Home / Career Explorer / Social Sciences

Urban and Regional Planners

	Median Wage (USD, 2024)	Projected Job Openings (2024-2034)	Projected Growth (2024-2034)
National Statistics	$83720	3400	3.4%
State Statistics	-	-	-
City Statistics	-	-	-

Statistics

National

State

City

State

City

$83720

Median Wage (USD, 2024)

3400

Projected Job Openings (2024-2034)

3.4%

Projected Growth (2024-2034)

Develop comprehensive plans and programs for use of land and physical facilities of jurisdictions, such as towns, cities, counties, and metropolitan areas.

Experience Requirements Overview

Job Zone Five: Extensive Preparation Needed
Extensive skill, knowledge, and experience are needed for these occupations. Many require more than five years of experience. For example, surgeons must complete four years of college and an additional five to seven years of specialized medical training to be able to do their job.
Most of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).
Employees may need some on-the-job training, but most of these occupations assume that the person will already have the required skills, knowledge, work-related experience, and/or training.

Education, Training and Experience

Required Level of Education: Master's Degree

Related Work Experience: Over 1 year, up to and including 2 years

On-Site or In-Plant Training: N.A.

On-the-Job Training: None or short demonstration

Detailed Work Activities

Communicate with the public on environmental issues.
Promote environmental sustainability or conservation initiatives.
Develop environmental sustainability plans or projects.
Review plans or proposals for environmental conservation.
Analyze impact of legal or regulatory changes.
Obtain property information.
Design civil structures or systems.
Inform the public about policies, services or procedures.
Advise others on business or operational matters.
Collect information from people through observation, interviews, or surveys.
Prepare scientific or technical reports or presentations.
Prepare maps.
Record research or operational data.
Compile geographic or related data.
Analyze geological or geographical data.
Provide technical information or assistance to public.
Research impacts of environmental conservation initiatives.
Communicate with government agencies.
Review professional literature to maintain professional knowledge.
Mediate disputes.
Collaborate with technical specialists to resolve design or development problems.
Review environmental permits, plans, or reports.
Supervise scientific or technical personnel.

Work Values

Achievement

Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement.

Working Conditions

Recognition

Relationships

Support

Independence

Tasks

Design, promote, or administer government plans or policies affecting land use, zoning, public utilities, community facilities, housing, or transportation.
Advise planning officials on project feasibility, cost-effectiveness, regulatory conformance, or possible alternatives.
Create, prepare, or requisition graphic or narrative reports on land use data, including land area maps overlaid with geographic variables, such as population density.
Hold public meetings with government officials, social scientists, lawyers, developers, the public, or special interest groups to formulate, develop, or address issues regarding land use or community plans.
Mediate community disputes or assist in developing alternative plans or recommendations for programs or projects.
Recommend approval, denial, or conditional approval of proposals.
Conduct field investigations, surveys, impact studies, or other research to compile and analyze data on economic, social, regulatory, or physical factors affecting land use.
Evaluate proposals for infrastructure projects or other development for environmental impact or sustainability.
Discuss with planning officials the purpose of land use projects, such as transportation, conservation, residential, commercial, industrial, or community use.
Keep informed about economic or legal issues involved in zoning codes, building codes, or environmental regulations.
Assess the feasibility of land use proposals and identify necessary changes.
Determine the effects of regulatory limitations on land use projects.
Review and evaluate environmental impact reports pertaining to private or public planning projects or programs.
Supervise or coordinate the work of urban planning technicians or technologists.
Develop plans for public or alternative transportation systems for urban or regional locations to reduce carbon output associated with transportation.
Identify opportunities or develop plans for sustainability projects or programs to improve energy efficiency, minimize pollution or waste, or restore natural systems.
Coordinate work with economic consultants or architects during the formulation of plans or the design of large pieces of infrastructure.
Advocate sustainability to community groups, government agencies, the general public, or special interest groups.
Investigate property availability for purposes of development.
Conduct interviews, surveys and site inspections concerning factors that affect land usage, such as zoning, traffic flow and housing.
Prepare reports, using statistics, charts, and graphs, to illustrate planning studies in areas such as population, land use, or zoning.
Prepare, develop and maintain maps and databases.
Prepare, maintain and update files and records, including land use data and statistics.
Research, compile, analyze and organize information from maps, reports, investigations, and books for use in reports and special projects.
Respond to public inquiries and complaints.

Work Styles

Innovation

A tendency to be inventive, to be imaginative, and to adopt new perspectives on ways to accomplish work.

Innovation

Achievement Orientation

Intellectual Curiosity

Tolerance for Ambiguity

Initiative

Adaptability

Self-Confidence

Perseverance

Leadership Orientation

Humility

Sincerity

Empathy

Cooperation

Optimism

Social Orientation

Cautiousness

Attention to Detail

Dependability

Integrity

Stress Tolerance

Self-Control

Data Source: This page includes information from the O*NET 30.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. This page includes Employment Projections program, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Session has been expired