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Best states for an urban planner
Quoted expert
Robert von Mahs
- Rank 1 - 10
- 11 - 20
- 21 - 30
- 31 - 40
- 41 - 51
Are you thinking of becoming an urban planner and really want to work at AECOM? Turns out, your chances to become an urban planner are better in some states than others.As urban planners are popular in the U.S., we wanted to bring you a list of the best states for urban planners. In case you are trying to decide where to start your career as an urban planner, or if you are considering moving to a different city or state, we got you covered.
To do that, we looked at the most recent data we have available for the following criteria -- average annual wages, and availability of jobs for urban planners.District of Columbia is the best state, and Windsor is the city with the highest pay for urban planners.
10 best states for urban planners in 2025
1. District of Columbia
Total urban planner jobs: 43 Average annual salary: $86,757 Lowest 10 percent earn: $61,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $123,000 Location Quotient: 1.33
2. Nevada
Total urban planner jobs: 57 Average annual salary: $71,195 Lowest 10 percent earn: $50,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $101,000 Location Quotient: 1.41
3. California
Total urban planner jobs: 831 Average annual salary: $76,862 Lowest 10 percent earn: $53,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $111,000 Location Quotient: 1.47
4. Oregon
Total urban planner jobs: 81 Average annual salary: $73,472 Lowest 10 percent earn: $54,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $99,000 Location Quotient: 1.01
5. Connecticut
Total urban planner jobs: 95 Average annual salary: $70,872 Lowest 10 percent earn: $50,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $99,000 Location Quotient: 1.48
6. Massachusetts
Total urban planner jobs: 201 Average annual salary: $72,563 Lowest 10 percent earn: $51,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $102,000 Location Quotient: 1.13
7. Maryland
Total urban planner jobs: 181 Average annual salary: $71,052 Lowest 10 percent earn: $50,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $100,000 Location Quotient: 1.48
8. Colorado
Total urban planner jobs: 154 Average annual salary: $70,703 Lowest 10 percent earn: $52,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $95,000 Location Quotient: 1.34
9. Pennsylvania
Total urban planner jobs: 270 Average annual salary: $64,320 Lowest 10 percent earn: $45,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $90,000 Location Quotient: 1.2
10. Virginia
Total urban planner jobs: 237 Average annual salary: $68,194 Lowest 10 percent earn: $47,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $97,000 Location Quotient: 1.3
Urban planner jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be an urban planner
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for an urban planner
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | $86,757 | $61,000 | 693,972 | 43 |
| 2 | Nevada | $71,195 | $50,000 | 2,998,039 | 57 |
| 3 | California | $76,862 | $53,000 | 39,536,653 | 831 |
| 4 | Oregon | $73,472 | $54,000 | 4,142,776 | 81 |
| 5 | Connecticut | $70,872 | $50,000 | 3,588,184 | 95 |
| 6 | Massachusetts | $72,563 | $51,000 | 6,859,819 | 201 |
| 7 | Maryland | $71,052 | $50,000 | 6,052,177 | 181 |
| 8 | Colorado | $70,703 | $52,000 | 5,607,154 | 154 |
| 9 | Pennsylvania | $64,320 | $45,000 | 12,805,537 | 270 |
| 10 | Virginia | $68,194 | $47,000 | 8,470,020 | 237 |
| 11 | New York | $67,917 | $48,000 | 19,849,399 | 368 |
| 12 | Washington | $70,847 | $53,000 | 7,405,743 | 122 |
| 13 | Delaware | $69,871 | $49,000 | 961,939 | 17 |
| 14 | Vermont | $70,016 | $50,000 | 623,657 | 7 |
| 15 | Rhode Island | $69,513 | $49,000 | 1,059,639 | 10 |
| 16 | Kansas | $65,826 | $48,000 | 2,913,123 | 27 |
| 17 | Ohio | $62,373 | $44,000 | 11,658,609 | 151 |
| 18 | Minnesota | $62,546 | $46,000 | 5,576,606 | 125 |
| 19 | Alaska | $68,378 | $58,000 | 739,795 | 11 |
| 20 | Hawaii | $63,221 | $51,000 | 1,427,538 | 32 |
| 21 | Wyoming | $63,959 | $48,000 | 579,315 | 1 |
| 22 | Louisiana | $63,703 | $41,000 | 4,684,333 | 20 |
| 23 | New Hampshire | $57,724 | $41,000 | 1,342,795 | 46 |
| 24 | Michigan | $59,936 | $43,000 | 9,962,311 | 105 |
| 25 | Illinois | $59,605 | $43,000 | 12,802,023 | 236 |
| 26 | North Dakota | $58,219 | $44,000 | 755,393 | 15 |
| 27 | North Carolina | $55,755 | $38,000 | 10,273,419 | 201 |
| 28 | Kentucky | $57,537 | $40,000 | 4,454,189 | 54 |
| 29 | New Jersey | $61,987 | $43,000 | 9,005,644 | 120 |
| 30 | Texas | $57,363 | $38,000 | 28,304,596 | 322 |
| 31 | Maine | $59,407 | $42,000 | 1,335,907 | 9 |
| 32 | Iowa | $55,729 | $41,000 | 3,145,711 | 61 |
| 33 | Wisconsin | $55,670 | $40,000 | 5,795,483 | 104 |
| 34 | Nebraska | $56,489 | $41,000 | 1,920,076 | 34 |
| 35 | Alabama | $54,144 | $36,000 | 4,874,747 | 77 |
| 36 | Tennessee | $55,007 | $38,000 | 6,715,984 | 89 |
| 37 | Oklahoma | $57,365 | $41,000 | 3,930,864 | 15 |
| 38 | Utah | $55,747 | $40,000 | 3,101,833 | 55 |
| 39 | Georgia | $54,244 | $36,000 | 10,429,379 | 178 |
| 40 | Florida | $53,741 | $34,000 | 20,984,400 | 271 |
| 41 | South Carolina | $52,029 | $34,000 | 5,024,369 | 99 |
| 42 | Missouri | $56,195 | $40,000 | 6,113,532 | 67 |
| 43 | Mississippi | $54,144 | $36,000 | 2,984,100 | 24 |
| 44 | Indiana | $53,244 | $38,000 | 6,666,818 | 100 |
| 45 | Idaho | $55,431 | $41,000 | 1,716,943 | 11 |
| 46 | Arizona | $49,370 | $34,000 | 7,016,270 | 121 |
| 47 | Montana | $53,657 | $40,000 | 1,050,493 | 2 |
| 48 | South Dakota | $51,938 | $39,000 | 869,666 | 3 |
| 49 | Arkansas | $46,515 | $32,000 | 3,004,279 | 33 |
| 50 | West Virginia | $48,439 | $34,000 | 1,815,857 | 6 |
| 51 | New Mexico | $43,319 | $30,000 | 2,088,070 | 21 |
Highest paying states for urban planners
| Rank | State | Avg. Urban Planner Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | $86,757 |
| 2 | Nevada | $71,195 |
| 3 | California | $76,862 |
| 4 | Oregon | $73,472 |
| 5 | Connecticut | $70,872 |
| 6 | Massachusetts | $72,563 |
| 7 | Maryland | $71,052 |
| 8 | Colorado | $70,703 |
| 9 | Pennsylvania | $64,320 |
| 10 | Virginia | $68,194 |
| 11 | New York | $67,917 |
| 12 | Washington | $70,847 |
| 13 | Delaware | $69,871 |
| 14 | Vermont | $70,016 |
| 15 | Rhode Island | $69,513 |
| 16 | Kansas | $65,826 |
| 17 | Ohio | $62,373 |
| 18 | Minnesota | $62,546 |
| 19 | Alaska | $68,378 |
| 20 | Hawaii | $63,221 |
| 21 | Wyoming | $63,959 |
| 22 | Louisiana | $63,703 |
| 23 | New Hampshire | $57,724 |
| 24 | Michigan | $59,936 |
| 25 | Illinois | $59,605 |
| 26 | North Dakota | $58,219 |
| 27 | North Carolina | $55,755 |
| 28 | Kentucky | $57,537 |
| 29 | New Jersey | $61,987 |
| 30 | Texas | $57,363 |
| 31 | Maine | $59,407 |
| 32 | Iowa | $55,729 |
| 33 | Wisconsin | $55,670 |
| 34 | Nebraska | $56,489 |
| 35 | Alabama | $54,144 |
| 36 | Tennessee | $55,007 |
| 37 | Oklahoma | $57,365 |
| 38 | Utah | $55,747 |
| 39 | Georgia | $54,244 |
| 40 | Florida | $53,741 |
| 41 | South Carolina | $52,029 |
| 42 | Missouri | $56,195 |
| 43 | Mississippi | $54,144 |
| 44 | Indiana | $53,244 |
| 45 | Idaho | $55,431 |
| 46 | Arizona | $49,370 |
| 47 | Montana | $53,657 |
| 48 | South Dakota | $51,938 |
| 49 | Arkansas | $46,515 |
| 50 | West Virginia | $48,439 |
| 51 | New Mexico | $43,319 |
Expert opinions on the best states for urban planners
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for urban planners to find work opportunities?
Robert von Mahs
Associate Professor and Chair, The New School
The true value of an interdisciplinary course of study is that our graduates are not pigeonholed into very specific, prescribed, professional pathways. Our alumni have gone on to pursue successful careers in urban planning, government, law, non-profit management, social and community activism, historic preservation, environmental advocacy, real estate, journalism, publishing, education, and a range of private sector activities.
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Updated January 8, 2025