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City planner salary
Average city planner salary
$64,562
Understanding City Planner Salaries
City planners play a crucial role in shaping urban environments by developing plans that improve community infrastructure and quality of life. As of October 2025, the average salary for a city planner in the United States is approximately $64,562 per year. Salaries can vary widely based on factors such as geographic location, years of experience, and specialization within the field.
For example, city planners in metropolitan areas often earn higher salaries due to increased demand and cost of living. States like California and New York are among the highest-paying for this profession, offering competitive compensation packages. Additionally, planners with advanced degrees or certifications may command higher salaries.
Salary Growth and Opportunities
The salary landscape for city planners has shown steady growth over the years, reflecting the increasing complexity of urban planning challenges. Candidates considering a career in this field should explore various opportunities across different states to maximize their earning potential. By researching salaries by state and city, aspiring planners can make informed decisions regarding their career paths.
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Where can a City Planner earn more?
City planner salary estimates from across the web
Average city planner salary by state
The average city planner salary in California, Massachusetts, and Oregon are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average city planner salary states are South Dakota, Iowa, and Arizona.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for city planners
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nevada | $70,389 | $33.84 |
| 2 | District of Columbia | $86,852 | $41.76 |
| 3 | California | $77,319 | $37.17 |
| 4 | Oregon | $72,681 | $34.94 |
| 5 | Massachusetts | $74,244 | $35.69 |
| 6 | New York | $69,555 | $33.44 |
| 7 | Vermont | $70,126 | $33.71 |
| 8 | Washington | $69,800 | $33.56 |
| 9 | Rhode Island | $69,611 | $33.47 |
| 10 | Minnesota | $68,370 | $32.87 |
| 11 | Delaware | $69,954 | $33.63 |
| 12 | Maryland | $67,246 | $32.33 |
| 13 | Connecticut | $63,305 | $30.44 |
| 14 | Texas | $63,374 | $30.47 |
| 15 | Colorado | $63,133 | $30.35 |
| 16 | Kansas | $66,103 | $31.78 |
| 17 | Ohio | $62,281 | $29.94 |
| 18 | Pennsylvania | $58,680 | $28.21 |
| 19 | Alaska | $67,971 | $32.68 |
| 20 | New Hampshire | $57,748 | $27.76 |
| 21 | Hawaii | $63,466 | $30.51 |
| 22 | Louisiana | $64,274 | $30.90 |
| 23 | Wyoming | $63,684 | $30.62 |
| 24 | Michigan | $59,757 | $28.73 |
| 25 | Illinois | $59,526 | $28.62 |
| 26 | Nebraska | $56,580 | $27.20 |
| 27 | Kentucky | $57,788 | $27.78 |
| 28 | New Jersey | $61,198 | $29.42 |
| 29 | Maine | $59,516 | $28.61 |
| 30 | North Carolina | $56,099 | $26.97 |
| 31 | Utah | $55,221 | $26.55 |
| 32 | Wisconsin | $55,495 | $26.68 |
| 33 | Alabama | $54,672 | $26.28 |
| 34 | North Dakota | $58,041 | $27.90 |
| 35 | Virginia | $55,516 | $26.69 |
| 36 | Tennessee | $55,413 | $26.64 |
| 37 | Oklahoma | $57,728 | $27.75 |
| 38 | Georgia | $54,802 | $26.35 |
| 39 | Florida | $55,403 | $26.64 |
| 40 | South Carolina | $52,603 | $25.29 |
| 41 | Missouri | $56,325 | $27.08 |
| 42 | Iowa | $51,808 | $24.91 |
| 43 | Mississippi | $54,641 | $26.27 |
| 44 | Indiana | $53,217 | $25.59 |
| 45 | Arizona | $49,287 | $23.70 |
| 46 | Idaho | $54,624 | $26.26 |
| 47 | Montana | $52,938 | $25.45 |
| 48 | Arkansas | $46,889 | $22.54 |
| 49 | South Dakota | $51,892 | $24.95 |
| 50 | New Mexico | $43,363 | $20.85 |
| 51 | West Virginia | $48,536 | $23.33 |
Highest paying cities for city planners
The highest-paying cities for city planners are San Francisco, CA, Visalia, CA, and Portland, OR.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco, CA | $81,926 | $39.39 |
| 2 | Visalia, CA | $78,891 | $37.93 |
| 3 | Portland, OR | $72,472 | $34.84 |
| 4 | New York, NY | $69,690 | $33.50 |
| 5 | Forest Lake, MN | $68,528 | $32.95 |
| 6 | Eden Prairie, MN | $68,423 | $32.90 |
| 7 | Lonsdale, MN | $68,386 | $32.88 |
| 8 | Baltimore, MD | $67,319 | $32.36 |
| 9 | Boulder, CO | $63,185 | $30.38 |
| 10 | Denver, CO | $63,170 | $30.37 |
| 11 | Loveland, CO | $63,122 | $30.35 |
| 12 | Cleveland, OH | $63,038 | $30.31 |
| 13 | Stafford, TX | $62,923 | $30.25 |
| 14 | Alvin, TX | $62,863 | $30.22 |
| 15 | Cincinnati, OH | $61,349 | $29.49 |
| 16 | Detroit, MI | $59,963 | $28.83 |
| 17 | Dover, NH | $57,295 | $27.55 |
| 18 | Durham, NC | $56,595 | $27.21 |
| 19 | Omaha, NE | $56,588 | $27.21 |
| 20 | Hampton, VA | $55,576 | $26.72 |
City planner salary details
A city planner's salary ranges from $47,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $88,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a city planner's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $88,000 | $7,333 | $42 |
| 75th Percentile | $76,000 | $6,333 | $37 |
| Average | $64,562 | $5,380 | $31 |
| 25th Percentile | $54,000 | $4,500 | $26 |
| 10th Percentile | $47,000 | $3,917 | $23 |
Highest paying city planner jobs
The highest paying types of city planners are business planner, urban renewal manager, and senior planner.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Urban Design Consultant | $63,960 | $5,330 | $30.75 | 41,918 |
| Urban Renewal Manager | $80,064 | $6,672 | $38.49 | 2,808 |
| Planning Internship | $33,695 | $2,808 | $16.20 | 57,335 |
| Transportation Planner | $68,983 | $5,749 | $33.16 | 21,425 |
| Program Planner | $64,782 | $5,399 | $31.15 | 70,996 |
| Space Planner | $64,516 | $5,376 | $31.02 | 14,044 |
Top companies hiring city planners now:
Which companies pay city planners the most?
City planner salaries at Citi and City of Detroit are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average city planner salary at companies like City and County of Denver Government and City of Hampton are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| 4 | City of Hampton | $64,490 | $31.00 |
| 5 | Yellow | $64,248 | $30.89 |
| 6 | City of New York | $63,214 | $30.39 |
| 7 | City of Baltimore | $62,838 | $30.21 |
| 8 | City of Dover | $61,906 | $29.76 |
| 9 | Minnesota Limited | $61,855 | $29.74 |
| 10 | City of Cincinnati | $61,779 | $29.70 |
| 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 |
| 19 | YRC Freight | $59,620 | $28.66 |
| 20 | City of Portland | $58,197 | $27.98 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
City planner salary trends
The average city planner salary has risen by $10,074 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average city planner earned $54,488 annually, but today, they earn $64,562 a year. That works out to a 8% change in pay for city planners over the last decade.
Compare city planner salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average city planner salary over time
Compare city planner salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
City planner salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $64,600 | $31.04 | +2.1% |
| 2025 | $63,200 | $30.39 | +1.7% |
| 2024 | $62,100 | $29.85 | +2.1% |
| 2023 | $60,800 | $29.22 | +2.1% |
| 2022 | $59,500 | $28.62 | +2.6% |
Recently added city planner salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| City of Baltimore, Md | Policy and Data Analysis, City Planner Supervisor-Department of Planning | Baltimore, MD | 06/26/2025 | $85,660 |
| City of Loveland | Senior City Planner | Loveland, CO | 06/24/2025 | $84,012 |
| City of Mankato | City Planner | Mankato, MN | 06/11/2025 | $63,981 |
| City of Mustang | City Planner | Cole, OK | 06/06/2025 | $55,180 |
| City of Golden | City Planner | Golden, CO | 06/03/2025 | $61,122 |
| City of Ellsworth, Me | City Planner | Ellsworth, ME | 05/29/2025 | $70,000 |
| City of Springfield | Associate City Planner | Springfield, MO | 05/19/2025 | $39,208 |
| Lindon City | City Planner I or II | Lindon, UT | 05/13/2025 | $50,253 |
| Pacificorp | Area Transmission Planner I-Salt Lake City, UT #113555 | Salt Lake City, UT | 05/06/2025 | $78,500 |
| City of Baltimore, Md | City Planner II-Department of Transportation | Baltimore, MD | 04/28/2025 | $74,803 |
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