions over the decade, before replacement hiring.

Preparation

Education levels

What people currently working in the career hold. These are not entry requirements.

Master's or Professional degree: 60%
Bachelor's degree: 40%

Skills

Skills employers ask for

Technical skills appearing most often in job postings for this occupation.

Project Management
Urban Planning
Public Administration
Land Use
Project Planning
Community Development
Land-Use Planning
Land Development
Regional Planning
Comprehensive Planning
Construction
Data Analysis
Finance
Landscape Architecture
Economics
Urban Design
Civil Engineering
Land Zoning
Real Estate
Economic Development

How the work gets done

Core competencies

Broad capabilities associated with strong performance in this occupation.

Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Judgment and Decision Making: Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
Systems Analysis: Determining how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect outcomes.
Writing: Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Complex Problem Solving: Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
Systems Evaluation: Identifying measures or indicators of system performance and the actions needed to improve or correct performance, relative to the goals of the system.
Social Perceptiveness: Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Negotiation: Bringing others together and trying to reconcile differences.
Active Learning: Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
Coordination: Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
Time Management: Managing one's own time and the time of others.
Service Orientation: Actively looking for ways to help people.
Operations Analysis: Analyzing needs and product requirements to create a design.
Persuasion: Persuading others to change their minds or behavior.
Monitoring: Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Mathematics: Using mathematics to solve problems.
Management of Personnel Resources: Motivating, developing, and directing people as they work, identifying the best people for the job.

In the market

Job titles and employers

Recent job postings in United States

Common job titles

01Planners1,074 postings
02Planning Managers249 postings
03Estate Planners212 postings
04Land Acquisition Managers211 postings
05Planning Interns188 postings
06Principals184 postings
07Directors of Planning177 postings
08Capacity Planners164 postings
09City Planners163 postings
10Community Planners141 postings
11Planning Technicians141 postings
12Urban Planners139 postings
13Community Development Directors130 postings
14Event Planners130 postings
15Land Planners108 postings
16Land Use Planners100 postings
17Planners/Urban Designers82 postings
18Planning and Zoning Interns81 postings
19Urban Designers79 postings
20Land Use Specialists76 postings

Top employers

01HNTB119 postings
02STV79 postings
03New York City78 postings
04Booz Allen Hamilton69 postings
05Puget Energy69 postings
06Verdantas67 postings
07Amazon54 postings
08HDR48 postings
09Jacobs Solutions48 postings
10American Red Cross45 postings
11D.R. Horton44 postings
12CDM Smith43 postings
13Accenture42 postings
14Amentum42 postings
15Deloitte40 postings
16WSP Global38 postings
17Commonwealth Of Virginia36 postings
18International City/County Management Association36 postings
19Actalent31 postings
20Kimley-Horn31 postings

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