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Urban planner salary
Average urban planner salary
$65,316
Average Urban Planner Salary
The average salary for an urban planner in the United States is approximately $65,316 annually, translating to around $31 per hour. Factors influencing salary include geographic location, years of experience, and the specific industry of employment. For instance, urban planners in metropolitan areas typically earn higher wages compared to those in rural settings.
Salary by State
Urban planners can find varying salaries across different states. For example, states such as California, New York, and Massachusetts often offer higher salaries due to the demand for urban planning expertise in densely populated areas. Understanding local market trends is crucial for aspiring planners looking to maximize their earning potential.
Career Opportunities
In addition to traditional roles in government and private firms, urban planners can explore opportunities in sustainability consulting, transportation planning, and community development. These specialized areas often provide higher compensation and unique challenges that can enhance job satisfaction.
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Where can an Urban Planner earn more?
Urban planner salary estimates from across the web
Average urban planner salary by state
The average urban planner salary in California, Oregon, and Massachusetts are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average urban planner salary states are South Carolina, South Dakota, and Arizona.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for urban planners
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | $86,757 | $41.71 |
| 2 | Nevada | $71,195 | $34.23 |
| 3 | California | $76,862 | $36.95 |
| 4 | Oregon | $73,472 | $35.32 |
| 5 | Connecticut | $70,872 | $34.07 |
| 6 | Massachusetts | $72,563 | $34.89 |
| 7 | Maryland | $71,052 | $34.16 |
| 8 | Colorado | $70,703 | $33.99 |
| 9 | Pennsylvania | $64,320 | $30.92 |
| 10 | Virginia | $68,194 | $32.79 |
| 11 | New York | $67,917 | $32.65 |
| 12 | Washington | $70,847 | $34.06 |
| 13 | Delaware | $69,871 | $33.59 |
| 14 | Vermont | $70,016 | $33.66 |
| 15 | Rhode Island | $69,513 | $33.42 |
| 16 | Kansas | $65,826 | $31.65 |
| 17 | Ohio | $62,373 | $29.99 |
| 18 | Minnesota | $62,546 | $30.07 |
| 19 | Alaska | $68,378 | $32.87 |
| 20 | Hawaii | $63,221 | $30.39 |
| 21 | Wyoming | $63,959 | $30.75 |
| 22 | Louisiana | $63,703 | $30.63 |
| 23 | New Hampshire | $57,724 | $27.75 |
| 24 | Michigan | $59,936 | $28.82 |
| 25 | Illinois | $59,605 | $28.66 |
| 26 | North Dakota | $58,219 | $27.99 |
| 27 | North Carolina | $55,755 | $26.81 |
| 28 | Kentucky | $57,537 | $27.66 |
| 29 | New Jersey | $61,987 | $29.80 |
| 30 | Texas | $57,363 | $27.58 |
| 31 | Maine | $59,407 | $28.56 |
| 32 | Iowa | $55,729 | $26.79 |
| 33 | Wisconsin | $55,670 | $26.76 |
| 34 | Nebraska | $56,489 | $27.16 |
| 35 | Alabama | $54,144 | $26.03 |
| 36 | Tennessee | $55,007 | $26.45 |
| 37 | Oklahoma | $57,365 | $27.58 |
| 38 | Utah | $55,747 | $26.80 |
| 39 | Georgia | $54,244 | $26.08 |
| 40 | Florida | $53,741 | $25.84 |
| 41 | South Carolina | $52,029 | $25.01 |
| 42 | Missouri | $56,195 | $27.02 |
| 43 | Mississippi | $54,144 | $26.03 |
| 44 | Indiana | $53,244 | $25.60 |
| 45 | Idaho | $55,431 | $26.65 |
| 46 | Arizona | $49,370 | $23.74 |
| 47 | Montana | $53,657 | $25.80 |
| 48 | South Dakota | $51,938 | $24.97 |
| 49 | Arkansas | $46,515 | $22.36 |
| 50 | West Virginia | $48,439 | $23.29 |
| 51 | New Mexico | $43,319 | $20.83 |
Highest paying cities for urban planners
The highest-paying cities for urban planners are Washington, DC, San Francisco, CA, and Portland, OR.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington, DC | $86,764 | $41.71 |
| 2 | San Francisco, CA | $81,709 | $39.28 |
| 3 | Portland, OR | $73,242 | $35.21 |
| 4 | Boston, MA | $72,536 | $34.87 |
| 5 | Baltimore, MD | $71,199 | $34.23 |
| 6 | Seattle, WA | $71,124 | $34.19 |
| 7 | Denver, CO | $70,752 | $34.02 |
| 8 | Arlington, VA | $69,081 | $33.21 |
| 9 | New York, NY | $68,049 | $32.72 |
| 10 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $63,211 | $30.39 |
| 11 | Columbus, OH | $62,224 | $29.92 |
| 12 | Detroit, MI | $60,118 | $28.90 |
| 13 | Chicago, IL | $59,750 | $28.73 |
| 14 | Austin, TX | $57,485 | $27.64 |
| 15 | Saint Louis, MO | $56,238 | $27.04 |
| 16 | Salt Lake City, UT | $55,731 | $26.79 |
| 17 | Asheville, NC | $54,982 | $26.43 |
| 18 | Atlanta, GA | $54,524 | $26.21 |
| 19 | Orlando, FL | $53,733 | $25.83 |
| 20 | Albuquerque, NM | $43,412 | $20.87 |
Urban planner salary details
An urban planner's salary ranges from $47,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $89,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is an urban planner's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $89,000 | $7,417 | $43 |
| 75th Percentile | $77,000 | $6,417 | $37 |
| Average | $65,316 | $5,443 | $31 |
| 25th Percentile | $55,000 | $4,583 | $26 |
| 10th Percentile | $47,000 | $3,917 | $23 |
Highest paying urban planner jobs
The highest paying types of urban planners are business planner, urban renewal manager, and senior planner.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Planning Internship | $33,695 | $2,808 | $16.20 | 57,335 |
| Urban Design Consultant | $63,960 | $5,330 | $30.75 | 41,918 |
| 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 |
| Regional Planner | $65,450 | $5,454 | $31.47 | 31,876 |
How would you rate the starting salaries for urban planners, as well as the prospects for salary advancement?
Connie Ozawa Ph.D.
MUS and PhD Program Coordinator, Portland State University
Top companies hiring urban planners now:
Which companies pay urban planners the most?
Urban planner salaries at Mapbox and City of Detroit are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average urban planner salary at companies like Jacobs Engineering Group and Wight & Company are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mapbox | $95,225 | $45.78 |
| 2 | City of Detroit | $84,349 | $40.55 |
| 3 | Jacobs Engineering Group | $78,466 | $37.72 |
| 4 | Wight & Company | $71,731 | $34.49 |
| 5 | Harvard University | $70,863 | $34.07 |
| 6 | Kittelson & Associates | $70,641 | $33.96 |
| 7 | Elkus Manfredi Arch | $70,324 | $33.81 |
| 8 | AHBL | $69,997 | $33.65 |
| 9 | Michael Baker | $68,757 | $33.06 |
| 10 | Garver, LLC | $68,387 | $32.88 |
| 11 | NBBJ Design | $68,346 | $32.86 |
| 12 | Perkins Eastman | $68,031 | $32.71 |
| 13 | Stantec | $67,661 | $32.53 |
| 14 | Skidmore, Owings & Merrill | $67,330 | $32.37 |
| 15 | The Landrum Company, Inc. | $67,302 | $32.36 |
| 16 | AECOM | $67,123 | $32.27 |
| 17 | Wsp USA Buildings Inc. | $66,987 | $32.21 |
| 18 | IBI Group | $66,919 | $32.17 |
| 19 | Olsson | $66,857 | $32.14 |
| 20 | Tetra Tech | $66,479 | $31.96 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Urban Planner salary by industry
The average urban planner salary varies across industries:
- The average urban planner salary in the construction industry is $77,309, the highest of any industry.
- The average urban planner salary in the finance industry is $67,649.
- Urban planners in the manufacturing industry earn an average salary of $63,125, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for urban planners
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Construction | $77,309 | $37.17 |
| 2 | Professional | $67,649 | $32.52 |
| 3 | Insurance | $67,062 | $32.24 |
| 4 | Government | $64,209 | $30.87 |
| 5 | Manufacturing | $63,125 | $30.35 |
High paying urban planner jobs
Urban planner salary trends
The average urban planner salary has risen by $10,191 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average urban planner earned $55,125 annually, but today, they earn $65,316 a year. That works out to a 8% change in pay for urban planners over the last decade.
Compare urban planner salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average urban planner salary over time
Compare urban planner salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Urban planner salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $65,300 | $31.40 | +2.1% |
| 2025 | $63,900 | $30.74 | +1.7% |
| 2024 | $62,800 | $30.20 | +2.1% |
| 2023 | $61,500 | $29.56 | +2.1% |
| 2022 | $60,200 | $28.95 | +2.6% |
Recently added urban planner salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Davey Tree | Senior Urban Forestry Planner | | Kent, OH | 06/26/2025 | $85,000 |
| Davey Tree | Senior Urban Forestry Planner | | Novi, MI | 06/26/2025 | $85,000 |
| Imeg Consultants | Senior Urban Planner | Hartford, CT | 06/25/2025 | $95,000 |
| Davey Resource Group | Senior Urban Forestry Planner | | Novi, MI | 06/24/2025 | $85,000 |
| Cushing Terrell | Urban Planner/Urban Designer | Denver, CO | 06/21/2025 | $70,000 |
| Moffatt & Nichol | Urban Planner-Senior Level | Oakland, CA | 06/16/2025 | $122,400 |
| Baxter & Woodman | Urban Planner II | Naperville, IL | 06/14/2025 | $75,000 |
| Baxter & Woodman | Urban Planner II | Katy, TX | 06/14/2025 | $75,000 |
| KLM Careers | Senior Urban Planner | Rochester Hills, MI | 06/10/2025 | $60,000 |
| Madigan Development, LLC | Real Estate Development Urban Planner/Architect/Engineer | New York, NY | 05/29/2025 | $150,000 |
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