Occupation · SOC 19-3051
Urban and Regional Planners
Develop comprehensive plans and programs for use of land and physical facilities of jurisdictions, such as towns, cities, counties, and metropolitan areas.
Median wage
—
Projected growth
—
—
Annual openings
—
per year
Employed (US)
—
Job Zone 5
Typical preparation
Extensive preparation
Stackable credential programs
210 mapped
Core skills
SpeakingJudgment and Decision MakingActive ListeningSystems AnalysisReading ComprehensionCritical ThinkingWritingSystems EvaluationComplex Problem SolvingSocial PerceptivenessNegotiationTime ManagementService OrientationCoordinationActive LearningPersuasionOperations AnalysisMonitoringMathematicsManagement of Personnel ResourcesLearning StrategiesInstructingScienceManagement of Financial ResourcesManagement of Material ResourcesProgrammingOperations MonitoringTechnology DesignQuality Control AnalysisOperation and ControlTroubleshootingRepairingInstallationEquipment SelectionEquipment Maintenance
Knowledge areas
Law and GovernmentEnglish LanguageGeographyTransportationCommunications and MediaAdministration and ManagementSociology and AnthropologyCustomer and Personal ServiceComputers and ElectronicsDesignMathematicsPublic Safety and SecurityHistory and ArcheologyEconomics and AccountingAdministrativePersonnel and Human ResourcesEducation and TrainingBuilding and ConstructionPsychologyPhilosophy and TheologyEngineering and TechnologyBiologyTelecommunicationsSales and MarketingForeign LanguageFine ArtsChemistryProduction and ProcessingPhysicsTherapy and CounselingMechanicalMedicine and DentistryFood Production
Technology & tools
3D urban simulation modeling softwareAccela KIVA DMSAccela PERMITS PlusAccela Tidemark AdvantageAdobe AcrobatAdobe Creative Cloud softwareAdobe DreamweaverAdobe FreeHand MXAdobe IllustratorAdobe InDesignAdobe PageMakerAdobe PhotoshopAutodesk 3ds Max DesignAutodesk AutoCADAutodesk AutoCAD Map 3DBentley MicroStationCaliper TransCADCitilabs TRANPLANCommunityVizComputer aided design CAD softwareCorel CorelDraw Graphics SuiteCorel WordPerfect Office SuiteCriterion Planners INDEXDassault Systemes SolidWorksData mining softwareDatabase softwareDesktop publishing softwareESRI ArcGIS softwareESRI ArcInfoESRI ArcViewESRI What if?ESRI softwareEmail softwareEnterprise resource planning ERP softwareEsri ArcGISExtensible markup language XMLGeographic information system GIS softwareGeographic information system GIS systemsGeomechanical design analysis GDA softwareGraphics software
Representative tasks
Getting InformationMaking Decisions and Solving ProblemsCommunicating with People Outside the OrganizationDeveloping Objectives and StrategiesCommunicating with Supervisors, Peers, or SubordinatesEvaluating Information to Determine Compliance with StandardsUpdating and Using Relevant KnowledgeAnalyzing Data or InformationInterpreting the Meaning of Information for OthersEstablishing and Maintaining Interpersonal RelationshipsOrganizing, Planning, and Prioritizing WorkResolving Conflicts and Negotiating with OthersPerforming for or Working Directly with the PublicProcessing InformationThinking CreativelyDeveloping and Building TeamsWorking with ComputersCoordinating the Work and Activities of OthersScheduling Work and ActivitiesIdentifying Objects, Actions, and EventsProviding Consultation and Advice to OthersGuiding, Directing, and Motivating SubordinatesDocumenting/Recording InformationJudging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or PeopleEstimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or InformationMonitoring and Controlling ResourcesPerforming Administrative ActivitiesCoaching and Developing OthersSelling or Influencing OthersMonitoring Processes, Materials, or SurroundingsTraining and Teaching OthersStaffing Organizational UnitsAssisting and Caring for OthersOperating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or EquipmentDrafting, Laying Out, and Specifying Technical Devices, Parts, and EquipmentPerforming General Physical ActivitiesInspecting Equipment, Structures, or MaterialsHandling and Moving ObjectsControlling Machines and ProcessesRepairing and Maintaining Electronic Equipment
Competency framework
Skill expectations by proficiency level.
emerging
Standard zoning and land-use ordinances — read and apply to assigned cases under a senior planner's review.GIS basics and parcel data — produce maps and summaries from a city or county dataset.Site plans and development applications — review for completeness against the local checklist.Public-meeting notices and packet preparation — produce to the jurisdiction's deadline.Census and ACS data — retrieve, clean, and present for assigned briefs.Field reconnaissance and parcel walks — conduct safely and document for staff review.Planning-staff reports on routine cases — draft to the office's template under supervision.Community-engagement events — staff and capture notes for senior facilitators.Zoning code amendments — redline against the jurisdiction's drafting conventions.Comprehensive-plan documents — read and summarize for incoming briefings.
developing
Independent case review on routine applications — manage from intake through staff recommendation.Public hearings and planning-commission appearances — staff with prepared analysis and presentations.Sub-area, corridor, or neighborhood plans — contribute substantively under a senior planner's lead.Project management for $50K–$500K consulting or grant engagements — manage at task level.Environmental review (NEPA, SEPA, local CEQA) — prepare or contribute to documents.Transportation impact analyses and mode-share studies — contribute with engineering partners.Stakeholder interviews and public-engagement design — lead for routine projects.Junior planners, interns, and AICP candidates — train on case management and report writing.Zoning- and development-code amendments — author for council adoption under supervision.Equity-and-affordability analyses — produce with appropriate datasets and methodology.
proficient
Comprehensive plans, climate action plans, and major area plans — lead through adoption and implementation.Multi-disciplinary project teams (engineering, environmental, public health) — lead with budget and schedule control.Complex entitlements and PUDs — negotiate independently with developers, council, and the public.Public-engagement strategies (equity-centered, multi-lingual, hybrid) — design and execute on signature projects.Departmental policies and procedures — author and steward through internal change.Council and commission deliberations — staff with confident technical and policy recommendations.Junior planners and senior associates — supervise across a small team.Funded grants (FHWA, EDA, HUD) — win and steward at PI level.Conferences and professional communities (APA, ULI) — contribute through panels and writing.Audits and program evaluations — lead with credible methodology and defensible findings.
advanced
Planning director or principal-in-charge leadership — set direction across staff, projects, and council relationships.Regional and state policy initiatives — lead with elected officials, agencies, and coalitions.Major capital and growth-management decisions — advise executives and councils with rigorous tradeoff analysis.Talent development and AICP pipeline — own succession, mentorship, and certification across the office.Public-engagement standards — institutionalize across the department and partner agencies.Equity and climate policy — advance through coalitions and statewide initiatives.Standards bodies (APA, AICP, ULI) — contribute through committee and board leadership.Cross-jurisdictional negotiations — lead on housing, transportation, and resource sharing.Workforce-of-the-future planning practice — redefine through hiring, training, and tooling.Legacy mentorship and field-shaping standards — institutionalize through accredited training and credentialing.
Also known as
35 alternate job titles map to this occupation.
Campus PlannerCity DesignerCity PlannerCity Planning EngineerCommunity Development PlannerCommunity Development TechnicianCommunity PlannerCommunity Planning TechnicianDeveloper AdvocateDevelopment TechnicianEconomic DeveloperEconomic Development CoordinatorHousing Development SpecialistHousing Grant AnalystHousing LiaisonLand Use PlannerNeighborhood PlannerOccupancy PlannerPlannerPlanning ConsultantPlanning OfficialPlanning SpecialistPlanning TechnicianProgram Services PlannerRegional Economic LiaisonRegional Facilities SpecialistRegional LiaisonRegional PlannerRegional Transfer LiaisonSustainable Communities DesignerSustainable Development Policy AnalystTown PlannerTraffic ExpertUrban DesignerUrban Planner