Urban and Regional Planners
Develop comprehensive plans and programs for use of land and physical facilities of jurisdictions, such as towns, cities, counties, and metropolitan areas.
Urban and Regional Planners develop comprehensive plans and programs for use of land and physical facilities of jurisdictions, such as towns, cities, counties, and metropolitan areas. The role reports a median annual salary of $83,720 in the US with the middle 80% earning between $50,620 and $129,070 and is projected to grow 3% over the next decade (about as fast as average). Entry typically requires a Master's degree, and shows moderate AI exposure (0.41 on a 0-1 scale) — some tasks are being automated but the role adapts. The most in-demand skills for the role include Active Listening, Speaking, Critical Thinking, Reading Comprehension, Writing.
Salary distribution (US)
Real salary data from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The p10–p90 spread tells you more than the median alone.
Pay in the UK
UK: median £36,457 a year for Chartered architectural technologists, planning officers and consultants (ONS ASHE 2025, full-time)
UK jobs are grouped differently; this is the closest UK occupation group (ONS SOC 2020 2452). ONS rates this estimate acceptable: it rests on a small sample, so treat it as a rough guide. 2025 provisional figures; ONS revises them a year later. Source: ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (Open Government Licence)
Pay in India (occupation group)
Average monthly earnings of salaried employees in the occupation group “Professionals” in India, from the Government of India's Periodic Labour Force Survey (January–December 2025). It covers everyone in this group, not only Urban and Regional Planners, and it is not US pay converted to rupees.
Source: MoSPI (Government of India), Periodic Labour Force Survey Annual Report 2025, Table 51 — average wage/salary earnings of regular wage/salaried employees, NCO-2015 division 2. Official India data gives one average per occupation group: there are no official India figures for single careers, experience levels or cities. Read the report
How to get here in India
The usual route into this career in India. Each step links to the official page it comes from.
- 1 · Entrance exam JEE (Main) Paper 2B for B.Planning admission[1]
- 2 · Qualification Bachelor of Planning (B.Planning)[1]
Rules change: check the exam body's and regulator's current notice before you apply.
- JEE (Main) — National Testing Agency (read on 2026-09-27)
Entrance exams on this route — Dates, eligibility and cut-offs for the exams on the way to this career:
7 open listings on our jobs board → Recent listings whose job title matches this career. Some jobs in this career are advertised under other titles.
Top skills
Knowledge you'll build
- Law and Government
- Geography
- English Language
- Design
- Sociology and Anthropology
- Transportation
- Building and Construction
- Administration and Management
A day in the life
You start the day reviewing zoning applications and GIS maps, analyzing how a proposed housing development would affect traffic, green space, and neighborhood character. Mid-morning you attend a planning commission hearing where residents voice passionate opinions about a new bike lane, and you present data and recommendations to help elected officials make informed decisions. Afternoons involve site visits to parcels slated for redevelopment, drafting comprehensive plans for future land use, or researching best practices from other cities. The work shapes the physical world people live in, and the reward is driving through a neighborhood you helped redesign and seeing it thrive.
Illustrative: one typical day. Real days vary by employer and seniority.
What you'd actually do
- 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.
- Recommend approval, denial, or conditional approval of proposals.
Tools & technology you'd use
Frequently asked questions
What does 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.
What does a typical day look like in Urban and Regional Planners?
You start the day reviewing zoning applications and GIS maps, analyzing how a proposed housing development would affect traffic, green space, and neighborhood character. Mid-morning you attend a planning commission hearing where residents voice passionate opinions about a new bike lane, and you present data and recommendations to help elected officials make informed decisions.
How much does Urban and Regional Planners earn?
The median annual salary for Urban and Regional Planners in the US is $83,720. The middle 80% of workers earn between $50,620 and $129,070 annually. Entry-to-mid-career earners typically fall between $63,160 and $104,630.
What is the job outlook for Urban and Regional Planners?
The role is projected to grow 3% over the next decade (about as fast as average). Current US employment is approximately 44,700 workers.
How do I become urban and regional planners?
The typical entry education is a Master's degree. Building a foundation in the top skills below will strengthen your application.
What skills does Urban and Regional Planners need?
The most in-demand skills for this role include Active Listening, Speaking, Critical Thinking, Reading Comprehension, Writing, Complex Problem Solving. These are the skills O*NET identifies as most important for competent performance.
Will AI replace Urban and Regional Planners?
Our AI-durability model gives Urban and Regional Planners a score of 0.41 on a 0-1 scale (higher = more exposure). That places it at moderate AI exposure — some tasks are being automated but the role adapts. Learning to work with AI tools rather than against them is the path forward.
How hard is it to enter this field?
Urban and Regional Planners has high barrier to entry — highly gated — a graduate degree or extended training/apprenticeship is typically required.