Master planner education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a master planner. Master planners usually study business, architecture, or industrial engineering. 67% of master planners hold a bachelor's degree, and 15% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 835 real master planner resumes to see exactly what master planner education sections show.

The most common colleges for master planners are the University of Phoenix and the University of Phoenix.

There are also many online master planner courses to help get the education required to be a master planner.

There are certain master planner certifications that you should consider. These master planner certifications include Certified Planning Engineer (CPE) and AICP Certified Planners.

What education do you need to become a master planner?

What degree do you need to be a master planner?

The most common degree for master planners is bachelor's degree, with 67% of master planners earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 15% and master's degree degree at 11%.

Bachelor's, 67%

Master's, 15%

Associate, 11%

High School Diploma, 3%

Other Degrees, 4%

What should I major in to become a master planner?

You should major in business to become a master planner. 43% of master planners major in business. Other common majors for a master planner include architecture and industrial engineering.

Business, 43%

Architecture, 7%

Industrial Engineering, 6%

Management, 5%

Other Majors, 39%

Most common colleges for master planners

Master planners often get their degrees at University of Phoenix, Arizona State University, and University of Central Florida. Here are the most common colleges for master planners in the US based on their resumes.

Master planner common college	Percentages
University of Phoenix	16.36%
Arizona State University	9.09%
University of Central Florida	7.27%
Pennsylvania State University	6.36%
Michigan State University	5.45%

Show more common master planner colleges

Best majors for master planners

Rank	Major	Percentages
1	Business	42.9%
2	Architecture	7.3%
3	Industrial Engineering	5.6%
4	Management	5.4%
5	Supply Chain Management	4.9%

Show more common master planner majors

Best colleges for master planners

The best colleges for master planners are Stanford University, Northwestern University, and Boston College.

A master 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 master 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 master planners.

1. Western Carolina University

Cullowhee, NC • Private

In-state tuition

$3,926

Enrollment

9,835

2. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$51,354

Enrollment

7,083

3. Ball State University

Muncie, IN • Private

In-state tuition

$9,896

Enrollment

15,529

4. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$55,584

Enrollment

10,764

5. Bowling Green State University

Bowling Green, OH • Private

In-state tuition

$11,105

Enrollment

13,729

6. Cedar Crest College

Allentown, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$39,216

Enrollment

1,303

7. Morgan State University

Baltimore, MD • Private

In-state tuition

$7,900

Enrollment

6,404

8. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

In-state tuition

$54,568

Enrollment

8,451

9. Siena Heights University

Adrian, MI • Private

In-state tuition

$27,124

Enrollment

2,035

10. University of Akron

Akron, OH • Private

In-state tuition

$11,463

Enrollment

13,676

20 best online courses for master planners

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Top 10 most affordable universities for master planners

The most affordable schools for master planners are Baruch College of the City University of New York, suny farmingdale, and california state university - bakersfield.

If the best universities for master 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 master 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. California State University - Bakersfield

Bakersfield, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,309

Cost of attendance

16,714

4. University of Puerto Rico - Mayaguez

Mayaguez, PR • Private

In-state tuition

$4,094

Cost of attendance

14,302

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. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York

Brooklyn, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,240

Cost of attendance

13,991

9. Dickinson State University

Dickinson, ND • Private

In-state tuition

$6,768

Cost of attendance

15,506

10. SUNY Polytechnic Institute

Utica, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$8,238

Cost of attendance

21,567

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for master planners

The hardest universities for master planners to get into are Stanford University, Northwestern University, and Boston College.

Some great schools for master 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 master 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. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,497

2. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,508

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 Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,492

6. SUNY at Binghamton

Vestal, NY • Private

Admissions rate

40%

SAT average

1,376

7. New York University

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

20%

SAT average

1,419

8. Bentley University

Waltham, MA • Private

Admissions rate

43%

SAT average

1,338

9. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

13%

SAT average

1,445

10. Brandeis University

Waltham, MA • Private

Admissions rate

31%

SAT average

1,398

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

The easiest schools for master planners to get into are Oklahoma Wesleyan University, notre dame college, and lim college.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a master 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 master planners.

1. Oklahoma Wesleyan University

Bartlesville, OK • Private

Admissions rate

68%

SAT average

964

2. Notre Dame College

Cleveland, OH • Private

Admissions rate

90%

SAT average

994

3. LIM College

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

83%

SAT average

1,061

4. Notre Dame de Namur University

Belmont, CA • Private

Admissions rate

82%

SAT average

983

5. Holy Names University

Oakland, CA • Private

Admissions rate

70%

SAT average

849

6. Oregon Institute of Technology

Klamath Falls, OR • Private

Admissions rate

96%

SAT average

1,139

7. D'Youville College

Buffalo, NY • Private

Admissions rate

100%

SAT average

1,072

8. Presentation College

Aberdeen, SD • Private

Admissions rate

97%

SAT average

1,050

9. Lewis-Clark State College

Lewiston, ID • Private

Admissions rate

100%

SAT average

1,009

10. Fresno Pacific University

Fresno, CA • Private

Admissions rate

85%

SAT average

1,053

Average master planner salary by education level

Master planners with a Master's degree earn more than those without, at $96,917 annually. With a Bachelor's degree, master planners earn a median annual income of $87,261 compared to $81,261 for master planners with an Associate degree.

Master planner education level	Master planner salary
Master's Degree	$96,917
High School Diploma or Less	$78,265
Bachelor's Degree	$87,261
Some College/ Associate Degree	$81,261

Master planner education FAQs

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Updated January 8, 2025

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.

Updated January 8, 2025

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