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Assistant planner education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become an assistant planner. Assistant planners usually study business, urban planning, or marketing. 76% of assistant planners hold a bachelor's degree, and 12% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 1,395 real assistant planner resumes to see exactly what assistant planner education sections show.

The most common colleges for assistant planners are the Fashion Institute of Technology and the Fashion Institute of Technology.

There are also many online assistant planner courses to help get the education required to be an assistant planner.

What education do you need to become an assistant planner?

What degree do you need to be an assistant planner?

The most common degree for assistant planners is bachelor's degree, with 76% of assistant planners earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 12% and master's degree degree at 8%.
  • Bachelor's, 76%
  • Master's, 12%
  • Associate, 8%
  • High School Diploma, 2%
  • Other Degrees, 2%

What should I major in to become an assistant planner?

You should major in business to become an assistant planner. 21% of assistant planners major in business. Other common majors for an assistant planner include urban planning and marketing.

Most common colleges for assistant planners

Assistant planners often get their degrees at Fashion Institute of Technology, University of Southern California, and University of California - Davis. Here are the most common colleges for assistant planners in the US based on their resumes.
Assistant planner common collegePercentages
Fashion Institute of Technology13.17%
University of Southern California6.83%
University of California - Davis5.85%
California State Polytechnic University, Pomona5.85%
New York University5.37%

Best majors for assistant planners

Best colleges for assistant planners

The best colleges for assistant planners are Northwestern University, University of Pennsylvania, and Boston College.

An assistant planner with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for assistant planners. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become assistant planners.

1. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$55,584

Enrollment

10,764

2. Western Carolina University

Cullowhee, NC • Private

In-state tuition

$3,926

Enrollment

9,835

3. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

In-state tuition

$54,568

Enrollment

8,451

4. Ball State University

Muncie, IN • Private

In-state tuition

$9,896

Enrollment

15,529

5. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$56,225

Enrollment

19,548

6. Bowling Green State University

Bowling Green, OH • Private

In-state tuition

$11,105

Enrollment

13,729

7. SUNY at Binghamton

Vestal, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$9,808

Enrollment

13,990

8. Cedar Crest College

Allentown, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$39,216

Enrollment

1,303

9. Villanova University

Villanova, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$53,308

Enrollment

6,819

10. Boston College

Chestnut Hill, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$55,464

Enrollment

9,639

20 best online courses for assistant planners

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Top 10 most affordable universities for assistant planners

The most affordable schools for assistant planners are Baruch College of the City University of New York, suny farmingdale, and university of puerto rico - mayaguez.

If the best universities for assistant planners are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for assistant planners.

1. Baruch College of the City University of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,262

Cost of attendance

14,046

2. SUNY Farmingdale

Farmingdale, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$8,306

Cost of attendance

16,091

3. University of Puerto Rico - Mayaguez

Mayaguez, PR • Private

In-state tuition

$4,094

Cost of attendance

14,302

4. USF Sarasota-Manatee

Sarasota, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,587

Cost of attendance

13,043

5. Minot State University

Minot, ND • Private

In-state tuition

$7,064

Cost of attendance

15,576

6. California State University - Dominguez Hills

Carson, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,942

Cost of attendance

14,469

7. Clayton State University

Morrow, GA • Private

In-state tuition

$5,419

Cost of attendance

17,697

8. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Cost of attendance

18,136

9. California State University - Bakersfield

Bakersfield, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,309

Cost of attendance

16,714

10. University of Florida

Gainesville, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,381

Cost of attendance

21,034

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for assistant planners

The hardest universities for assistant planners to get into are Northwestern University, University of Pennsylvania, and Boston College.

Some great schools for assistant planners are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for assistant planners based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.

1. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

Admissions rate

8%

SAT average

1,508

2. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

Admissions rate

8%

SAT average

1,492

3. Boston College

Chestnut Hill, MA • Private

Admissions rate

28%

SAT average

1,429

4. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

22%

SAT average

1,420

5. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

13%

SAT average

1,445

6. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

Admissions rate

4%

SAT average

1,497

7. Villanova University

Villanova, PA • Private

Admissions rate

29%

SAT average

1,407

8. Bentley University

Waltham, MA • Private

Admissions rate

43%

SAT average

1,338

9. SUNY at Binghamton

Vestal, NY • Private

Admissions rate

40%

SAT average

1,376

10. Vanderbilt University

Nashville, TN • Private

Admissions rate

10%

SAT average

1,514

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for assistant planners

The easiest schools for assistant planners to get into are Oklahoma Wesleyan University, holy names university, and notre dame college.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as an assistant planner without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for assistant planners.

1. Oklahoma Wesleyan University

Bartlesville, OK • Private

Admissions rate

68%

SAT average

964

2. Holy Names University

Oakland, CA • Private

Admissions rate

70%

SAT average

849

3. Notre Dame College

Cleveland, OH • Private

Admissions rate

90%

SAT average

994

4. LIM College

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

83%

SAT average

1,061

5. Gwynedd Mercy University

Gwynedd Valley, PA • Private

Admissions rate

92%

SAT average

1,031

6. Mount Saint Mary's University

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

84%

SAT average

1,031

7. Felician University

Lodi, NJ • Private

Admissions rate

81%

SAT average

999

8. Barry University

Miami, FL • Private

Admissions rate

91%

SAT average

1,006

9. Oregon Institute of Technology

Klamath Falls, OR • Private

Admissions rate

96%

SAT average

1,139

10. Manor College

Jenkintown, PA • Private

Admissions rate

94%

SAT average

898

Average assistant planner salary by education level

Assistant planners with a Master's degree earn more than those without, at $112,827 annually. With a Bachelor's degree, assistant planners earn a median annual income of $93,204 compared to $81,869 for assistant planners with an Associate degree.
Assistant planner education levelAssistant planner salary
Master's Degree$112,827
High School Diploma or Less$76,458
Bachelor's Degree$93,204
Some College/ Associate Degree$81,869

Assistant planner education FAQs

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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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