2022 Best Value Urban Planning Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k

When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our “Best Value Urban Planning Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking - to help you make that decision.
In 2019-2020, 2,548 people earned their degree in urban and regional planning, making the major the 170th most popular in the United States. In 2017-2018, urban and regional planning graduates who were awarded their degree in 2015-2017, earned an average of $48,040 and had an average of $39,156 in loans still to pay off.
At the master’s degree level specifically, there were 1,475 urban and regional planning graduates with average earnings and debt of $56,398 and $43,194 respectively.
For this year’s “Best Value Urban Planning Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking, we looked at 68 colleges that offer a degree in urban and regional planning. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great urban and regional planning programs and cost less that schools of similar quality.
Some of the factors we look at when determining these rankings are overall quality of the urban and regional planning program at the school and the cost of the school after aid is awarded among other things. See our ranking methodology to learn more.
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The urban planning school you choose to invest your time and money in matters. To help you make the decision that is right for you, we’ve developed a number of major-specific rankings, including this list of “Best Value Urban Planning Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k”.
In addition to our rankings, you can take two colleges and compare them based on the criteria that matters most to you in our unique tool, College Combat. Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.
Best Value Urban Planning Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k
The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Urban Planning Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k.
Top 25 Best Value Master’s Degree Colleges for Urban & Regional Planning (Income $0-$30k)
Out of the 68 schools in the Best Value Urban Planning Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, Massachusetts Institute of Technology landed the #1 spot on the list. This fairly large school is located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and it awarded 49 masters’s urban planning degrees in 2019-2020.
MIT did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #1 on our “Best Urban & Regional Planning Master’s Degree Schools” list. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Massachusetts Institute of Technology are $56,719.
Read more about Urban & Regional Planning at Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Out of the 68 schools in the Best Value Urban Planning Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, Harvard University landed the #2 spot on the list. Cambridge, Massachusetts is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out masters’s urban planning degrees to 45 students in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on our master’s degree urban planning students whose families make $0-$30k list, Harvard has also earned the #3 rank in our “Best Urban & Regional Planning Master’s Degree Schools” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at Harvard are $50,654, but some majors have different tuition rates.
Read more about Urban & Regional Planning at Harvard University
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Georgetown University. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Urban Planning Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k. Georgetown is a fairly large school located in Washington, District of Columbia that handed out 25 masters’s urban planning degrees in 2019-2020.
Georgetown also made our “Best Urban & Regional Planning Master’s Degree Schools” list, coming in at #10. Average graduate tuition and fees at Georgetown University are $53,591, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Pennsylvania. It ranked #4 on our 2022 Best Value Urban Planning Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. UPenn is a large school located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania that handed out 2 masters’s urban planning degrees in 2019-2020.
UPenn not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #0 on our “Best Urban & Regional Planning Master’s Degree Schools” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at UPenn are $41,760, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Florida. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Urban Planning Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k. Located in Gainesville, Florida, this large public school awarded 25 diplomas to qualified masters’s urban planning students in 2019-2020.
UF also made our “Best Urban & Regional Planning Master’s Degree Schools” list, coming in at #17. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at UF are $30,130.
Read more about Urban & Regional Planning at University of Florida
Cornell University came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Urban Planning Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Cornell is a private not-for-profit institution located in Ithaca, New York. The school has a large population, and it awarded 30 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Cornell, the school also landed the #5 spot in our “Best Urban & Regional Planning Master’s Degree Schools” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at Cornell University are $30,042, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
Read more about Urban & Regional Planning at Cornell University
University of Wisconsin - Madison came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Urban Planning Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. University of Wisconsin - Madison is a large school located in Madison, Wisconsin that handed out 14 masters’s urban planning degrees in 2019-2020.
UW - Madison also took the #12 spot in our “Best Urban & Regional Planning Master’s Degree Schools” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at UW - Madison are $25,523, but some majors have different tuition rates.
Read more about Urban & Regional Planning at University of Wisconsin - Madison
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill ranked #8 on this year’s Best Value Urban Planning Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 37 masters’s urban planning degrees to qualified students.
In addition to being on our master’s degree urban planning students whose families make $0-$30k list, UNC Chapel Hill has also earned the #13 rank in our “Best Urban & Regional Planning Master’s Degree Schools” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at UNC Chapel Hill are $30,248, but some majors have different tuition rates.
Read more about Urban & Regional Planning at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
University of Washington - Seattle Campus did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Urban Planning Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #9. Seattle, Washington is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s urban planning degrees to 57 students in 2019-2020.
UW Seattle not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #6 on our “Best Urban & Regional Planning Master’s Degree Schools” list. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at University of Washington - Seattle Campus are $30,294.
Read more about Urban & Regional Planning at University of Washington - Seattle Campus
With a ranking of #10, University of California - Los Angeles did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Urban Planning Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. UCLA is a large school located in Los Angeles, California that handed out 66 masters’s urban planning degrees in 2019-2020.
UCLA also made our “Best Urban & Regional Planning Master’s Degree Schools” list, coming in at #7. Average graduate tuition and fees at University of California - Los Angeles are $28,131, but some majors have different tuition rates.
Full University of California - Los Angeles Urban & Regional Planning Report
Columbia University in the City of New York came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Urban Planning Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Located in New York, New York, this large private not-for-profit school handed out 52 diplomas to qualified masters’s urban planning students in 2019-2020.
Columbia did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #4 on our “Best Urban & Regional Planning Master’s Degree Schools” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at Columbia are $51,194, but some majors have different tuition rates.
Full Columbia University in the City of New York Urban & Regional Planning Report
University of Michigan - Ann Arbor came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Urban Planning Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. This large school is located in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and it awarded 1 masters’s urban planning degrees in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at U-M, the school also landed the #0 spot in our “Best Urban & Regional Planning Master’s Degree Schools” ranking. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at University of Michigan - Ann Arbor are $49,548.
The City College of New York did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Urban Planning Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #13. This fairly large school is located in New York, New York, and it awarded 8 masters’s urban planning degrees in 2019-2020.
Average graduate tuition and fees at CCNY are $20,832, but some majors have different tuition rates.
Georgia Institute of Technology - Main Campus landed the #14 spot on the 2022 Best Value Urban Planning Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Atlanta, Georgia is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s urban planning degrees to 41 students in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Georgia Tech, the school also landed the #8 spot in our “Best Urban & Regional Planning Master’s Degree Schools” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at Georgia Institute of Technology - Main Campus are $31,334, but some majors have different tuition rates.
Read full report on Urban & Regional Planning at Georgia Tech
With a ranking of #15, Florida State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Urban Planning Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. Tallahassee, Florida is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s urban planning degrees to 37 students in 2019-2020.
Florida State did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #25 on our “Best Urban & Regional Planning Master’s Degree Schools” list. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Florida State are $26,707.
Read full report on Urban & Regional Planning at Florida State University
University of California - Irvine ranked #16 on this year’s Best Value Urban Planning Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. UC Irvine is a large public school situated in Irvine, California. It awarded 19 masters’s urban planning degrees in 2019-2020.
UC Irvine not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #20 on our “Best Urban & Regional Planning Master’s Degree Schools” list. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at University of California - Irvine are $28,456.
San Diego State University came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Urban Planning Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. San Diego State University is a public institution located in San Diego, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 8 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Average graduate tuition and fees at San Diego State University are $18,658, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
University of South Florida - Main Campus ranked #18 on this year’s Best Value Urban Planning Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. USF Tampa is located in Tampa, Florida and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 22 masters’s urban planning degrees to qualified students.
Average graduate tuition and fees at University of South Florida - Main Campus are $21,126, but some majors have different tuition rates.
Ohio State University - Main Campus landed the #19 spot on the 2022 Best Value Urban Planning Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Ohio State is located in Columbus, Ohio and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 21 masters’s urban planning degrees to qualified students.
Ohio State not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #16 on our “Best Urban & Regional Planning Master’s Degree Schools” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at Ohio State University - Main Campus are $37,141, but some majors have different tuition rates.
Read more about Urban & Regional Planning at Ohio State University - Main Campus
University of Central Florida did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Urban Planning Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #20. University of Central Florida is located in Orlando, Florida and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 12 masters’s urban planning degrees to qualified students.
Average graduate tuition and fees at UCF are $28,657, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
Read more about Urban & Regional Planning at University of Central Florida
California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Urban Planning Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo is a large school located in San Luis Obispo, California that handed out 14 masters’s urban planning degrees in 2019-2020.
Cal Poly San Luis Obispo not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #11 on our “Best Urban & Regional Planning Master’s Degree Schools” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo are $21,009, but some majors have different tuition rates.
Full Cal Poly San Luis Obispo Urban & Regional Planning Report
With a ranking of #22, University of Minnesota - Twin Cities did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Urban Planning Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities is located in Minneapolis, Minnesota and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 26 masters’s urban planning degrees to qualified students.
Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at UMN Twin Cities are $28,845.
Read full report on Urban & Regional Planning at University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
Virginia Tech came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Urban Planning Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Virginia Tech is a large public school situated in Blacksburg, Virginia. It awarded 34 masters’s urban planning degrees in 2019-2020.
Virginia Tech not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #19 on our “Best Urban & Regional Planning Master’s Degree Schools” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at Virginia Tech are $30,547, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
Read full report on Urban & Regional Planning at Virginia Tech
Eastern Washington University came in at #24 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Urban Planning Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. EWU is located in Cheney, Washington and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 10 masters’s urban planning degrees to qualified students.
Average graduate tuition and fees at EWU are $28,921, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
Read full report on Urban & Regional Planning at Eastern Washington University
With a ranking of #25, University of Virginia - Main Campus did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Urban Planning Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. Charlottesville, Virginia is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s urban planning degrees to 14 students in 2019-2020.
University of Virginia also took the #9 spot in our “Best Urban & Regional Planning Master’s Degree Schools” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at University of Virginia - Main Campus are $32,394, but some majors have different tuition rates.
Read full report on Urban & Regional Planning at University of Virginia
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Notes and References
References
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
- Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.
Read more about our data sources and methodologies
Footnotes
- *Average salary, average net price, and average tuition and fees are for the top schools only.
- Some schools otherwise deserving of recognition may have been removed from this ranking in the event that new data identified post-publication warranted it, or at the request of the school.
Credits
- Credit for the banner image above goes to Arcaddmarketing.
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