All About Urban and Regional Planners
Position Description Develop comprehensive plans and programs for use of land and physical facilities of jurisdictions, such as towns, cities, counties, and metropolitan areas.
List of Urban & Regional Planner Job Duties
- Investigate property availability for purposes of development.
- Keep informed about economic or legal issues involved in zoning codes, building codes, or environmental regulations.
- Determine the effects of regulatory limitations on land use projects.
- Create, prepare, or requisition graphic or narrative reports on land use data, including land area maps overlaid with geographic variables such as population density.
- Recommend approval, denial, or conditional approval of proposals.
- Supervise or coordinate the work of urban planning technicians or technologists.
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Urban & Regional Planner Skills
Urban and Regional Planners state the following job skills are important in their day-to-day work.
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.
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.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Judgment and Decision Making: Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Systems Analysis: Determining how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect outcomes.
Related Job Titles
- Developer Advocate
- Community Development Director
- City Planner
- Transportation Analyst
- Master Planner
Job Demand for Urban and Regional Planners
In 2016, there was an estimated number of 36,000 jobs in the United States for Urban and Regional Planner. New jobs are being produced at a rate of 12.8% which is above the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 4,600 new jobs for Urban and Regional Planner by 2026. The BLS estimates 3,500 yearly job openings in this field.

The states with the most job growth for Urban & Regional Planner are Utah, West Virginia, and Texas. Watch out if you plan on working in Alaska, Maryland, or New Jersey. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
Average Urban and Regional Planners Salary
The salary for Urban and Regional Planners ranges between about $45,180 and $114,170 a year.

Urban and Regional Planners who work in District of Columbia, California, or Nevada, make the highest salaries.
Below is a list of the median annual salaries for Urban and Regional Planners in different U.S. states.
State | Annual Mean Salary |
---|---|
Alabama | $59,630 |
Alaska | $83,630 |
Arizona | $70,860 |
Arkansas | $53,750 |
California | $93,790 |
Colorado | $75,610 |
Connecticut | $79,500 |
Delaware | $64,120 |
District of Columbia | $110,100 |
Florida | $72,910 |
Georgia | $60,270 |
Hawaii | $76,230 |
Idaho | $61,320 |
Illinois | $74,420 |
Indiana | $56,800 |
Iowa | $66,160 |
Kansas | $67,370 |
Kentucky | $53,330 |
Louisiana | $71,570 |
Maine | $67,730 |
Maryland | $77,750 |
Massachusetts | $81,660 |
Michigan | $65,390 |
Minnesota | $73,330 |
Mississippi | $57,330 |
Missouri | $71,080 |
Montana | $58,600 |
Nebraska | $68,490 |
Nevada | $81,300 |
New Hampshire | $62,430 |
New Jersey | $74,120 |
New Mexico | $59,980 |
New York | $76,730 |
North Carolina | $66,650 |
North Dakota | $72,310 |
Ohio | $69,950 |
Oklahoma | $62,860 |
Oregon | $81,590 |
Pennsylvania | $67,720 |
Rhode Island | $74,510 |
South Carolina | $64,700 |
South Dakota | $56,780 |
Tennessee | $60,030 |
Texas | $69,070 |
Utah | $67,660 |
Vermont | $60,780 |
Virginia | $73,770 |
Washington | $81,250 |
West Virginia | $57,170 |
Wisconsin | $69,840 |
Wyoming | $63,380 |
What Tools & Technology do Urban and Regional Planners Use?
Below is a list of the types of tools and technologies that Urban and Regional Planners may use on a daily basis:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft Office
- Hypertext markup language HTML
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Microsoft Outlook
- Web browser software
- Microsoft Access
- Word processing software
- SAP
- Microsoft Project
- Autodesk AutoCAD
- Adobe Systems Adobe Acrobat
- Spreadsheet software
- Microsoft SharePoint
- Adobe Systems Adobe Photoshop
- Database software
- Structured query language SQL
- Adobe Systems Adobe Illustrator
- Extensible markup language XML
How to Become an Urban & Regional Planner
What education or degrees do I need to become an Urban and Regional Planner?

How Long Does it Take to Become an Urban & Regional Planner?

Where do Urban and Regional Planners Work?

The table below shows the approximate number of Urban and Regional Planners employed by various industries.

You May Also Be Interested In…
Those interested in being an Urban and Regional Planner may also be interested in:
References:
Image Credit: Arcaddmarketing via Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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