by our College Data Analytics TeamInstead of building castles in the sky, do you spend time day-dreaming up your own city? A major in Urban and Regional Planning would prepare you to develop and maintain city and community centers around the world. City planners are responsible for planning the buildings, roads, parks and utilities of cities and urban centers. They also address issues of city sprawl, endless traffic, few natural spaces, and a lack of reliable public transportation.
Your course load will depend on the college you choose. Common courses in this major can range from topics such as economics, architectural principles, management, drafting, law and geographic information system.
Urban & Regional Planning was the 183rd most popular major in the 2021-2022 school year. Colleges in the United States reported awarding 2,193 degrees in this year alone. Our 2025 Best Urban & Regional Planning Schools ranking analyzes 44 of these schools to determine the best overall colleges for urban & regional planning students. Explore this or one of our many other custom urban planning rankings further below.
If you think you would enjoy learning and applying principles of planning, analyzing, and architecture to developing and improving urban areas, this may be the major for you. A career as a city, community or regional planner is for someone who takes pleasure in understanding how social, economic, and political systems work together. Students will rely on the principles of architectural design in order to create communities that are eco-friendly and appealing to its residents. This is done by designing public transportation, affordable housing, and comfortable and environmentally friendly buildings.
Critical assessment and problem identification are necessary skills for this major. It is also imperative to be able to evaluate and come up with strategies to fix problems and implement solutions. Students will need to be strong thinkers with an interest in correcting present problems and avoiding problems in the future. The idea is not to provide a Band-Aid to an issue, but to actually fix it in order to create livable and healthy environments for communities all around the world. Students should be prepared to build physical models and designs as well as models on the computer.
urban & regional planning degree applicants generally need have finished high school or their GED. Many schools may also have GPA and SAT/ACT score minimums that must be met. Once you obtain your degree, additional urban planning certifications required to pursue a career in this field.
There are many different urban planning degree levels. Urban & Regional Planning programs offered by schools range from a to a , which is the highest urban planning degree you can get. The type of urban planning degree you choose will determine how long it takes to get your diploma.
| Degree | Credit Requirements | Typical Program Length |
|---|---|---|
| Associate Degree | 60-70 credits | 2 years |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 120 credits | 4 years |
| Master’s Degree | 50-70 credits | 1-3 years |
| Doctorate | Program required coursework including thesis or dissertation | At least 4 years |
A master's degree is the most common level of education achieved by those in careers related to urban planning, with approximately 40.9% of workers getting one. People currently working in careers related to urban planning tend obtained the following education levels.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Master’s Degree | 45.6% |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 30.6% |
| Doctoral Degree | 11.2% |
| First Professional Degree | 6.2% |
| Post-Baccalaureate Certificate | 4.2% |
About 66.3% of workers in careers related to urban planning obtain at least master's degrees. The chart below shows what degree level those who work in urban & regional planning have obtained.
The education level required is different depending on the urban planning career you are seeking.
With a degree in Urban and Regional Planning a student can go in many different directions. They can become a land use and code enforcement planners, transportation planners, environmental and natural resources planners, economic development planners, and urban design planners. With so many different focuses, it really allows the student to pick what interests and inspires them.
In order to become a city planner a master's degree is necessary. Most programs will accept undergrads with a degree in a range of topics, such as economics, geography, political science, or environmental design. Depending on what interests you, the graduate program you pick will focus on the issues that mean the most to you.
Want a job when you graduate with your urban planning degree? Urban & Regional Planning careers are expected to grow 7.1% between 2016 and 2026.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to urban & regional planning.
| Occupation Name | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Architectural and Engineering Managers | 190,000 | 5.5% |
| Urban and Regional Planners | 40,600 | 12.8% |
| Social Sciences Professors | 16,800 | 9.8% |
| Architecture Professors | 10,500 | 10.5% |
Recently graduated urban & regional planning students earned an average of $57,851 in <nil>. Earnings can range from as low as $22,719 to as high as $84,062. As you might expect, salaries for urban planning graduates vary depending on the level of education that was acquired.
Salaries for urban & regional planning graduates can vary widely by the occupation you choose as well. The following table shows the top highest paying careers urban planning grads often go into.
| Occupation Name | Median Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Architectural and Engineering Managers | $148,970 |
| Architecture Professors | $99,320 |
| Social Sciences Professors | $87,950 |
| Urban and Regional Planners | $76,240 |
With over 222 different urban planning degree programs to choose from, finding the best fit for you can be a challenge. Fortunately you have come to the right place. We have analyzed all of these schools to come up with hundreds of unbiased urban planning school rankings to help you with this.
One of 8 majors within the Architecture & Related Services area of study, Urban & Regional Planning has other similar majors worth exploring.
| Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Urban & Regional Planning, General | 2,193 |
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Architectural Sciences & Technology | 7,632 |
| General Architecture | 4,814 |
| Landscape Architecture | 926 |
| Environmental Design | 770 |
| Interior Architecture | 765 |
Image Credit: By Arcaddmarketing under License More about our data sources and methodologies.
