How to hire a land planner

How to hire a land planner, step by step

Here's a step-by-step land 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 land planner job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new land planner
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a land planner do?

Post a land planner job for free, promote it for a fee

Post free

1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you post your land planner job, you should take the time to determine what type of worker your business needs. While certain jobs definitely require a full-time employee, it's sometimes better to find a land planner for hire on a part-time basis or as a contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

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

   Yes

   No

   A land planner's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, land planners from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

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

   Type of Land Planner	Description	Hourly rate
   Land 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
   Planning Internship	When it comes to planning an internship, an intern's duties will depend on the directives of supervising staff or a manager. Typically, an intern's responsibilities will revolve around performing clerical tasks such as processing documents, producing reports and presentations, responding to calls and correspondence, and managing schedules... Show more	$12-20

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • GIS
   • Real Estate
   • Regional Planning
   • Photoshop
   • Natural Resources
   • Development Projects
   • Nepa
   • Community Development
   • Government Agencies
   • Economic Development
   • Public Hearings
   • Regulatory Agencies
   • Master Planning
   • Federal Regulations

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Guide production planning activities ranging from developing and revising production schedules, forecasting trends and customer demand, and managing logistics.
   • Devise GIS tools to conduct impact analysis on both current planning and area plans for local communities.
   • Direct inbound or outbound logistics operations, such as transportation or warehouse activities, safety performance, or logistics quality management.
   • Create PowerPoint presentations for meetings in business plans and meetings at executive levels.

   More land planner duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your land planner job description helps attract top candidates to the position. A land 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 land planner in South Carolina may be lower than in California, and an entry-level land planner usually earns less than a senior-level land planner. Additionally, a land 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 land planner salary

   $64,353yearly

   $30.94 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level land planner salary

   $46,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 29, 2025

   Average land planner salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	District of Columbia	$87,177	$42
   2	California	$81,417	$39
   3	Oregon	$73,478	$35
   4	Virginia	$73,407	$35
   5	Washington	$70,772	$34
   6	New York	$69,983	$34
   7	Minnesota	$68,473	$33
   8	Maryland	$67,522	$32
   9	Colorado	$63,314	$30
   10	Illinois	$61,929	$30
   11	New Jersey	$61,460	$30
   12	Texas	$57,559	$28
   13	Oklahoma	$57,189	$27
   14	North Carolina	$56,300	$27
   15	Wisconsin	$55,675	$27
   16	Utah	$55,328	$27
   17	Idaho	$55,312	$27
   18	Florida	$54,761	$26
   19	Tennessee	$54,239	$26
   20	Georgia	$54,160	$26

   Average land planner salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Tucson Electric Power	$99,352	$47.77	1
   2	ERM	$72,929	$35.06	8
   3	Burns & McDonnell	$71,133	$34.20	2
   4	Forest Manufacturing Co	$69,537	$33.43
   5	New York City Economic Development	$69,266	$33.30	1
   6	Brown & Gay Engineers	$68,230	$32.80
   7	Manhard Consulting	$67,860	$32.63
   8	Wallace Design Collective	$66,124	$31.79
   9	Dewberry	$66,000	$31.73	9
   10	Tetra Tech	$65,901	$31.68	4
   11	Kimley-Horn	$65,578	$31.53	58
   12	AKS Engineering & Forestry	$65,501	$31.49	11
   13	christopher consultants	$65,431	$31.46
   14	McAdams	$65,214	$31.35
   15	UNS Energy	$65,139	$31.32
   16	MSA Professional Services	$65,112	$31.30
   17	Project Design	$65,056	$31.28
   18	The Mosaic Company	$64,401	$30.96	4
   19	J-U-B ENGINEERS	$64,277	$30.90	1
   20	Lessard Design	$63,535	$30.55

4. Writing a land planner job description

   A land 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 land planner job description:

   Land planner job description example

   Wallace Design Collective believes in helping our clients be successful through the artful application of engineering principles. Our core purpose is to "make lives better" – for our staff, our families, our professions and our communities. We want to be seen as an essential partner to our clients and the best engineering firms to work for by our employees. And we focus each day on trying to accomplish it.
   Responsibilities and Requirements We have an immediate opportunity for the right candidate in our growing multi-disciplinary practice in Tulsa, Oklahoma. This individual must have previous experience with a professional design firm or on staff in a planning department for a municipality. The successful candidate must be able to earn the confidence of our clients through elegant, practical and timely engineering solutions. Additional qualities of the ideal candidate include: Preferred experience with development land use planning, including site analysis,
   and property entitlements Demonstrated 2+ years in progressively responsible land development planning
   practice Professional writing skills to effectively communicate the goals and objectives of
   projects and graphic design skills to supplement written expression Public speaking communication skills Professional experience with land use, zoning, and development review
   entitlements Work with surveyors and engineers in preparation of subdivision plats Prepare planning reports, including due diligence reports, site feasibility studies
   and justification statements Able to independently conduct zoning code, land development regulation and
   comprehensive plan research, and apply standards to site specific development
   proposals Prepare submittal documents, including rezoning, comprehensive plan
   amendments, planned unit development, variances, and site plan approval
   applications and present arguments at public hearings Excellent communication skills with clients, municipality staff members and co-
   workers Able to read construction/engineering plans and other documentation from other
   consultants Skill Sets Working knowledge of Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, and other programs. Ability to use ACAD is a plus Must have written and public speaking communication skills Demonstrated 2+ years in progressively responsible land development planning practice AICP Certification is a plus Expectations of Selected Candidate Hold paramount the health, safety and welfare of the public; place the firm’s success as a high priority; support Wallace’s mission and vision; commit to impeccable quality and strive for error-free documents; commitment to providing clients with individualized service; keep employer informed of activities in connection with employment and any issues regarding unethical or unsafe behavior; good written and verbal communication skills; possession or acquisition of computer proficiency and relevant software knowledge, including MS Word, Excel and Filemaker; able to work independently, or cooperatively and harmoniously with a team; completion of work with accuracy and attention to detail; creative; able to prioritize, manage time, handle multiple tasks and meet deadlines; demonstrate flexibility and adaptability; project a professional demeanor. Wallace Design Collective is an equal employment opportunity employer/veterans/disabled, providing equal employment opportunities (including offering competitive compensation and benefit packages) to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibiting discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to any characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. Powered by JazzHR g9s9kSt5FY

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find land planners for your business, try out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important talent pools for any company is its current employees.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and your current work to ask if they know any land planners they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level land planners with the right educational background.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter have more than 3.5 billion users, and they're a great place for company branding and reaching potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your land planner job on Zippia to find and recruit land 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 land 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.

   You should also ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match the ideal candidate profile you developed earlier. Candidates good enough for the next step can complete the technical interview.

   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 land planner

   Once you've selected the best land planner candidate for the job, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, this letter should include details about the benefits and perks you offer the candidate. Ensuring that your offer is competitive is essential, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and you should be open to discussion. After you reach an agreement, the final step is formalizing the 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.

   To prepare for the new employee's start date, you can create an onboarding schedule and complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9 forms, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Human Resources should also ensure that a new employee file is created.

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.)

   Sign up to download full list

   Sign up

How much does it cost to hire a land planner?