Urban planners, also known as city planners, community planners, and regional planners, are in charge of planning, designing, and implementing the infrastructure required to support a population in a specific area. Problem solving is also a big part of their responsibilities. City planners are responsible for the design of roads, alternative modes of transportation, and public spaces such as parks, libraries, and schools, among other things. Local governments employ two-thirds of urban planners, which is unsurprising. The salary of an urban planner is determined by her educational background, certifications, experience, employer, and specializations, such as urban design or environmental planning.
Only about 20 colleges in the United States offer a bachelor’s degree in urban planning. In the United States, there are more than three times as many universities that offer a master’s degree in urban planning, which is the minimum educational requirement for the vast majority of government employers. In most cases, an undergraduate student earns a bachelor’s degree in a related field like political science, economics, or geography before enrolling in a master’s degree program in urban planning. A graduate student can choose between a general program and a specialized program in urban planning. The salary of an urban planner is directly proportional to her level of education and specialization.
Certification is another factor that influences an urban planner’s salary. The American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP) requires active membership in the profession’s primary organization, the American Planning Association® (APA®), as well as a set of work experience and education requirements. As a result, certification denotes professional recognition, field experience, and educational preparation. As a result, it usually has a significant positive impact on an urban planner’s pay. The salary of an urban planner is strongly correlated with her experience in the field, as stated in the AICP prerequisites.
The salary of an urban planner is also determined by her employer and whether the organization is public or private. As previously stated, the majority of urban planners work for local governments. Despite their name, local governments can range from a New York City borough to a three-county regional association in Tennessee in terms of geographic and population size. The salary of an urban planner is linked to a larger population of citizens. Although the number of positions available is much smaller than that of public institutions, most private firms pay higher planner salaries.