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Planning internship salary
Average planning internship salary
$16.2
Average Planning Internship Salary
The average salary for a planning internship is $33,695 annually, translating to approximately $16 per hour. Various factors influence this figure, including geographical location, industry demand, and the candidate's level of experience.
Factors Influencing Salary
Interns in states such as California or New York often earn more due to the high cost of living and demand for skilled professionals. For instance, the highest-paying states for planning internships can yield salaries significantly above the national average.
Industries Offering Higher Salaries
Specific industries, like environmental planning or urban development, tend to offer higher pay compared to others. This sector's growth suggests that pursuing internships in these areas may yield beneficial financial outcomes.
Opportunities for Growth
Internships are an excellent way to gain hands-on experience, network within the industry, and potentially secure full-time roles after graduation. By understanding salary expectations and industry standards, interns can position themselves for success.
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Where can a Planning Internship earn more?
Planning internship salary estimates from across the web
Average planning internship salary by state
The highest-paying states for planning interns are Alaska, Massachusetts, and Washington. The lowest average planning internship salary states are South Carolina, Tennessee, and Indiana.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for planning interns
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | $46,799 | $22.50 |
| 2 | Massachusetts | $41,950 | $20.17 |
| 3 | Connecticut | $39,861 | $19.16 |
| 4 | Vermont | $39,993 | $19.23 |
| 5 | Alaska | $43,380 | $20.86 |
| 6 | New York | $39,173 | $18.83 |
| 7 | Oregon | $39,031 | $18.76 |
| 8 | Rhode Island | $37,358 | $17.96 |
| 9 | Washington | $40,041 | $19.25 |
| 10 | California | $38,971 | $18.74 |
| 11 | Wyoming | $33,315 | $16.02 |
| 12 | Maine | $34,075 | $16.38 |
| 13 | Illinois | $33,950 | $16.32 |
| 14 | Nevada | $34,095 | $16.39 |
| 15 | Minnesota | $37,432 | $18.00 |
| 16 | New Jersey | $35,749 | $17.19 |
| 17 | Michigan | $34,206 | $16.45 |
| 18 | Hawaii | $35,677 | $17.15 |
| 19 | Wisconsin | $34,408 | $16.54 |
| 20 | Colorado | $34,583 | $16.63 |
| 21 | Delaware | $35,905 | $17.26 |
| 22 | North Dakota | $32,794 | $15.77 |
| 23 | Pennsylvania | $32,775 | $15.76 |
| 24 | Kansas | $33,927 | $16.31 |
| 25 | Virginia | $33,970 | $16.33 |
| 26 | Kentucky | $33,326 | $16.02 |
| 27 | Texas | $32,908 | $15.82 |
| 28 | Nebraska | $29,560 | $14.21 |
| 29 | Maryland | $33,535 | $16.12 |
| 30 | New Hampshire | $31,971 | $15.37 |
| 31 | West Virginia | $31,033 | $14.92 |
| 32 | Arizona | $30,170 | $14.50 |
| 33 | South Dakota | $27,686 | $13.31 |
| 34 | Utah | $29,463 | $14.16 |
| 35 | Idaho | $27,688 | $13.31 |
| 36 | North Carolina | $28,087 | $13.50 |
| 37 | Montana | $28,471 | $13.69 |
| 38 | Missouri | $28,902 | $13.90 |
| 39 | Iowa | $28,878 | $13.88 |
| 40 | Ohio | $28,795 | $13.84 |
| 41 | Louisiana | $29,311 | $14.09 |
| 42 | Alabama | $28,366 | $13.64 |
| 43 | Oklahoma | $28,328 | $13.62 |
| 44 | Florida | $27,804 | $13.37 |
| 45 | Mississippi | $28,283 | $13.60 |
| 46 | Georgia | $26,469 | $12.73 |
| 47 | Indiana | $26,546 | $12.76 |
| 48 | Tennessee | $26,708 | $12.84 |
| 49 | South Carolina | $27,029 | $12.99 |
| 50 | New Mexico | $25,822 | $12.41 |
| 51 | Arkansas | $23,888 | $11.48 |
Highest paying cities for planning interns
The highest-paying cities for planning interns are Washington, DC, Cambridge, MA, and Vancouver, WA.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington, DC | $46,790 | $22.50 |
| 2 | Cambridge, MA | $41,944 | $20.17 |
| 3 | Vancouver, WA | $40,420 | $19.43 |
| 4 | San Mateo, CA | $40,337 | $19.39 |
| 5 | New York, NY | $39,085 | $18.79 |
| 6 | Portland, OR | $39,052 | $18.77 |
| 7 | Eagan, MN | $37,349 | $17.96 |
| 8 | Boulder, CO | $34,678 | $16.67 |
| 9 | Milwaukee, WI | $34,337 | $16.51 |
| 10 | Evanston, IL | $34,179 | $16.43 |
| 11 | Lansing, MI | $34,164 | $16.43 |
| 12 | Cheyenne, WY | $32,958 | $15.85 |
| 13 | Dallas, TX | $32,730 | $15.74 |
| 14 | Saint George, UT | $30,009 | $14.43 |
| 15 | Cedar Falls, IA | $29,170 | $14.02 |
| 16 | Dublin, OH | $28,564 | $13.73 |
| 17 | Broken Arrow, OK | $28,266 | $13.59 |
| 18 | Durham, NC | $28,261 | $13.59 |
| 19 | Fort Lauderdale, FL | $27,819 | $13.37 |
| 20 | Atlanta, GA | $26,479 | $12.73 |
Planning internship salary details
A planning internship's salary ranges from $26,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $42,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a planning internship's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $42,000 | $3,500 | $20 |
| 75th Percentile | $37,000 | $3,083 | $18 |
| Average | $33,695 | $2,808 | $16 |
| 25th Percentile | $29,000 | $2,417 | $14 |
| 10th Percentile | $26,000 | $2,167 | $13 |
Highest paying planning internship jobs
The highest paying types of planning interns 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 |
| Transportation Planner | $68,983 | $5,749 | $33.16 | 21,425 |
| Urban Renewal Manager | $80,064 | $6,672 | $38.49 | 2,808 |
| Facilities Planner | $71,048 | $5,921 | $34.16 | 23,175 |
| Community Planner | $65,352 | $5,446 | $31.42 | 24,343 |
| Business Planner | $119,250 | $9,937 | $57.33 | 60,241 |
Top companies hiring planning interns now:
Which companies pay planning interns the most?
Planning internship salaries at ZS and HP are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average planning internship salary at companies like DLR Group and AECOM are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ZS | $60,710 | $29.19 |
| 2 | HP | $60,372 | $29.02 |
| 3 | DLR Group | $55,277 | $26.58 |
| 4 | AECOM | $55,169 | $26.52 |
| 5 | Lincoln Institute of Land Policy | $48,627 | $23.38 |
| 6 | Volvo Trucks | $44,454 | $21.37 |
| 7 | Black Hills | $43,360 | $20.85 |
| 8 | Santa Clara Valley Water District | $42,847 | $20.60 |
| 9 | Kimley-Horn | $41,900 | $20.14 |
| 10 | City of Tacoma | $41,506 | $19.95 |
| 11 | MERL | $41,405 | $19.91 |
| 12 | Bosch USA | $41,357 | $19.88 |
| 13 | City Of San Mateo | $40,944 | $19.68 |
| 14 | BRP US Inc | $40,925 | $19.68 |
| 15 | University of Massachusetts Medical School | $40,133 | $19.29 |
| 16 | L3Harris | $39,976 | $19.22 |
| 17 | Ball | $39,748 | $19.11 |
| 18 | Federal Home Loan Bank of Indianapolis | $38,854 | $18.68 |
| 19 | PeaceHealth | $38,478 | $18.50 |
| 20 | City of La Mesa | $38,431 | $18.48 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Planning Internship salary by industry
The average planning internship salary varies across industries:
- The average planning internship salary in the professional industry is $41,003, the highest of any industry.
- The average planning internship salary in the finance industry is $38,732.
- Planning interns in the retail industry earn an average salary of $31,490, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for planning interns
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Professional | $41,003 | $19.71 |
| 2 | Technology | $38,732 | $18.62 |
| 3 | Government | $38,223 | $18.38 |
| 4 | Media | $37,921 | $18.23 |
| 5 | Manufacturing | $35,912 | $17.27 |
| 6 | Automotive | $34,258 | $16.47 |
| 7 | Transportation | $33,915 | $16.31 |
| 8 | Telecommunication | $33,816 | $16.26 |
| 9 | Retail | $31,490 | $15.14 |
High paying planning internship jobs
Planning internship salary trends
The average planning internship salary has risen by $5,257 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average planning internship earned $28,438 annually, but today, they earn $33,695 a year. That works out to a 8% change in pay for planning interns over the last decade.
Compare planning internship salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average planning internship salary over time
Compare planning internship salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Planning internship salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $33,700 | $16.20 | +2.1% |
| 2024 | $33,000 | $15.86 | +1.7% |
| 2023 | $32,400 | $15.58 | +2.1% |
| 2022 | $31,700 | $15.25 | +2.1% |
| 2021 | $31,100 | $14.93 | +2.6% |
Recently added planning internship salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nrel | Graduate PHD (Year-Round) Intern-Power Distribution System Planning and Operations | Golden, CO | 06/30/2025 | $50,200 |
| Hamilton County (Oh | Community Planning Intern | Cincinnati, OH | 06/27/2025 | $31,305 |
| Austin Community College | Intern-Strategic Planning (Hourly) | Austin, TX | 06/26/2025 | $52,384 |
| City of Bellevue, Wa | Long Range Planning Intern | Bellevue, WA | 06/19/2025 | $55,078 |
| City of Mount Holly | Planning Intern | Boone, NC | 06/18/2025 | $29,218 |
| Wsp USA Buildings Inc. | Transportation Planning Intern-Summer 2025 | Somers Point, NJ | 06/10/2025 | $39,924 |
| Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra | Artistic Planning Intern | Cincinnati, OH | 06/07/2025 | $31,827 |
| PSEG | Summer Workforce Planning Intern | Newark, NJ | 06/01/2025 | $33,700 |
| Nrel | Graduate PHD (Year-Round) Intern-Power Distribution System Planning and Operations | Golden, CO | 05/27/2025 | $50,200 |
| Parker-Hannifin, Corporation | Intern-Planning | Kent, WA | 05/26/2025 | $41,740 |
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