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The differences between urban planners and real estate developers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become an urban planner, becoming a real estate developer takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a real estate developer has an average salary of $93,510, which is higher than the $65,316 average annual salary of an urban planner.
The top three skills for an urban planner include GIS, infrastructure and visualization. The most important skills for a real estate developer are financial statements, property management, and due diligence.
| Urban Planner | Real Estate Developer | |
| Yearly salary | $65,316 | $93,510 |
| Hourly rate | $31.40 | $44.96 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 13,883 | 87,865 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 64% | Bachelor's Degree, 71% |
| Average age | 42 | 48 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 6 |
An urban planner is responsible for evaluating land use and condition and providing comprehensive plans and programs that would be beneficial for the entire community. Urban planners' tasks also cover conducting field investigations and collect environmental studies, performing market research and creating proposals for approval of the officials, reviewing recommendations and addressing issues which concern the land and resources, and strategizing comprehensive area plans. An urban planner must consider the community's best interest that would promote growth and development.
A real estate developer obtains and develops land, turning it into a real estate asset. Part of their job is to conduct extensive research and analyses, coordinate with experts, gather and analyze data, negotiate with land sellers, and prepare properties for development. They also oversee construction operations from planning to execution, set budgets and guidelines, establish timelines and objectives, generate leads for potential clients, and maintain an active communication line with contractors for a smooth and efficient workflow.
Urban planners and real estate developers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Urban Planner | Real Estate Developer | |
| Average salary | $65,316 | $93,510 |
| Salary range | Between $47,000 And $89,000 | Between $66,000 And $131,000 |
| Highest paying City | Washington, DC | Catonsville, MD |
| Highest paying state | California | Connecticut |
| Best paying company | Mapbox | RSM US |
| Best paying industry | Construction | Media |
There are a few differences between an urban planner and a real estate developer in terms of educational background:
| Urban Planner | Real Estate Developer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 64% | Bachelor's Degree, 71% |
| Most common major | Urban Planning | Business |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Southern California |
Here are the differences between urban planners' and real estate developers' demographics:
| Urban Planner | Real Estate Developer | |
| Average age | 42 | 48 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 66.6% Female, 33.4% | Male, 66.9% Female, 33.1% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.6% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 12.3% Asian, 9.3% White, 67.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9% | Black or African American, 9.1% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 17.0% Asian, 5.4% White, 63.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% |
| LGBT Percentage | 13% | 12% |