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What is a sustainable communities designer and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
3 min read

In recent years, sustainability has moved past recycling and carpooling to work. Now, sustainability is implemented in the foundation of our processes, including our buildings. Sustainable community designers create spaces that are not only fully functional but also environmentally conscious.

While design and architectural skills will be the center of your knowledge base, you'll need to be up to date with the latest sustainable research and recommendations. Sustainable community designers regularly meet with local governments and specialists, analyze incoming economic, environmental, and local data, and develop policies and strategies to improve the community.

Many companies will require at least a bachelor's degree in sustainability or environmental architecture, but a master's degree may be preferred for certain projects. While licenses and certification requirements may vary by state, it's beneficial to have a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification from the U.S. Green Building Council.

Your annual salary will vary depending on whether you're working in urban or rural areas, retrofitting or designing new foundations, and more. However, on average, sustainable community designers make about $24 per hour.

ScoreSustainable Communities DesignerUS Average
Salary
5.3

Avg. Salary $67,627

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level
4.2

Growth rate 3%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity
4.5
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.37%

Asian 10.42%

Black or African American 3.42%

Hispanic or Latino 10.63%

Unknown 4.99%

White 70.17%

Gender

female 50.52%

male 49.48%

Age - 37
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 37
Stress level
4.2

Stress level is moderate

7.1 - high

Complexity level
8.5

Complexity level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work life balance
3.9

Work life balance is poor

6.4 - fair

Sustainable communities designer career paths

Key steps to become a sustainable communities designer

  1. Explore sustainable communities designer education requirements

    Most common sustainable communities designer degrees

    Bachelor's

    67.3 %

    Associate

    18.7 %

    Master's

    9.9 %
  2. Start to develop specific sustainable communities designer skills

    SkillsPercentages
    Photoshop17.85%
    PowerPoint14.13%
    Adobe Creative Suite13.06%
    Creative Development5.59%
    UI5.16%
  3. Complete relevant sustainable communities designer training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of 1-3 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New sustainable communities designers learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a sustainable communities designer based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real sustainable communities designer resumes.
  4. Research sustainable communities designer duties and responsibilities

    • Manage website redesign including copywriting and updating all website content.
    • Maintain web site using HTML.
    • Print material, social media material, photography and signage are all used to communicate to the community.
    • Design effective brands and PowerPoint user centered products Sketch3
  5. Prepare your sustainable communities designer resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your sustainable communities designer resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a sustainable communities designer resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose from 10+ customizable sustainable communities designer resume templates

    Build a professional sustainable communities designer resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your sustainable communities designer resume.
    Sustainable Communities Designer Resume
    Sustainable Communities Designer Resume
    Sustainable Communities Designer Resume
    Sustainable Communities Designer Resume
    Sustainable Communities Designer Resume
    Sustainable Communities Designer Resume
    Sustainable Communities Designer Resume
    Sustainable Communities Designer Resume
    Sustainable Communities Designer Resume
  6. Apply for sustainable communities designer jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a sustainable communities designer job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How did you land your first sustainable communities designer job

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Average sustainable communities designer salary

The average sustainable communities designer salary in the United States is $67,627 per year or $33 per hour. Sustainable communities designer salaries range between $44,000 and $103,000 per year.

Average sustainable communities designer salary
$67,627 Yearly
$32.51 hourly

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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
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.

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