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Community planner vs urban planner

The differences between community planners and urban planners can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a community planner and an urban planner. Additionally, a community planner has an average salary of $65,352, which is higher than the $65,316 average annual salary of an urban planner.

The top three skills for a community planner include community planning, DOD and demolition. The most important skills for an urban planner are GIS, infrastructure, and visualization.

Community planner vs urban planner overview

Community PlannerUrban Planner
Yearly salary$65,352$65,316
Hourly rate$31.42$31.40
Growth rate4%4%
Number of jobs24,34313,883
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 71%Bachelor's Degree, 64%
Average age4242
Years of experience22

What does a community planner do?

As a community planner, your job is to develop programs and plans for the utilization of land within your community. You are responsible for improving the community by achieving community goals such as the revitalization of infrastructure and physical facilities and accommodating population growth. Other duties include advising civic leaders on how to best use the land resources, working closely with other stakeholders in the development of new construction projects, and managing a team of specialists and guiding their work.

What does an urban planner do?

An urban planner is responsible for evaluating land use and condition and providing comprehensive plans and programs that would be beneficial for the entire community. Urban planners' tasks also cover conducting field investigations and collect environmental studies, performing market research and creating proposals for approval of the officials, reviewing recommendations and addressing issues which concern the land and resources, and strategizing comprehensive area plans. An urban planner must consider the community's best interest that would promote growth and development.

Community planner vs urban planner salary

Community planners and urban planners have different pay scales, as shown below.

Community PlannerUrban Planner
Average salary$65,352$65,316
Salary rangeBetween $47,000 And $90,000Between $47,000 And $89,000
Highest paying CityWashington, DCWashington, DC
Highest paying stateMassachusettsCalifornia
Best paying companyDepartment of Homeland SecurityMapbox
Best paying industryProfessionalConstruction

Differences between community planner and urban planner education

There are a few differences between a community planner and an urban planner in terms of educational background:

Community PlannerUrban Planner
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 71%Bachelor's Degree, 64%
Most common majorCommunicationUrban Planning
Most common collegeUniversity of PennsylvaniaUniversity of Pennsylvania

Community planner vs urban planner demographics

Here are the differences between community planners' and urban planners' demographics:

Community PlannerUrban Planner
Average age4242
Gender ratioMale, 51.5% Female, 48.5%Male, 66.6% Female, 33.4%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 4.7% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 12.5% Asian, 9.4% White, 67.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%Black or African American, 4.6% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 12.3% Asian, 9.3% White, 67.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%
LGBT Percentage13%13%

Differences between community planner and urban planner duties and responsibilities

Community planner example responsibilities.

  • Guide production planning activities ranging from developing and revising production schedules, forecasting trends and customer demand, and managing logistics.
  • Create material bill of materials (MBOM or EBOM) assisting with driving demand in MRP for development assemblies.
  • Create sophisticated GIS tool to maximize understanding of construction constraints by combining base specific data with regional and national data sets.
  • Perform on-site plaza, parking, and vehicle/bicycle/pedestrian infrastructure audits, supplement with GIS analysis techniques.
  • Perform project work for categorical exclusions in environmental assessments and feasibility studies in compliance with NEPA federal guidelines.
  • Direct inbound or outbound logistics operations, such as transportation or warehouse activities, safety performance, or logistics quality management.
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Urban planner example responsibilities.

  • Manage all aspects of production plan in direct compliance with MRP and master schedule.
  • Guide production planning activities ranging from developing and revising production schedules, forecasting trends and customer demand, and managing logistics.
  • Coordinate allocation of CDBG funds for community development and maintenance including demolition and asbestos abatement.
  • Assess compliance with NIST and DoD policies and procedures.
  • Prepare conceptual and design lot layouts and site plans using freehand and AutoCAD.
  • Coordinate with the FAA on all obstructions to airspace and for temporary crane waivers.
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Community planner vs urban planner skills

Common community planner skills
  • Community Planning, 31%
  • DOD, 25%
  • Demolition, 23%
  • Project Management, 4%
  • Community Development, 2%
  • GIS, 2%
Common urban planner skills
  • GIS, 11%
  • Infrastructure, 6%
  • Visualization, 5%
  • ArcGIS, 5%
  • Sketch, 5%
  • Community Development, 4%

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