---

Land Use Planning & Development

Types of Degrees Land Use Planning & Development Majors Are Earning

Those studying Land Use Planning & Development may pursue degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Bachelor’s Degree	26
Master’s Degree	59

What Land Use Planning & Development Majors Need to Know

Studies in Land Use Planning & Development build a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Land Use Planning & Development graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

Coursework in Land Use Planning & Development emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• English Language — Importance 4.4 / 5; level 5.1 / 7.
• Education and Training — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 5.2 / 7.
• Biology — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.7 / 7.
• Mathematics — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• Computers and Electronics — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.

^{Importance is rated 1–5; level is 1–7. Source: ONET Online — weighted across related occupations.*}

Skills

The skill set developed in a Land Use Planning & Development program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Reading Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• Speaking — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• Writing — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.

Abilities

The cognitive and physical abilities most relevant to Land Use Planning & Development careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Oral Expression — Importance 4.4 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
• Written Comprehension — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.7 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
• Written Expression — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
• Deductive Reasoning — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Land Use Planning & Development graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Getting Information	4.6 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	4.5 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	4.4 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	4.4 / 7
Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others	4.4 / 7
Analyzing Data or Information	4.3 / 7
Working with Computers	4.3 / 7
Thinking Creatively	4.2 / 7
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events	4.2 / 7
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships	4.1 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Land Use Planning & Development professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	✓
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	—
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	✓
Word processing software	Word processing software	—
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	✓
ESRI ArcGIS software	Geographic information system	✓
Microsoft Outlook	Electronic mail software	—
Web browser software	Internet browser software	—
Email software	Electronic mail software	—
Geographic information system GIS software	Geographic information system	—
Leica Geosystems ERDAS IMAGINE	Map creation software	—
SAS	Analytical or scientific software	—

^{Source: ONET Online technology skills, weighted across related occupations.*}

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Land Use Planning & Development graduates include:

• Research Professor
• Wildlife Conservation Professor
• Environmental Conservation Professor
• Natural Resources Faculty Member
• Extension Professor
• Forest Pathology Professor
• Biometrics Instructor
• Forest Products Teacher
• Forest Ecology Professor
• Forest Resources Professor
• Forest Biometrics Professor
• Forestry Faculty Member
• Ecology Professor
• Forest Management Professor
• Silviculture Professor

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to Land Use Planning & Development graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:

Education Level	Share of Workers
Doctoral degree	35.0%
Bachelor’s degree	32.9%
Master’s degree	13.3%
Post-doctoral training	12.0%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	3.2%
Post-baccalaureate certificate	2.0%
Postsecondary certificate	1.0%
High school diploma or equivalent	0.5%
Some college courses	0.1%

^{Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*}

Who Is Earning a Degree in Land Use Planning & Development?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly male, with men earning 68.2% of Land Use Planning & Development degrees.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	27	31.8%
Men	58	68.2%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of Land Use Planning & Development graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	67	78.8%
Hispanic or Latino	2	2.4%
Black or African American	6	7.1%
American Indian / Alaska Native	1	1.2%
Two or More Races	4	4.7%
Race Unknown	5	5.9%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Land Use Planning & Development Graduates Earn?

College Scorecard reports median earnings of Land Use Planning & Development graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. These numbers tend to grow steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$42,496
4 years	$52,434
5 years	$59,221

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $59,221 — roughly 39% above the 1-year mark.

^{Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.}

Online Land Use Planning & Development Programs

Distance learning are documented by IPEDS for Land Use Planning & Development. The table below shows how many graduates earned at least some of their coursework online (Distance-Ed Available) versus completing the entire program online (Distance-Ed Only).

Award Level	Distance-Ed Available	Distance-Ed Only
Bachelor’s	1	0

^{Distance-Ed Only = degrees completed entirely online; Distance-Ed Available = degrees including at least some online coursework. Source: IPEDS Completions by Distance Education status.}

Is a Degree in Land Use Planning & Development Worth It?

On the earnings side, the federal earnings tracker, Land Use Planning & Development graduates earn a median of $52,434 four years after completion — roughly 38% above the national median for workers with only a high school diploma (~$38,000).

^{ROI estimate compares the program’s 4-yr median earnings against the 2023 BLS CPS median earnings for high-school-only workers. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + BLS Current Population Survey.}

Related Programs

You may also be interested in these closely related fields of study:

Program	CIP Code
Environmental/Natural Resources Management and Policy	03.02
Bioenergy	03.0210
Energy and Environmental Policy	03.0209
Environmental/Natural Resource Economics	03.0204
Environmental/Natural Resource Recreation and Tourism	03.0207
Environmental/Natural Resources Law Enforcement and Protective Services	03.0208
Environmental/Natural Resources Management and Policy, General	03.0201
Environmental/Natural Resources Management and Policy, Other	03.0299
Water, Wetlands, and Marine Resources Management	03.0205
Forest Management/Forest Resources Management	03.0506
Forest Sciences and Biology	03.0502
Forestry, General	03.0501

References

The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students and international students. This number is then divided by the total number of students to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard

More about our data sources and methodologies.