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Job outlook for land planners in the United States
Are land planner jobs in demand?
Land planner job and salary trends over time
Land planner jobs over time
Land planner job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 379 | 0.00% |
| 2020 | 371 | 0.00% |
| 2019 | 375 | 0.00% |
| 2018 | 368 | 0.00% |
| 2017 | 343 | 0.00% |
Average land planner salary over time
Land planner salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $64,353 | $30.94 | +2.2% |
| 2025 | $62,997 | $30.29 | +1.8% |
| 2024 | $61,896 | $29.76 | +2.2% |
| 2023 | $60,574 | $29.12 | +2.1% |
| 2022 | $59,329 | $28.52 | +2.6% |
Land planner jobs by state
Most common states for land planners
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 44 | 6% |
| 2 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 48 | 4% |
| 3 | Virginia | 8,470,020 | 259 | 3% |
| 4 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 208 | 3% |
| 5 | Maryland | 6,052,177 | 186 | 3% |
| 6 | Colorado | 5,607,154 | 179 | 3% |
| 7 | Connecticut | 3,588,184 | 99 | 3% |
| 8 | California | 39,536,653 | 899 | 2% |
| 9 | New York | 19,849,399 | 377 | 2% |
| 10 | Pennsylvania | 12,805,537 | 269 | 2% |
| 11 | Illinois | 12,802,023 | 248 | 2% |
| 12 | North Carolina | 10,273,419 | 236 | 2% |
| 13 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 134 | 2% |
| 14 | Washington | 7,405,743 | 133 | 2% |
| 15 | Oregon | 4,142,776 | 96 | 2% |
| 16 | Nevada | 2,998,039 | 62 | 2% |
| 17 | Hawaii | 1,427,538 | 34 | 2% |
| 18 | Delaware | 961,939 | 20 | 2% |
| 19 | Alaska | 739,795 | 16 | 2% |
| 20 | North Dakota | 755,393 | 15 | 2% |
Most common cities for land planners
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Daphne | 1 | 4% | $52,660 |
| 2 | Fort Collins | 1 | 1% | $63,129 |
| 3 | Tallahassee | 1 | 1% | $54,761 |
| 4 | San Antonio | 2 | 0% | $57,422 |
| 5 | Colorado Springs | 1 | 0% | $63,314 |
| 6 | Denver | 1 | 0% | $63,197 |
Land Planner job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of land planner experts
Montclair State University
Missouri University of Science and Technology
California State University - San Bernardino
Clemson University
Augsburg University
University of Notre Dame
Utah State University
University of South Alabama
Grambling State University
Gannon University
Rollins College
Kutztown University of Pennsylvania
New York University
University of Utah
Bryn Mawr College
School for International Training
Macalester College
What general advice would you give to a Land Planner?
Tyler Fisher DPhil: Versatility and equanimity: these are the key traits that students can acquire with a degree in History. The deep, sustained study of History equips a graduate to see life steadily, and see it whole, as Matthew Arnold said of Sophocles. History students learn to view human achievements and errors, feats and follies, with a critical eye, a dispassionate manner, and, perhaps most importantly, a measured consideration of context. Jobs in law, urban planning, economics, journalism, and politics become mere surface-level labor without the study of History. A well-developed ability to find and evaluate evidence for the purpose of creating a persuasive argument will remain an essential transferable skill across many different jobs. Given current rates of innovation, today's History students are, in fact, likely preparing for jobs that might not yet exist. These graduates' blend of versatility and equanimity will give them an edge in a mercurial job market.
What will help Land Planners increase their earning potential?
Erica Johnson PhD: As you begin your career, you need to be flexible and intentional when seeking opportunities. You may not get your “dream job” right after graduation, but you should be intentional in what positions you seek to work toward that ultimate goal. Building your resume is crucial. If you cannot find a job in the field, try to get one that is at least tangentially related. For instance, if you want to work in a museum but cannot secure employment at one, see if local historic sites (via the parks service), tourism boards, libraries, or even a bookstore are hiring. You may have entry level positions at first - answering phones or working in a gift shop - but you will still be in the appropriate environment and will likely know about openings at these locations before they are posted. Overall, these positions will provide valuable work experience, and your supervisors will serve as solid references.
What will help Land Planners increase their earning potential?
Dr. Ezra Rashkow: At Montclair, we've recently launched a digital and public history degree program. This is in response to an awareness that digital literacy is not just the way of the future; it is already very much the way of the present and the past. Students are studying everything from digital archives to oral history recording methods; they are making video presentations, blogs and podcasts; they are learning how to work with historical data and databases; they are learning about the politics of representing history on social media; and more generally, they are gaining critical insights into how history is being used and abused in the present for present purposes. These days, there is an unfortunate society-wide tendency to push students towards pursuing narrow, technical, degrees that appear employable, and universities are therefore facing pressure to transition into becoming vocational schools. In this climate, I hope that in the next few years students will again begin to realize the timeless value of the intellectual training provided by humanities and social sciences degrees in fields like history.
What Land Planner skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Joshua Nygren PhD: I'll answer this in two ways: what you can do as a student, and what you can do as a graduate. As a student, study hard and strive for good grades. Grades are not the most important thing, but a high GPA on a resume will make you more competitive for the jobs you desire. In addition, seek out internships and other positions when in school to start building the experiences and relationships that can pay off down the road. As a graduate, look for ways to build your leadership experience. Some disciplines can boast higher average starting salaries than History, but like other liberal arts disciplines, History majors often possess the cultural knowledge and communication skills that can be a pathway to leadership and management positions (and with them, higher salaries). So, take on opportunities to lead teams and projects.
What Land Planner skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Michael Karp: Mirroring my general advice to be patient early on and take opportunities when the arise, history graduates often have solid career earnings. Studies conducted by the American Historical Association have demonstrated that history majors median income is $55,000, which is only a little below business majors who have a median income of $60,000. The success enjoyed by history graduates stems from the fact the degree offers vital skills for today’s workforce. If graduates understand how to sell those skills on the job market—and recognize how they fit into a variety of industries—they can best maximize their earnings and potential jobs.
Professor Abel Bartley
Professor of African American and Urban HistoryClemson University
History
What Land Planner skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Professor Abel Bartley: The best way to maximize your salary potential in our field today is to learn digital techniques. Publish in popular areas. Civil War, Presidential Biographies etc. Secondly, compliment your education with a MBA or some educational leadership courses so that you can be prepared to take advantage of administrative opportunities. Lastly, cultivate a constituency that is willing to pay you for sharing information through lectures, talks, and book reviews.
What general advice would you give to a Land Planner?
Dr. Megan Birk: I would suggest marketing the skills that come with a history degree, instead of focusing entirely on the knowledge. Both are important and valuable, but employers often indicate that the skills that come with history degrees are aligned with a wide range of jobs and careers. History jobs and jobs that recruit history majors are often more concerned about the skill set than the specific knowledge base.
What will help Land Planners increase their earning potential?
Dr. Megan Birk: Tying your experience and skills to the specific needs of the job as a way to demonstrate proficiency is a good way to demonstrate your value to employers. Work experience that is relevant and any form of activity or employment that highlighted communication skills, working as part of a team in a collaborative setting, and problem solving are valuable assets.
What general advice would you give to a Land Planner?
Nancy Fischer: I imagine that the skills that will become important over the next 3-5 years are probably both new and old skills. New skills in the sense that urban planners and those who work with urban-oriented non-profits are trying to figure out whether there are ways Artificial Intelligence can make their work lives better in terms of helping with repetitive, less engaging aspects of the job that are rather formulaic. Second, in Urban Studies it's also really important to be able to communicate data-driven and complex arguments to lay people. So, studying things like data visualization could be helpful. But in terms of skills that always pay off, I hear from our alumni that cultivating excellent social skills and storytelling are really important - to be able to tell a story around why a change (or no change) is needed in the urban realm and communicate that to people whether political leaders or the general public compellingly can take you a long way.
What Land Planner skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Nancy Fischer: In terms of maximizing salary potential in the field, if one is going into Urban Planning, then having a Master's degree in Urban Planning means climbing the ladder more quickly - in 10 -15 years one could be in leadership positions. One needs to be able to work with data, and understand how cities operate when entering the field, but as one rises into senior positions, it's that big-picture thinking about policy, the politics of city decision-making and the social skills to work well with teams, with the public, and with political leaders that really pay off.
What will help Land Planners increase their earning potential?
Nancy Fischer: My general advice for people beginning careers in urban studies is to approach your first position in the field as a learning opportunity. Learn the norms of that particular urban sector and how things are done, and also learn about yourself and what you like to do, what you're good at doing, and where you need to build skills in order to get a sense of mastery. Talk with people all over the organization and learn about the different directions you can take your career over the long term.
Dr. Stephen Hartley
Associate Professor of the PracticeUniversity of Notre Dame
Historic Preservation And Conservation
What general advice would you give to a Land Planner?
Dr. Stephen Hartley: Understanding the community's role in the decision making process, and viewing historic sites and landscapes from multiple perceptions will be a prevalent feature in the historic preservation industry in the future. Additionally, the world of restoring grand mansions of the gilded age has passed. Preservation going forward will focus on structures of a more moderate level like downtowns, middle class housing, inner-city, and early suburban neighborhoods. The role that restoring historic buildings and neighborhoods play in sustainability and climate change discussions will continue to lead the way.
What will help Land Planners increase their earning potential?
Dr. Stephen Hartley: The best advice I can offer graduates entering the field is to not be picky about where in the country you want to live. Jobs in certain regions, such as the southeast and around the major metropolitan areas are highly desired, but they are also the most competitive. Other areas of the country can offer tremendous opportunities for recent graduates to build their skills and experience before entering the larger markets.
Clayton Brown
Associate ProfessorUtah State University
History
What Land Planner skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Clayton Brown: The historian’s core skills are always valuable, including the ability to conduct evidence-based research, to organize information, think critically, and communicate results effectively. But pairing these skills with technical expertise is especially sought-after. For instance, pairing the historian’s skills with facility in artificial intelligence for writing, or experience in video editing to produce documentaries, or public history for work in archives or museums, are all proving valuable for emergent career paths.
What will help Land Planners increase their earning potential?
David Messenger Ph.D.: Examine the field you are going into- marketing, sales, or government work, whatever- and learn about the salary scale. Each industry has its own scale.
Dr. Emeka Anaedozie
Assistant ProfessorGrambling State University
History
What general advice would you give to a Land Planner?
Dr. Emeka Anaedozie: The history profession, like other disciplines, is embracing the digital world. In the next 3-5 years, there's no doubt that digital history will dominate historical research and preservation of data. To take advantage of this opportunity, students and historians in general need to be conversant with digital technology to take full advantage of digital records as well as be able to process files digitally. Most libraries and archives now have digital collections and online files, getting acquainted with digital records and procedures is essential in the 21st Century.
What will help Land Planners increase their earning potential?
Jeff Bloodworth: Writing and research skills are incredibly important and useful skills for the workplace. Take classes that have you engaged in significant writing assignments. Write for the school newspaper. Hone your writing skills. That is the most important skill that is transferrable from a history major to the workplace.
Bruce Stephenson Ph.D.
Professor of Environmental StudiesRollins College
Department of Environmental Studies
What hard/technical skills are most important for Land Planners?
Bruce Stephenson Ph.D.: GIS and Sketch Up are important.
What skills stand out on Land Planner resumes?
Bruce Stephenson Ph.D.: Project portfolio.
What soft skills should all Land Planners possess?
Bruce Stephenson Ph.D.: Writing clarity, integration of disciplines, quality presentations that illustrate a project.
Bryan Salvadore
Director, CommunicationsKutztown University of Pennsylvania
Marketing & Communications
What skills will help Land Planners earn the most?
Bryan Salvadore: Technology benefits most employers. Data analysis, with an eye of 'context' that history majors bring to the table.
Guy Ortolano
Professor of History & MA Director of Graduate StudiesNew York University
History Department
What skills stand out on Land Planner resumes?
Guy Ortolano: Historians have an understanding of the wider world, its many cultures, and where they came from. They study human societies, present as well as past, and the issues that divide and bind them. They understand connectivities of many kinds, from information to transportation to international relations. Historians, most importantly, are naturally curious about the world around them: they have dedicated themselves to understanding societies, cultures, and periods other than their own.
Alessandro Rigolon
Assistant ProfessorUniversity of Utah
Department of City and Metropolitan Planning
What skills stand out on Land Planner resumes?
Alessandro Rigolon: - Professional experience, including internships, before graduation. In today's market, a master's degree is almost a must for planning. So, either having one/two internships during the master's degree or having worked as a planner (or related area) before the master's helps greatly. Many jobs require some experience (entry-level positions are somewhat rare, based on what my former students are telling me).
- Capacity to work with people in allied fields, such as landscape architecture, architecture, transportation engineering, and others. Some planning projects are multi-disciplinary. Also, public agency planners are often building permit applications, which means they need to be conversant in reading site plans, building plans, etc.
- The American Institute of Certified Planner (AICP) membership might also help. To get such membership, the easiest route is to get a master's degree at an accredited institution (like the U of Utah) and then take an exam after a year of professional experience.
What hard/technical skills are most important for Land Planners?
Alessandro Rigolon: - Geographic Information Systems
- Basic statistical skills
- Some graphic design expertise, including the use of Adobe InDesign, Illustrator, and/or Photoshop. Also, ArcGIS StoryMaps are increasingly used by planning agencies to share ongoing results of planning processes
- Some skills in platforms to collect online data for public engagement process, such as ArcGIS Survey123
- Some of the above skills related to applied fields (e.g., architecture), like reading site plans and building plans
- More rarely, AutoCAD and other similar Computer-Aided Design programs
- Good writing is really important but sometimes overlooked
- Capacity to design and manage complex public engagement processes, some of which might last more than one year
Gary McDonogh Ph.D.
Professor and ChairBryn Mawr College
Department of Growth and Structure of Cities
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Land Planners?
Gary McDonogh Ph.D.: Obviously we are only beginning to understand changes in the job market shaped by cuts in funding for public services and shifts of interest into emergency areas like public health (which also demands long-term change encompassing planning, architecture, education and other fields). Rebuilding will be slow and students may move through several positions--including unpaid internships and non-professional positions--in order to find their best career.
Yet, the pandemic also faces us with far reaching challenges in the city itself to be met by new generations--from mass transportation to education to communication that will open new opportunities for graduates helping us to re-envision cities and the skills we need to deal creatively with urban issues.
What type of skills will young Land Planners need?
Gary McDonogh Ph.D.: Graduates need breadth and flexibility coupled with clear critical communicative skills. Within a liberal arts framework, we encourage students to avoid narrow professionalism and to explore the city widely, from architecture to computer skills and media. The key to the future will be the ability to envision problems in new ways, to find and analyze data and to provide/communicate cogent guidelines for politicians, planners and wider publics. No skill set is valuable unless the graduate knows how to communicate it to multiple audiences so writing and presentation are always important.
What experience really stands out on Land Planner resumes?
Gary McDonogh Ph.D.: Experience in internships will always be good (and provide connections). So is completion of a substantial project, whether design or social research, provides a foundation for conversation (even interviews) and an edge as new tasks emerge in the workplace.
Dr. Alyson Dagang Ph.D.
ChairSchool for International Training
Sustainable Development department
What Land Planner skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Dr. Alyson Dagang Ph.D.: I recommend taking the time to learn to communicate well in a language other than English. Demand is high for workers with strong second- or third-language skills and is growing. There are many opportunities for internships outside the U.S. where graduates can learn a new language and/or a new skill.
In the last 5-10 years, we have seen undergraduates graduate with sub-par writing skills. I recommend classes on writing and professional communication or self-directed experiences for writing improvement. At some universities, writing centers offer services to alumni.
Technology is key for any career path. Considering the wide net the sustainability field casts, skills in data analysis as well as emerging technologies in energy, transportation, and traceability (wood, contaminants, food, endangered species, many others) will be important for graduates to have on their tool belts.
What general advice would you give to a Land Planner?
Dr. Alyson Dagang Ph.D.: I would recommend to graduates to not be hurried. They are starting a new journey; however, there will be many journeys. It is important to enjoy each journey as well as engage in service during all journeys. Hone their leadership skills and soft skills as these are skills they will need on every journey. Don't be afraid to change paths when the signs are leading you in a different direction. If you start a new path, leave a trail of positive experiences and interactions to ensure that you will have contacts and a network to call on for professional support. Entrepreneurial skills can be helpful and applied to any job or endeavor. Don't be afraid to take good risks; don't be afraid to fail. The best growth can come from failure; and there will always be a new journey ahead.
What Land Planner skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Daniel Trudeau: Accumulating experience in leadership skills (decision making, project management, communication, team building) is worthwhile because these are universally valued in work and non-work settings. You don't have to work in a supervisory role to get experience with these skills either. People can gain leadership experience through volunteer work, peer mentoring, as well as through employment opportunities. I recommend connecting with organizations in which you are or have been involved to create an opportunity (a specific role, for a specific time) to work on one or more leadership skills.
Additionally, becoming aware of leadership skills and how and when to use them is valuable too. I recommend reading and reflection exercises in order to personalize your education and develop a plan to build strengths and capabilities in the constellation of leadership skills. There are plenty of free resources available on the topics of emotional intelligence and strengths psychology to build an education program. Separately, developing competencies in basic programming languages - JavaScript, Python - is worthwhile. These are helpful tools in the world of work. Even if you don't plan on using them, knowing how they work is an asset on its own and can strengthen an individual's ability to work with others.
What general advice would you give to a Land Planner?
Daniel Trudeau: Make the most of whatever opportunities you have. Keep in mind that wherever you start, it does not predict where you will end up. The average person makes several career changes during their lifetime and so there's no drawback to starting your career doing work that you may not envision as something you will do long term. Whatever you choose to do at the start, do your work well, reliably, and with integrity. These attributes are highly sought after and will help you as you move to new positions, employers, and/or careers. Lastly, who you know matters, but who knows you matters more. Invest time and energy to cultivate relationships with supervisors and mentors who can help you grow and vouch for your capabilities as you chart your path into the future.