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Research & DevelopmentStable

Urban and Regional Planner

Senior-level

Also known as: Campus Planner, City Designer, City Planner, City Planning Engineer

Research & DevelopmentBachelor's Degree

Job Description

As an Urban and Regional Planner, you develop blueprints for how communities use land and facilities, creating plans for new neighborhoods, transportation systems, or public spaces. Your work involves extensive collaboration with teams and the public through face-to-face discussions, emails, and phone calls, typically from an indoor office setting. You'll use your strong listening, writing, and critical thinking skills to analyze data and propose effective solutions. This career suits you if you enjoy problem-solving, mathematics, and shaping the future development of cities and regions.
Urban PlanningRegional PlanningLand Use PlanningCommunity DevelopmentResearchPublic PolicyGeographySTEMScience

Job Outlook 2025-2035

Projected growth

+3.9%

US average: +3.5%

Job openings

3,200

per year (US)

Jobs today

45,800

in 2025 → 47,600 (2035)

Typical entry education

Master's degree

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections; O*NET Bright Outlook. Read the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook

Work Environment

How this work is typically performed, based on O*NET work context data.

Email & digital communication
High
Working in a team
High
Contact with others
High
Freedom to make decisions
High
Time pressure
Moderate
Time spent sitting
High
Working outdoors
Low
Indoor, climate-controlled
High
Dealing with customers
High
Level of competition
Moderate

Source: O*NET Work Context (v31.0)

Future Perspective

Stable Job Market

The outlook for Urban and Regional Planners is stable, with about 3,200 job openings expected each year through 2035. The median annual wage for this role is around $89,320. With experience, you can advance into leadership roles such as director positions or specialize as a consultant in urban policy, guiding communities in strategic planning.

Career ladder

Often before this role

  • Planning Intern
  • Planning Assistant
  • GIS Technician

Where it can lead

  • Urban Planning Director
  • Regional Planning Director
  • Urban Policy Consultant

Impact of AI on this Job

AI will significantly impact urban and regional planning by automating data analysis, generating predictive models for population growth or traffic flow, and optimizing land-use scenarios. This will allow planners to focus more on strategic vision, community engagement, and complex policy formulation. However, human judgment remains crucial for ethical considerations and socio-political nuances.