How to hire a city planner

How to hire a city planner, step by step

Here's a step-by-step city planner hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a city planner job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new city planner
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The city planner hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them a city planner to have before you start to hire. For example, what industry or field would you like them to have experience in, what level of seniority or education does the job require, and how much it'll cost to hire a city planner that fits the bill.

   Here's a comparison of city planner salaries for various roles:

   Type of City Planner	Description	Hourly rate
   City Planner	Urban and regional planners develop land use plans and programs that help create communities, accommodate population growth, and revitalize physical facilities in towns, cities, counties, and metropolitan areas.	$22-42
   Urban Design Consultant	An urban design consultant is in charge of many projects, and so they have to oversee tasks and plan assignments. They are skilled in creating interior design solutions, space planning, sketching, and product selection... Show more	$24-37
   Urban Renewal Manager	An urban renewal manager has a multitude of roles he/she performs in the organization he/she finds himself in. They conduct detailed economic and statistical analysis of market trends... Show more	$26-54

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Planning Commission
   • GIS
   • Regional Planning
   • City Planning
   • Community Development
   • City Ordinances
   • Comprehensive Plan
   • Economic Development
   • Development Projects
   • Development Review
   • Staff Reports
   • Urban Design
   • Master Plan
   • Historic Preservation

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Guide production planning activities ranging from developing and revising production schedules, forecasting trends and customer demand, and managing logistics.
   • Utilize planning relate software and GIS applications; and basic statistics and mathematical calculations.
   • Direct inbound or outbound logistics operations, such as transportation or warehouse activities, safety performance, or logistics quality management.
   • Construct engaging PowerPoint presentations for clients.

   More city planner duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your city planner job description helps attract top candidates to the position. A city planner salary can be affected by several factors, such as geography, experience, seniority, certifications, and the prestige of the hiring company.

   For example, the average salary for a city planner in South Dakota may be lower than in California, and an entry-level city planner usually earns less than a senior-level city planner. Additionally, a city planner with certifications may command a higher salary, and working for a well-known company or start-up may also impact an employee's pay.

   Average city planner salary

   $64,562yearly

   $31.04 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level city planner salary

   $47,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 31, 2026

   Average city planner salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$81,926	$39
   2	California	$78,891	$38
   3	Oregon	$72,472	$35
   4	New York	$69,690	$34
   5	Minnesota	$68,528	$33
   6	Minnesota	$68,423	$33
   7	Minnesota	$68,386	$33
   8	Maryland	$67,319	$32
   9	Colorado	$63,185	$30
   10	Colorado	$63,170	$30
   11	Colorado	$63,122	$30
   12	Ohio	$63,038	$30
   13	Texas	$62,923	$30
   14	Texas	$62,863	$30
   15	Ohio	$61,349	$29
   16	Michigan	$59,963	$29
   17	New Hampshire	$57,295	$28
   18	North Carolina	$56,595	$27
   19	Nebraska	$56,588	$27
   20	Virginia	$55,576	$27

   Average city planner salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Citi	$87,161	$41.90
   2	City of Detroit	$85,873	$41.29
   3	City and County of Denver Government	$76,899	$36.97	6
   4	City of Hampton	$64,490	$31.00	1
   5	Yellow	$64,248	$30.89
   6	City of New York	$63,214	$30.39	10
   7	City of Baltimore	$62,838	$30.21	2
   8	City of Dover	$61,906	$29.76
   9	Minnesota Limited	$61,855	$29.74
   10	City of Cincinnati	$61,779	$29.70	1
   11	Nyc Parks	$61,750	$29.69
   12	Renaissance Planning	$61,599	$29.61
   13	City of Eden Prairie	$61,520	$29.58
   14	City of Alvin	$61,385	$29.51
   15	City of Visalia	$61,364	$29.50
   16	City of Boise	$60,524	$29.10
   17	City of Stafford	$60,414	$29.05
   18	Loveland City Hall	$60,392	$29.03	1
   19	YRC Freight	$59,620	$28.66
   20	City of Portland	$58,197	$27.98	1

4. Writing a city planner job description

   A city planner job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. To help get you started, here's an example of a city planner job description:

   City planner job description example

   Class Description
   
   A City Planner Supervisor oversees a section engaged in city, environmental or emergency planning projects. Work of this class involves supervising emergency planning and other city-planning personnel.
   
   Incumbents receive general supervision from a technical superior. Employees in this class work a conventional workweek that may include evening and weekend hours and are subject to 24-hour call-back. Work is performed in an office where working conditions are normal. Work requires minimal physical exertion.
   
   Selection Process
   
   All candidates indicating the minimum qualifications on their application will be placed on the eligible list without further examination. The training and experience of each candidate will be evaluated for appropriateness and quantity.It is essential, therefore, that you give complete and accurate information on your application. Vagueness or omission may prevent you from being considered for this position.Qualified candidates will not be listed in rank order.
   
   Minimum Qualifications
   
   On or before the date of filing the application, each candidate must:
   
   EDUCATION: Have a master's degree in urban or regional planning, sustainability or environmental studies, public administration, public health, emergency planning, transportation or a closely related field from an accredited college or university.
   
   AND
   
   EXPERIENCE: Have five years of experience in performing urban, regional, transportation, environmental, sustainability, or emergency planning work.
   
   OR
   
   NOTES (EQUIVALENCIES): Have a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university and six years of experience in performing urban, regional, transportation, environmental, sustainability, or emergency planning work.
   
   Completion of postgraduate education in urban, regional or emergency planning, sustainability or environmental studies, public administration, public health, transportation or a closely related field from an accredited college or university may substitute for two years of the required experience.
   
   LICENSE, REGISTRATION & CERTIFICATE REQUIREMENTS:Some positions in this class may require a Maryland Class C driver's license.
   
   Supplemental Information
   
   EXAMINATION PROCESS:
   
   Applicants must provide sufficient information on your application to show that you meet the qualifications for this recruitment. Successful applicants will be placed on the employment certified eligible list for at least six months.
   
   The examination will consist of a rating of your education, training, and experience as presented on your application and as they relate to the requirements of the position. You may be required to complete supplemental questions to further examine specific Knowledge, Skills and Abilities of the position. Therefore, it is important that you provide complete and accurate information on your application.
   
   NOTE: Those eligible candidates who are under final consideration for appointment to positions in this class will be required to authorize the release of criminal conviction information.
   
   Financial Disclosure: UnderSections 7-7, 7-8, and 7-9 of the EthicsLaw outlinesthe City officials and employees who are required to file. Each year, the Ethics Board, in collaboration with City agencies and the Department of Human Resources, identifies required filers based on the Ethics Law's criteria.
   
   These positions typically include:
   
   As a general matter, the following public servants must file financial disclosure statements:
   
   * Officials and many non-clerical employees of City agencies and instrumentalities (§§ 7-7 and 7-8);
   * "Non-clerical" means any compensated public servant who is not employed solely in a secretarial, clerical, or custodial capacity.
   
   * Members of most City boards and commissions (§§ 7-7 and 7-8);
   * Individuals filling procurement, enforcement, and legislative liaison functions (§ 7-9);
   * Individuals vacating any of these positions (§ 7-11).
   * Individuals filling a vacancy in any of these positions (§ 7-12).
   * Candidates for qualifying elected positions (§ 7-13).
   * Designees of the Mayor and of the City Council President (§ 7-14).

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find city planners for your business:

   • Promoting internally or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to meet candidates with the right educational background.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to recruit passive job-seekers.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your city planner job on Zippia to find and recruit city planner candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   During your first interview to recruit city planners, engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. During the following interview, you'll be able to go into more detail about the company, the position, and the responsibilities.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents. You can move on to the technical interview if a candidate is good enough for the next step.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new city planner

   Once you've decided on a perfect city planner candidate, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, it should include benefits and perks available to the employee. Qualified candidates may be considered for other positions, so make sure your offer is competitive. Candidates may wish to negotiate. Once you've settled on the details, formalize your agreement with a contract.

   You should also follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that you've filled the position.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new city planner. Human Resources should complete Employee Action Forms and ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc. They should also ensure that new employee files are created for internal recordkeeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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