How to hire an urban design consultant

How to hire an urban design consultant, step by step

Here's a step-by-step urban design consultant hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write an urban design consultant job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new urban design consultant
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does an urban design consultant do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The urban design consultant hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   An urban design consultant's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, urban design consultants from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   This list presents urban design consultant salaries for various positions.

   Type of Urban Design Consultant	Description	Hourly rate
   Urban Design Consultant	Urban and regional planners develop land use plans and programs that help create communities, accommodate population growth, and revitalize physical facilities in towns, cities, counties, and metropolitan areas.	$24-37
   Facilities Planner	A facilities planner specializes in designing and planning the installation of facilities in buildings and establishments according to the allotted space and budget. Among their responsibilities include conducting inspections to determine an area's suitability for occupancy, analyzing factors such as lighting and ventilation, spearheading renovations, and drafting layouts... Show more	$23-50
   Community Planner	As a community planner, your job is to develop programs and plans for the utilization of land within your community. You are responsible for improving the community by achieving community goals such as the revitalization of infrastructure and physical facilities and accommodating population growth... Show more	$22-43

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • GIS
   • Urban Design
   • Sketch
   • Landscape Architecture
   • CAD
   • Adobe Photoshop
   • Design Process
   • Design Concepts
   • Design Ideas
   • Economic Development
   • Community Development
   • Landscape Design
   • Master Plan
   • Space Design

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage the website and twitter page, write the blog posts and attend numerous fashion shows and sample sale rooms.
   • Research previous transportation studies and offer recommendations to improve roadway and corridor design as well as ways to mitigate regulatory delays.
   • Research previous transportation studies and offer recommendations to improve roadway and corridor design as well as ways to mitigate regulatory delays.

   More urban design consultant duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your urban design consultant job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. An urban design consultant salary can vary based on several factors:

   • Location. For example, urban design consultants' average salary in new mexico is 50% less than in district of columbia.
   • Seniority. Entry-level urban design consultants earn 35% less than senior-level urban design consultants.
   • Certifications. An urban design consultant with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in an urban design consultant's salary.

   Average urban design consultant salary

   $63,960yearly

   $30.75 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level urban design consultant salary

   $51,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 20, 2026

   Average urban design consultant salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	District of Columbia	$84,415	$41
   2	Massachusetts	$72,674	$35
   3	Virginia	$71,262	$34
   4	New York	$70,456	$34
   5	California	$69,691	$34
   6	Washington	$67,911	$33
   7	Illinois	$64,147	$31
   8	Colorado	$63,722	$31
   9	Missouri	$61,753	$30
   10	Michigan	$59,673	$29
   11	Pennsylvania	$58,635	$28
   12	Texas	$55,973	$27
   13	North Carolina	$55,696	$27
   14	Utah	$54,581	$26
   15	Georgia	$54,211	$26
   16	Florida	$51,928	$25
   17	Arizona	$47,585	$23

   Average urban design consultant salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Perkins&Will	$66,303	$31.88	12
   2	Perkins Eastman	$66,044	$31.75	15
   3	NBBJ Design	$65,920	$31.69
   4	Katerra	$65,798	$31.63
   5	Skidmore, Owings & Merrill	$65,293	$31.39	13
   6	Cooper Carry	$65,108	$31.30
   7	Beyer Blinder Belle	$64,772	$31.14	2
   8	Evolve Media, LLC	$64,662	$31.09
   9	IBI Group	$64,508	$31.01
   10	HKS Architects Inc.	$64,071	$30.80	13
   11	Johnson Fain	$63,975	$30.76
   12	Titmouse	$63,973	$30.76
   13	Stantec	$63,969	$30.75	132
   14	CBT Architects	$63,901	$30.72
   15	AECOM	$63,856	$30.70	157
   16	Sasaki	$63,830	$30.69	6
   17	Wrt [wallace Roberts & Todd]	$63,809	$30.68
   18	Clark Nexsen	$63,739	$30.64
   19	Louis Berger	$63,614	$30.58
   20	Civitas Solutions	$63,200	$30.38

4. Writing an urban design consultant job description

   An urban design consultant job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. Below, you can find an example of an urban design consultant job description:

   Urban design consultant job description example

   Our team is growing! We are looking for an Urban Designer to enhance our design approach of our great projects.
   
   Studio T-SQ. is seeking an Urban Designer with 5+ years of planning, urban design, or related architecture or design experience. Experience in project types ranging from multi-family residential to affordable housing or mixed-use strongly preferred. The Urban Designer is responsible for developing strong strategies and design concepts supporting various projects that include analysis, urban planning, urban design, writing, document preparation, and creation of graphics, illustrations, and reports.
   Who We Are Studio T-SQ. is an award-winning Architecture + Planning firm in Uptown Oakland. We specialize in high-density residential/retail mixed-use (market-rate and affordable), Transit-Oriented Design (TOD), hospitality, commercial and planning/urban design projects. We thrive on developing creative and compelling design solutions that surpass Client’s expectations while respecting and responding to the environment and the community. We work with some of the biggest developers who have been repeat customers for years. As a leading firm in the design of affordable housing, Studio T-SQ. has 11 affordable communities in 10 different California cities on the boards and under construction in 2022! That's over 1,100 units planned for individuals and families seeking dignified housing from both the public and private sectors. If you are looking for a great place where you can truly grow and gain valuable skills and experience in a casual atmosphere as an Urban Designer while working on exciting projects, then Studio T-SQ. is the place for you!
   
   What You Will Do Participate in a variety of project types including urban infill development, transit-oriented development, community and neighborhood planning, and mixed-use development. Work closely with director or principal in developing site planning, programming, urban design concept, zoning code analysis, design guidelines, narrative, documentation, and development calculations. Assist in management, communication and coordination among client, multi-disciplinary team, public agencies, and consultants. Prepare graphic, narrative reports, and presentations that communicate process, research, and concepts. Manage presentations and production of planning and urban design projects. Assist in supervision and mentoring junior designers. Preferably, contribute to business development and growth for our Planning and Urban Design practice in Oakland and Long Beach. Contribute to office activities, initiatives and learning programs.
   
   What is Required Minimum of 5+ years of experience in planning, urban design, or related architecture or design experience, preferably in the U.S. Bachelor's degree in Architecture, Environmental Design, or a planning discipline equivalent. An advanced degree in Urban Design or Planning is preferred. Multi-family residential, affordable housing or mixed-use experience a major plus. Ability to work a hybrid schedule -- two days in-office, three days remote. Please include an online or PDF portfolio with your application.
   
   Other Desirable Qualifications Understanding and application of local zoning and planning codes. Strong proficiency in use of digital design tools including Sketch-Up, Adobe Suite, and Revit Knowledge of California Building codes, and experience in mixed-use or high-density urban residential is a plus. Proven background in creative collaboration with multi-disciplinary teams, from concept through presentation. Creative design and strong graphics background. Ability to do written deliverable summaries and report writing and communicate design ideas verbally and graphically. Strong leadership, management, and mentoring skills, and/or the desire to develop those skills. Experience in 3D building massing and conceptualization Computational efficiency in Rhino, 3D Studio Max, GIS is a plus
   
   What We Offer A hybrid work schedule. Studio T-SQ. understands the need for flexibility in our employees' lives. That's why we have adopted a companywide hybrid work environment. Company provided computer and software needed to perform work. A competitive salary. A team environment to demonstrate our best ideas and work as we continue offering superb service to our employees and our clients. Health insurance through Aetna and Kaiser, dental, and vision. Additional perks : company sponsored basic life insurance and long-term disability insurance, flex spending, 401k opportunities, transit & parking benefits, employee discount programs through ADP, and access to legal services. 8 paid holidays and vacation time. Professional Development opportunities including ongoing seminars with mentoring, reimbursement for certain career-related learning, professional licenses and associated renewals and exam fees. We view our professional development programs as strategic investments in our future. A BART accessible location (19th Street station).
   Applicants only. Recruiters, other services, products or commercial interests please do not contact this job posting. Studio T-SQ., Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find urban design consultants for your business:

   • Promoting internally or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to meet candidates with the right educational background.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to recruit passive job-seekers.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your urban design consultant job on Zippia to find and recruit urban design consultant candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with urban design consultant candidates should focus on their interest in the role and background experience. As the hiring process goes on, you can learn more about how they'd fit into the company culture in later rounds of interviews.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents. You can move on to the technical interview if a candidate is good enough for the next step.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new urban design consultant

   Once you've found the urban design consultant candidate you'd like to hire, it's time to write an offer letter. This should include an explicit job offer that includes the salary and the details of any other perks. Qualified candidates might be looking at multiple positions, so your offer must be competitive if you like the candidate. Also, be prepared for a negotiation stage, as candidates may way want to tweak the details of your initial offer. Once you've settled on these details, you can draft a contract to formalize your agreement.

   You should also follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that you've filled the position.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new urban design consultant. Human Resources and the hiring manager should complete Employee Action Forms. Human Resources should also ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc., and that new employee files are created.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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